Server installation options for ASP.NET MVC 2

I’ve answered several questions about installing ASP.NET MVC 2 on a server lately, and since I didn’t find a full summary I figured it was time to write one up. Here’s a look at some of the top options:

• WebPI
• Bin deploy
• Run the full AspNetMVC2_VS2008.exe installer
• Command-line install with aspnetmvc2.msi

WebPI

WebPI has quickly become my favorite way to install Microsoft web platform software (including development tools) on my development machine, and it’s a great option for installing on the server as well. I like WebPI for a lot of reasons – here are the top three:

It’s a tiny download (less than 2 MB)
It figures out which dependencies you need and which you already have installed, so you get the smallest download and fastest install possible
It’s one place to go to get all the new releases
So if you have desktop access to the server, probably the best option is to install ASP.NET MVC 2 via WebPI.

Bin Deployment

ASP.NET MVC was designed so you can use it without needing install permissions, e.g. working with a hosting provider who didn’t have ASP.NET MVC installed. Phil Haack wrote up instructions for Bin Deploying an ASP.NET MVC 1.0 application, and it’s only gotten easier since then. If your server has ASP.NET 4 installed, you’ll just need to set the reference to System.Web.Mvc to “Copy Local”

Read more: Jon Galloway

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