Is it possible to use VSS via http without file shares?

Tom Stewart (tastewar)

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Aug 28, 2009, 11:44:01 AM8/28/09

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We're battling a conficker outbreak, and in order to minimize future
exposure, we've been turning off the server service on hosts that don't need
it. Well, of course our VSS server did require that, but I remembered that
there was an option for setting up the server to be accessed via IIS (http).

So I went to the effort of doing all this, but when setting up the database
to be accessible via "the internet" I was accessing the database via a local
path. Imagine my surprise/shock/horror when it said that "for greater
security" I had to access it via the share name in order to configure
internet access. So I re-enabled the server service and finished the
configuration. Then I turned off the server service again, and went to my
client to configure that end. After many missteps, I got that working, but
only after re-enabling the server service.

I'm not looking for advice on battling conficker, here; I just want to know
if it's possible to configure a VSS server to be accessed via http only, such
that the server service (LanmanServer) can be disabled. And if it is
possible, how to do it :-).

Thanks for any advice if you've succeeded in doing what I want, or even a
definitive answer from MS that it is impossible, sad as that would be.

Jeff Clausius

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Aug 31, 2009, 9:49:09 AM8/31/09

to Tom Stewart (tastewar)

Tom:

I don't know if you want to go down this road, but there are
alternatives to accessing a VSS database. For instance, a solution
using SourceOffSite would be one way to close down any file sharing and
using a customizable port to only allow access to the SourceOffSite
Server to SourceOffSite Clients.

In regards to the accessing VSS without file sharing, I've never seen a
native VSS configuration which will do what you are asking about.

Jeff Clausius
SourceGear

Tired of the same old interface of VSS? Are you looking for ways to
improve productivity, but still protect your coding investment in VSS?
Check out the up and coming SourceOffSite 5 - a whole new way to
leverage your code!

http://vaultblog.sourcegear.com/articles/2009/06/04/sourceoffsite-5-customer-preview-release
http://vaultblog.sourcegear.com/articles/2009/06/17/sourceoffsite-ctp

Tom Stewart (tastewar)

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Aug 31, 2009, 1:29:02 PM8/31/09

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3rd party solutions would be a potential option moving forward, but we need
to be able to access our current database as well.

Jeff Clausius

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Sep 1, 2009, 10:59:34 AM9/1/09

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Tom:

Just a point of clarification, the SourceOffSite server DOES work with
your existing VSS databases. You just point the Server at the
srcsafe.ini file and it serves up the very same VSS database
information. You can even mix and match using SourceOffSite clients and
VSS clients all using the same VSS database.

Hope this makes sense.

Jeff

Tom Stewart (tastewar)

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Sep 1, 2009, 12:29:01 PM9/1/09

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Thanks for the clarification, Jeff.
--Tom

Catherine Sea

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Oct 19, 2009, 3:22:42 AM10/19/09

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Hi Tom,

You may also try SourceAnywhere for VSS, which is a remote access &
cross platform add-on tool of SourceSafe:
http://www.dynamsoft.com/Products/SAW_Overview.aspx

Thanks,

-------------------------------
Catherine Sea
www.dynamsoft.com
www.scmsoftwareconfigurationmanagement.com