Source code is provided.

In a given application there may be sensitive areas of the system that need protecting. Traditional authentication mechanisms may suffice, but in certain circumstances it may be necessary to lock down a location at a lower level. One way of doing this is to allow or deny access by IP Address.

This feature is supported in IIS7, and so is available for our use in Windows Azure. From the documentation on IIS7, this is the summary of what is possible with IIS7 IP Security:

In IIS 7, all Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, computers, and domains can access your site by default. To enhance security, you can limit access to your site by creating an allow rule that grants access to all IP addresses (the default), a specific IP address, a range of IP addresses, or a specific domain. For example, if you have a site on an intranet server that is connected to the Internet, you can prevent Internet users from accessing your intranet site by allowing access only to members of your intranet.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731598(WS.10).aspx

This feature is very easy to configure and use, since in IIS7 we can do most of our configuration in our web.config file.

Jumping straight into some setup, we first need a new Cloud Project with a single Web Role inside.

Basic Site Setup

Since we are very concerned about IP addresses, I modified the Site.Master page to add a basic piece of ASP.NET to show the user’s IP Address.

<h1>

You are: <%: Request.UserHostAddress %>

</h1>

Following this, we need to open our Web.config, and add in some basic rules. These rules can be complex, allowing or denying access to certain paths based on IP Address. For my example, I found my own IP address (by going to http://www.whatismyip.com) and denied myself access to the ~/Account/ folder within my application. This looks like:

Basic IP Sec config

This setting means that all users have access to the path ~/Account (because allowUnlisted is true), but the specified ip address is denied access to the folder. I will test access is available to other IP Addresses using another device, such as my smart phone.

Note that if we try this in the Azure compute emulator, we will need to modify the ipAddress for local to 127.0.0.1. I am testing against Azure staging instead, so my ipAddress remains static.

That’s all there is to it! Well almost.

If we load up the project in Azure, we find that actually we can access the page even though our IP address should be banned. What’s going on?

Access is allowed, why?

It turns out that IIS7 doesn’t have the module or role installed for IP Security in Azure (or any Windows 2008 Server) by default. Therefore we must go ahead and install the module ourselves, before the application starts. The way to achieve this is to create a startup task.

Create a .cmd file (Save as Unicode Without Signature) called Startup.cmd in the root of your web application. Mark this as Content and “Copy Always”. In this file we are going to put some shell commands to make the Web Role install the correct IIS module during its startup. Those commands are:

@echo off

@echo Installing “IPv4 Address and Domain Restrictions” feature

%windir%\System32\ServerManagerCmd.exe -install Web-IP-Security

@echo Unlocking configuration for “IPv4 Address and Domain Restrictions” feature

%windir%\system32\inetsrv\AppCmd.exe unlock config -section:system.webServer/security/ipSecurity

Then go into the ServiceDefinition.csdef and add the startup task like so:

<Startup>

<Task commandLine=”Startup.cmd” executionContext=”elevated” taskType=”simple” />

</Startup>

Note that this startup task does increase the length taken to start a role considerably (~5mins on a SMALL instance size). This is clearly due to installing new IIS components.

Now when we deploy again to Windows Azure, we find that our IP Address is no longer allowed access to the folder or any of its contents.

Access denied error (based on my IP)

When I access the same path on my smart phone (clearly it will have a different IP), I get the the login screen:

Success on a different IP

That’s about all, source code is attached here: IPRestrictions

REFERENCE:

http://blog.bareweb.eu/2011/04/restricting-access-by-ip-in-azure-web-role-v1-4/

Potential issue #1: You try to load one of the Windows Azure SDK Samples, found as a zip file in the Windows Azure SDK install folder (Default is: C:\Program Files\Windows Azure SDK\v1.0), by opening the sln (for example HelloFabric.sln) and you receive the following error:

ccproj cannot be opened because its project type (.ccproj) is not supported by this version of the application. To open it, Please use a version that supports this type of project.

Solution: You’ve installed the Windows Azure SDK but have not installed the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio. Install the tools to get Visual Studio support for building Windows Azure services.

Potential Issue #2:

You click File->New->Project or “Create Project” from the start page and you don’t see the option to create Cloud Service projects:

Solution: As with potential issue #1, you’ve installed the Windows Azure SDK but have not installed the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio. Install the tools to get Visual Studio support for building Windows Azure services.

Potential Issue #3:

You try to open one of the samples in the Windows Azure SDK by opening up the sln in Visual Studio and receive one or both of the following security warning:

Solution: You are opening the files from a untrustworthy source location (such as the Program Files directory or a file share). Copy the samples to a writeable, full trust location.

Potential Issue #4:

You hit “F5″ to debug and you see the ASP.Net Development Server instead of the Development Fabric:

Or, you click “Publish” and you see the following dialog instead of packaging and navigating to the Azure Services Developer Portal:

Solution: You need to ensure that the Cloud Service project is the startup project. In Solution Explorer, right Click the project that has the globe and 3 blocks and select “Set as Startup Project”.

In Visual Web Developer Express Edition, you simply need to click on that project in order to make it bold.

The bolded project in Solution Explorer is the startup project.

If you’re working from home, chances are you’re a freelancer, consultant, or small business owner. This means your ability to get paid is directly tied to how productive you are. As a freelancer, wasting time equals wasting money.

Here are some tips on how to stay focused as you move through the workday, while still enjoying all the unique benefits of working at home.

1. Respect Your Own Time

When you work at an office, family and friends seem to naturally respect your schedule. But when you’re working from home, you’ll inevitably get calls at 11:00 a.m. or be expected to handle the daily errands. I’m not saying you shouldn’t wait for the cable appointment or chat on the phone, but be mindful of how easy it is to have time ripped from your workday.

It’s important to set boundaries, if needed. People will respect your schedule, only if you respect it first.

2. Impose Time Limits on Specific Tasks

It’s easy to become distracted, particularly when dealing with a task that’s challenging or a bit dull. If you find yourself losing focus, tell yourself to dedicate just 15 more minutes to the task on hand. Knowing there’s an end in sight might inject new energy into the project. And if not, move on to something else and return to it when you’re in a better mindset.

3. Set Strict Deadlines

Ever wonder why you’re ultra-productive when facing a tight deadline, while a simple task can take hours to complete? You might chalk this up to working well under pressure, but it could also be Parkinsons Law, which basically states that a task will expand to fill the time you can give it. Combat this phenomenon by imposing your own deadlines for specific tasks. These can be as complicated as finishing a proposal or as simple as responding to a client email.

4. Log Off for “Power Productivity” Hours

Digital distractions aren’t just limited to Facebook and YouTube. For most, the daily barrage of emails and IMs from friends and colleagues ends up being the day’s biggest time sink. If you’re stuck in your inbox, dedicate chunks of the day when you unplug from your phone and email to get work done. You can log back on afterward and power through the necessary responses.

5. Delineate Your Workspace

Ideally you can have an area dedicated as your office (and preferably with a door so you can shut out unwanted distractions). Creating boundaries not only helps you be more productive “at work,” but also helps you decompress during your personal time.

6. Slowing Down? Change Your Environment

If you find yourself stuck (and you’ve already tried the “just 15 more minutes” tactic), change your environment. Go work at the café for an hour, or brainstorm at the park. A change in scenery can spark new ideas and give you newfound focus.

7. Conduct a Time Audit

Ever finish up the day and wonder where your time went? If you’re self-employed, it’s important to understand exactly how you’re using your time. Every so often, conduct a detailed audit of your day and keep track of what you did and how long it took. These audits can reveal great insights into your daily workflow and can help you make adjustments where needed — whether it’s getting help for your bookkeeping, dropping an overly demanding client, or condensing multiple trips to the grocery store.

8. Create Task Lists

I tend to have multiple lists running at any given time. One list keeps track of longer term goals (for example, the projects I need to complete by the end of the week or month). Then each morning I also create a focused outline for the day’s tasks. Try to keep your daily list as realistic and uncluttered as possible. Nothing can sap your motivation like staring at an overly ambitious list full of items you can’t possibly complete.

9. Make Your Breaks Count

Whether you’re working at home or in the office, it’s not possible to stay focused for hours on end. Breaks are an integral part of the workday, but make sure your free time counts. Have you ever denied yourself a trip to the gym or lunch with a friend “because you’re too busy?”

Chances are that on that very same day, you spent well over an hour browsing eBay, watching TV, looking at Facebook, checking your online bank account, or organizing your medicine cabinet. Busy work doesn’t accomplish anything and won’t recharge your batteries. So take your dog for a hike, take an actual lunch, or do whatever you enjoy. You’ll not only end up being happier, but more productive as well.