Best way to integrate two ASP.NET sites

Question

I have two ASP.NET sites that are used for managing patient information. One application allows entry/edit of the patient demographics and the other allows different types of assessments to be completed for each patient. The two sites each have a distinct look and feel and both use SSL.

One of our analysts wants to have a "launch page" (a third application, basically) that will allow the user to lookup a patient record on the launch page and then after choosing a patient, click on a button to launch them either into the data entry application or into the assessment application.

I'm hesitant to do this for a number of reasons... 1) these are two separate applications and were designed to be separate apps and will always be used as separate applications by most users. 2) Because the apps have a different look/feel, the user will know they are being shuffled around two applications. 3) Being separate apps, how difficult will it be to pass my login credentials from the launch page to the other two apps? 4) Are there any SSL implications when bouncing between separate apps with different URLs?

Ideally we would combine the two apps into one and turn features on and off based on the user's needs, but that is not an option at this time.

Any advice and/or insight will be appreciated!

Thanks much...DL

Answer 1

Have you considered exposing the elements you need as web services?

Answer 2

You could use cookies to pass the authentication session between the apps.

If you are looking to merge the two apps in the future, I'd consider starting now by making them look the same to save on confusion down the track.

Answer 3

Easiest way to do this, would be, as Mike mentioned, to create a WebService on both of the websites that you currently have. Have it require authentication through WebService header (or use client certs to authenticate) and use SSL, then call both of the WebServices from your launch page with the name of the patient and return link to his/her profile for both site.