Running the Original PDshop in Microsoft Azure

PDshop was one of the earliest e‑commerce shopping cart platforms, built on Microsoft technologies such as ASP.NET and SQL Server. While PDshop has since been retired, merchants who still want to run the original version can do so in Microsoft Azure by creating a hosting environment that mirrors the requirements of the legacy platform.

Step 1: Prepare an Azure Web App or Virtual Machine
The original PDshop requires a Windows environment with IIS (Internet Information Services). In Azure, you have two main options:
• Azure Web App (Windows): Simplifies deployment and management, ideal for smaller stores.
• Azure Virtual Machine (Windows Server): Provides full control over IIS, SQL Server, and custom configurations. Recommended for merchants with larger catalogs or custom integrations.

Step 2: Configure IIS and .NET Framework
PDshop was built on classic ASP.NET, not ASP.NET Core. To run it:
• Install the required .NET Framework version (commonly 4.x).
• Enable IIS features such as ASP.NET, ISAPI Extensions, and Static Content.
• Configure application pools to run in Classic mode if needed.

Step 3: Set Up SQL Server
PDshop uses SQL Server for its database. In Azure, you can:
• Use Azure SQL Database for a managed cloud database.
• Or install SQL Server directly on your VM for full compatibility.
Import your PDshop database backup into the chosen SQL environment.

Step 4: Deploy PDshop Files
• Upload the PDshop application files to your IIS site directory.
• Configure the web.config file with the correct database connection string pointing to your Azure SQL instance.
• Ensure file permissions allow the application to write to necessary folders (for product images, logs, etc.).

Step 5: Configure Domain and SSL
• Point your domain name to the Azure Web App or VM’s public IP.
• Install an SSL certificate to secure checkout and customer data. Azure supports free certificates via App Service or custom certificates for VMs.

Step 6: Test and Optimize
• Verify that product pages, shopping cart, and checkout load correctly.
• Test integrations such as payment gateways and shipping calculators.
• Use Azure monitoring tools to track performance and scale resources as needed.

Considerations
• Legacy limitations: The original PDshop cannot connect to modern UPS or USPS APIs, since those legacy endpoints have been retired. Merchants may need to use flat‑rate or table‑based shipping rules.
• Security: Running legacy software in the cloud requires careful patching and monitoring. Azure provides firewalls, monitoring, and backup options to help mitigate risks.
• Migration path: While it is possible to run PDshop in Azure, merchants should plan for eventual migration to a modern platform or the upcoming ASP.NET Core version of PDshop.

Hosting the original PDshop in Azure allows merchants to preserve their existing stores while benefiting from the scalability, reliability, and security of Microsoft’s cloud platform. By setting up a Windows environment with IIS and SQL Server, PDshop can continue to run much as it did on‑premises, but with the added flexibility of cloud hosting.