Hi,

I am using database with a list of username/passwords, and a simple web form that allows for users to enter their username/password.

When they submit the page, I simply do a stored procedure check to authenticate. If they are authorised, then their user details (e.g. username, dob, address, company address, other important info) are stored in a custom User object and then in a session. This custom User object that I created is used throughout the web application, and also in a sub-site (session sharing).

My question/problems are:

1. Is my method of authentication the correct way to do things?

2. I find users complaining that their session have expired although they "were not idle", possibly due the app pool recycling? They type large amounts of text and find that their session had expired and thus lose all the text typed in. I am uncertain whether the session does really reset sporadically but will Forms Authentication using cookies/cookiless resolve the issue?

3. Alternatively should I build and store the User Object in a session, cookie or something else instead in order to be more "correct" and avoid cases like in point #2.

4. If I go down the Forms Authentication route, I believe I cannot store my custom User object in a Forms Authentication cookie so does it mean I would store the UserID and then recreate the user object on every page? Would this not be a huge increase on the server load?

Advice and answers much appreciated.

L