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.NET Framework agent

The Contrast .NET Framework agent analyzes the behavior of .NET web applications as users interact with these applications.

Once installed, the .NET Framework agent automatically instruments ASP.NET applications deployed to IIS. Agent analysis is performed as applications are exercised by users (or by automated scripts or tests).

You can view the results of the agent's analysis in the Contrast application. The Contrast .NET Framework agent consists of several components:

  • Background Windows service: (DotnetAgentService.exe) This service prepares the environment for instrumentation and manages communication between agent components. This is the main service that controls agent behavior. You can disable Contrast's instrumentation and analysis by stopping the agent's background Windows service.

  • The .NET Profiler: This instruments applications to weave in method calls out to agent sensors.

  • Sensors: These gather security, architecture and library information.

  • The .NET Framework Contrast tray: This is a Windows system tray application that displays high-level information about the health of the agent.

As a next step, you can: