I'm working with a client who wants me to implement a particular design in an IIS/ASP.NET environment. This design was already implemented in Java, but I am not sure it is possible using Microsoft technologies.

In a Tomcat/Java environment one can create so call Handler Chains. In essence a handler runs on the server on which the web service is running and it intercepts the SOAP message coming to the web service. The handler can perform a number of tasks before passing control to the web service. Some of these tasks may refer to authentication and authorization. Moreover, one can create handler chains, such that the handlers can run in a particular sequence before passing control to the web service.

This is a very elegant solution, as certain aspects of authentication and authorization can be automatically performed, without the developer of the client application and of the web service having to invest anything in it. The code for the client application and the web service is not affected.

You may find a number of articles on internet on this subject by searching on Google for "web service handler chain".

I performed searches for web service handlers in IIS or ASP.NET. I get some hits, but apparently handlers in IIS have another meaning than that described above.

My question therefor is: Can handler chains (as available in Java and Tomcat) be created in IIS? If so, how (any article, book, forum...)?

Either a negative or a positive answer will be greatly appreciated.

Mike