Part V, Deployment and Security

The main deployment unit of a .NET application is the assembly. Assemblies were created to combat the inconsistent deployment of class libraries and version incompatibilities. Chapter 19, "Assemblies," shows that the .NET Framework contains a vast array of processes to follow when working with assemblies, including strongly named assemblies, and techniques to follow when creating subsequent versions of existing assemblies.

Sometimes regarded as the last step in application design, installation is also one of the most important items to plan and implement. In Chapter 20, "Installation," you'll see the techniques needed to create a robust installation of your application, starting with the creation of installation packages and followed by more advanced techniques, including installation of assemblies into the Global Assembly Cache (GAC).

Security issues within the development community have seen a focused increase. Chapter 21, "Securing Code," covers several different facets of programming, including authentication, code execution permissions, and licensing.