Questions about new setup

[WSamp]

I apologize in advance for the long statement, but I'm a complete newbie when it comes to dealing with external hosting providers. Here is my scenario...

I have been asked to develop a website for a non-profit organization. Their site is currently hosted by a company that uses a content management system for the site. The NPO wants a fancier, more up to date site with some additional features that the CMS system cannot provide, so I have agreed. The new site will be developed in Visual Studio 2008 with .Net 3.5 SP1.

I am a software architect by trade but this is the first time I have had to work with an external hosting provider. I've always had complete control over IIS, Sql Server, web servers, application servers, etc. Obviously, I've never interacted with the control panel aspect. I've also never had any interaction with dealing with domains or domain servers. So, if you will indulge me, I have some questions. Please try and be as detailed as you can be.

1. How would I find out who is the registrar of the domain name?
2. Can I create a new DASP account without using the existing domain name or can I create an account and use the existing domain name without having it redirected yet?
3. What is the normal process of moving a domain name from one hosting provider to another?
4. How would I test my new website code before the existing domain gets redirected?
5. With regard to .Net code behind communication with Sql Server, I normally use the Microsoft Data Application Block. I just copy the .dll to the bin folder of the site and set a reference. Can I code my app the same way to host with DASP?
6. If I create a Sql script to create the database, tables, view, etc. on my local machine, is there a method to run that script via some control panel to create the same on DASP's Sql Servers?
7. I also use Telerik web controls. Again, I just have to copy the .dll to the bin folder and create a reference to use it. Is that the same as well?
8. The client would also like a forum, much like this one and a blog. Can I setup a domain structure something like www.mainsite.org, then have the blog be blog.mainsite.org and the forum be forums.mainsite.org? How would I do this?

I have done a lot of research as far as hosting providers since I have a fairly tight budget to work with since they are a non-profit and I believe that DASP has the features I want, I just need some answers up front before I can convince the client to switch to DASP.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Eric]

1. How would I find out who is the registrar of the domain name?
Run a whois lookup: http://internic.net/whois.html

2. Can I create a new DASP account without using the existing domain name or can I create an account and use the existing domain name without having it redirected yet?
You will need to sign up with a domain name. It's your choice to point the domain over to us or not as the domain owner is in control of where the domain resolves to.

3. What is the normal process of moving a domain name from one hosting provider to another?
To get a domain to resolve to us, you would update the domain name servers with the domain regsitrar. The domain will remain with the domain regsitrar - e.g. you continue to pay them for the domain renewal fees. You would just update the domain name servers so that the domain resolves to our hosting system. We have some instructions for populr domain registrars here: http://support.discountasp.net/KB/c72/domain-name-server-update-instructions.aspx

4. How would I test my new website code before the existing domain gets redirected?
We provide an alternative ftp address for uploading your files to our webserver. We provide an alternative url so you can view the site on our webservers. You can use the alt ftp/url to test your site, even while the domain is pointing to a live site at another host. When you are ready, then you can update your domain name servers to point the domain over to us.

7. I also use Telerik web controls. Again, I just have to copy the .dll to the bin folder and create a reference to use it. Is that the same as well?
You can use telerik controls. You would /bin deploy them.

8. The client would also like a forum, much like this one and a blog. Can I setup a domain structure something like www.mainsite.org, then have the blog be blog.mainsite.org and the forum be forums.mainsite.org? How would I do this?
If you want subdomains, you would need the Unlimited Subdomain addon. With this addon, we set up a wildcard subdomain (*.mainsite.org) that points to the root. You can then programically redirect any specific subdomain to a subfolder. You can use the Control Panel Web Application Tool to set any subfolder as an application starting point.

[bruce]

5. With regard to .Net code behind communication with Sql Server, I normally use the Microsoft Data Application Block. I just copy the .dll to the bin folder of the site and set a reference. Can I code my app the same way to host with DASP?

You should be able to use Data Application Block as long as you upload the dll.

6. If I create a Sql script to create the database, tables, view, etc. on my local machine, is there a method to run that script via some control panel to create the same on DASP's Sql Servers?

Yes. You can remotely connect to our server using any SQL client to execute the script. Alternatively, you can also use our SQL Web Admin tool.

[WSamp]

Thank you very much for the response. That was very helpful!