How to share session between framework 4.8 and .net with YARP

Question

How to share session between framework 4.8 and .net with YARP

Royden 20

I realise there is plenty, plenty, of documentation/videos/help but nothing is helping me get past the very basic act of sharing session even though I see it work in the "UpgradeSample-main" example project.

I'm finding resources are often different, or out of date and nothing appears to work for me.

I've done a side-by-side comparison, I've restarted my attempts many times, I am not winning and would appreciate some help with this please.

Thank you

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Answer 1

@Royden, based on my test, I reproduced the problem that I always get null Session Value. I did some search; it may be due to the version changing. I recommend that you could use Cookie to replace Session, which is more coinvent.

Please try the following Changes.

Asp.net MVC (.NET Framework):

Place the ViewBag.UserName in index.html

<section class="row" aria-labelledby="aspnetTitle">
    <h1 id="title">ASP.NET</h1>  
    <p>My Name is @ViewBag.UserName</p>

Controller:

public class HomeController : Controller
 {
     public ActionResult Index()
     {
         var sessionValue = "JohnDoe";
         // Store a value in the session
         Session["UserName"] = "JohnDoe";
         // In a controller or action in the MVC app
         var cookie = new HttpCookie("SharedSession", sessionValue)
         {
             HttpOnly = true, // Secure it to prevent client-side JavaScript access
             Expires = DateTime.Now.AddMinutes(30), // Set expiration for the session
             Domain = "localhost" // Set to the shared domain for subdomains
         };
         Response.Cookies.Add(cookie);
         ViewBag.UserName = sessionValue;
         return View();
     }
     
 }

ASP.NET Core MVC (.NET):

Place the ViewBag.UserName in index.html

<div class="text-center">
    <h1 class="display-4">Welcome</h1>
    <p>Learn about <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/aspnet/core">building Web apps with ASP.NET Core  </a>.</p>
    <p>My Name is @ViewBag.UserName</p>
</div>

Controller:

    public class HomeController : Controller
    {
        private readonly ILogger<HomeController> _logger;
        public HomeController(ILogger<HomeController> logger)
        {
            _logger = logger;
        }
        public IActionResult Index()
        {
            var sharedSession = Request.Cookies["SharedSession"];
            if (sharedSession != null)
            {
                // Use the session value
                var sessionValue = sharedSession;
                ViewBag.UserName = sessionValue;
            }
            return View();
        }
   
    }

Please run your asp.net mvc(.NET Framework) first, then run your asp.net core mvc, you will see the following tested result:

User's image

Hope it could help you.

Best Regards,

Jack

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Royden 20 Reputation points

2025-02-14T16:08:13.6833333+00:00

HI @Jack J Jun

I will move forward with an alternative for storing session. Thank you very much for the time you have spent on this.

Answer 2

Jack J Jun 25,296

@Royden, Welcome to Microsoft Q&A, if you want to share session data between .net framework app and .NET app with YARP, I recommend that you could create a Session database to share session data between .NET Framework 4.8 app and .NET app. For .NET Framework 4.8:

<sessionState mode="SQLServer"
              sqlConnectionString="Data Source=ServerName;Initial Catalog=SessionDB;Integrated Security=True"
              cookieless="UseCookies" timeout="30" />

For .NET : Install Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.SqlServer and configure session state:

services.AddDistributedSqlServerCache(options =>
{
    options.ConnectionString = "Data Source=ServerName;Initial Catalog=SessionDB;Integrated Security=True";
    options.SchemaName = "dbo";
    options.TableName = "SessionData";
});

Hope it could help you.

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Royden 20 Reputation points

2025-02-12T12:00:05.19+00:00
@Jack J Jun Thank you for your response.

At this stage I'm not even able to access session itself (Session["test"]), "Session" itself is null. Im following the example per the MS videos and the eShopLegacyMVCCore project and it's not lining up with my experience

public IActionResult Index() { return Ok($"Administrator says {System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Session["test"]}"); //return View(); }

Jack J Jun 25,296

@Royden, based on your latest description, it seems that you could not access the session in asp.net mvc core app.

I recommend that you could read the Microsoft Learning Session and state management in ASP.NET Core.

Add Session Middleware in Program.cs

Ensure you have added session services in Program.cs:

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
// Add services to the container.
builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();
// Add distributed memory cache
builder.Services.AddDistributedMemoryCache(); // Required for session
// Add session support
builder.Services.AddSession(options =>
{
    options.IdleTimeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(30); // Set session timeout
    options.Cookie.HttpOnly = true;
    options.Cookie.IsEssential = true;
});
var app = builder.Build();
// Enable session middleware
app.UseSession(); // <--- IMPORTANT: This must come before UseEndpoints()
app.UseRouting();
app.UseAuthorization();
app.MapControllers();
app.Run();

Check That Session is Used in a Controller

Make sure you're using HttpContext.Session correctly in a controller:

public class HomeController : Controller
{
    public IActionResult Index()
    {
        HttpContext.Session.SetString("test", "Hello Session");
        return View();
    }
    public IActionResult GetSessionValue()
    {
        string? value = HttpContext.Session.GetString("test");
        return Content(value ?? "Session is null");
    }
}

3.Ensure You’re Using the Correct Session Methods

ASP.NET Core does not support direct access like Session["key"]. Instead, use:

HttpContext.Session.SetString("test", "value");
string? value = HttpContext.Session.GetString("test");

Check That Session is Not Disabled in Cookies

Session depends on cookies, so if cookies are disabled in your browser or blocked due to policies, session won't work.

Make sure the cookie settings allow sessions:

options.Cookie.HttpOnly = true; options.Cookie.IsEssential = true;

Please free to let me know if you have any questions.

Royden 20 Reputation points

2025-02-12T13:45:52.0933333+00:00

Thank you again.

I am trying to follow MS example per the YARP SystemAdapters in the video:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/shows/migrating-from-aspnet-to-aspnet-core/using-systemweb-adapters-to-share-session-state-in-aspnet-upgrade-scenarios-migrating-from-aspnet-to-aspnet-core

And am taking note from it's example eShopLegacyMVC.sln

In this example, they are accessing it per my example above. It works in the example, but not for me and I can't see why.

I will try the above alternative and come back ...
Royden 20 Reputation points

2025-02-12T14:23:19.22+00:00

That doesn't work either.
Jack J Jun 25,296 Reputation points

2025-02-12T14:35:00.8766667+00:00

@Royden, okay, so could you provide some code examples that you are testing? It will be better for me to analyze your problem clearer. Or just follow the above video will I find the problem?
Royden 20 Reputation points

2025-02-12T14:37:10.6933333+00:00

I will prepare something that I could post here, that will likely be tomorrow, thank you @Jack J Jun
Royden 20 Reputation points

2025-02-13T10:48:02.1166667+00:00
Good morning @Jack J Jun

Code is as follows:

Global.asax

public class Global : HttpApplication

{

void Application_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

SystemWebAdapterConfiguration.AddSystemWebAdapters(this)

.AddProxySupport(options => options.UseForwardedHeaders = true)

.AddJsonSessionSerializer(options =>

{

options.RegisterKey<string>("test");

})

.AddRemoteAppServer(options =>

{

options.ApiKey = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["RemoteAppApiKey"];

})

.AddSessionServer();

// Code that runs on application startup

RouteConfig.RegisterRoutes(RouteTable.Routes);

BundleConfig.RegisterBundles(BundleTable.Bundles);

}

void Session_Start(object sender, EventArgs e)

{

Session["test"] = "Shared Session OK";

}

}

Core project program.cs as follows

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

builder.Services.AddSystemWebAdapters()

/*

* move session to db or to redis (recommended)

* load balancing investigation -

*/

.AddJsonSessionSerializer(options =>

{

options.RegisterKey<string>("test");

})

.AddSessionSerializer(options =>

{

options.ThrowOnUnknownSessionKey = true;

})

.AddRemoteAppClient(options =>

{

options.RemoteAppUrl = new(builder.Configuration["ReverseProxy:Clusters:fallbackCluster:Destinations:fallbackApp:Address"]);

options.ApiKey = builder.Configuration["RemoteAppApiKey"];

})

.AddSessionClient();

// This isn't provided from upgrader

builder.Services.AddHttpContextAccessor();

//builder.Services.AddSession();

builder.Services.AddReverseProxy()

// Below line wasn't generated by assistant but exists in example.

.LoadFromConfig(builder.Configuration.GetSection("ReverseProxy"));

builder.Services.AddHttpForwarder();

// Add services to the container.

builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();

builder.Services.AddSession(options =>

{

options.IdleTimeout = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(30);

options.Cookie.HttpOnly = true;

options.Cookie.IsEssential = true;

});

var app = builder.Build();

if (!app.Environment.IsDevelopment())

{

app.UseHsts();

}

app.UseHttpsRedirection();

app.UseStaticFiles();

app.UseSession();

app.UseRouting();

app.UseAuthorization();

app.UseSystemWebAdapters();

app.MapDefaultControllerRoute()

.RequireSystemWebAdapterSession();

app.MapForwarder("/{**catch-all}", app.Configuration["ProxyTo"]).Add(static builder => ((RouteEndpointBuilder)builder).Order = int.MaxValue);

app.Run();

Core project controller as follows

`public class AdministrationController : Controller`

{

public IActionResult Index()

{

//return Ok("Ok");

//return Ok($"Administrator says {System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Session["test"]}");

return Ok($"Administrator says {HttpContext.Session.GetString("test")}");

//return View();

}

}

core project appsettings.json as follows (copied from the eShopLegacySolution)

{

"ConnectionStrings": {

"CatalogDBContext": "Data Source=(localdb)\\MSSQLLocalDB; Initial Catalog=Microsoft.eShopOnContainers.Services.CatalogDb; Integrated Security=True; MultipleActiveResultSets=True;"

},

"RemoteAppApiKey": "2413d87d-6b90-4901-8941-07d09d6e3468",

"Logging": {

"LogLevel": {

"Default": "Information",

"Microsoft.AspNetCore": "Warning"

}

},

"AllowedHosts": "*",

"ReverseProxy": {

"Routes": {

"fallbackRoute": {

"ClusterId": "fallbackCluster",

"Match": {

"Path": "{**catch-all}"

},

"Order": "2147483647"

}

},

"Clusters": {

"fallbackCluster": {

"Destinations": {

"fallbackApp": {

"Address": ""

}

}

}

}

}

}

I'm not sure what I'm missing for the session to be available in the original framework project and the new core project (generated by the YARP upgrade assistant)

Thanking you for your time

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How to share session between framework 4.8 and .net with YARP

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