Can you host multiple WCF processes in a single windows service?

Question

I have a WCF process hosted in a windows service. I am wondering if I can safely have multiple WCF processes that do different things hosted in the same windows service. Do I have to worry about ports? I am using a mex endpoint

Answer 1

EDIT: SO seems to be trimming my lengthy code/config example so there's a complete explanation here: http://thegrenade.blogspot.com/2009/08/hosting-multiple-wcf-services-under.html

Here's an example that may help get you going:

class Program {
    static void Main() {
        if (Environment.UserInteractive) {
            ServiceManager serviceManager = new ServiceManager();
            serviceManager.OpenAll();
            Console.ReadKey();
            serviceManager.CloseAll();
        }
        else
            ServiceBase.Run(new WindowsService());
    }
}

public class WindowsService : ServiceBase
{
    public static string WindowsServiceName = "Windows Service Name";
    public static string WindowsServiceDescription = "Windows Service Description";
    public static string WindowsServiceUsername = @".\username";
    public static string WindowsServicePassword = "password";

    private readonly ServiceManager serviceManager = new ServiceManager();

    private readonly IContainer components = new Container();

    protected override void Dispose(bool disposing) {
        if (serviceManager != null) serviceManager.CloseAll();
        if (disposing && (components != null)) components.Dispose();
        base.Dispose(disposing);
    }

    public WindowsService() {
        ServiceName = WindowsServiceName;
        CanStop = true;
    }

    protected override void OnStart(string[] args) {
        base.OnStart(args);
        serviceManager.OpenAll();
    }

    protected override void OnStop() {
        serviceManager.CloseAll();
        base.OnStop();
    }
}

public class ServiceManager {
    readonly List<ServiceHost> serviceHosts = new List<ServiceHost>();

    public void OpenAll() {
        OpenHost<Service1>();
        OpenHost<Service2>();
        ...
    }

    public void CloseAll() {
        foreach (ServiceHost serviceHost in serviceHosts)
            serviceHost.Close();
    }

    private void OpenHost<T>() {
        Type type = typeof(T);
        ServiceHost serviceHost = new ServiceHost(type);
        serviceHost.Open();
        serviceHosts.Add(serviceHost);
    }
}

/// <remarks>
/// Enables application to be installed as a Windows Service by running InstallUtil
/// </remarks>
[RunInstaller(true)]
public class WcfServiceHostInstaller : Installer {
    public WcfServiceHostInstaller() {
        Installers.Add(new ServiceInstaller
                           {
                               StartType = ServiceStartMode.Automatic,
                               ServiceName = WindowsService.WindowsServiceName,
                               Description = WindowsService.WindowsServiceDescription
                           });
        Installers.Add(new ServiceProcessInstaller { Account = ServiceAccount.User, Username = WindowsService.WindowsServiceUsername, Password = WindowsService.WindowsServicePassword });
    }
}

And some configuration

• Here, the binding & behaviour configuration is shared across services but you may need different configurations for different types of services.

• I use different ports for different services, but you don't have to.

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