VB.NET Virgin - Some questions

Hi,
I am sorry to post here such a series of dumb questions but forgive me as I am a new web programmer and a new VB.NET programmer too. I am, however, VB6 familiar so perhaps all is not lost!


I want to write a Windows 2000 self service web system for a client with VB.NET.

This will allow them to edit many of their own AD attributes - Office, telephone, pager, surname, etc.

The intention is that when a user loads my site the default page runs some code to get their username and then checks AD group membership. If they are members of an admin group they get redirected to an all users page.

If they are not members of the admin group then they get redirected to a page that allows them to edit their own details only.

Otherwise they get a page stating that they are not logged onto a domain.

Dumb questions:

1. Is it possible to execute a redirection page that loads code quickly enough so as not to appear ugly? I have a redirect page that only redirects to another one that runs really quickly. i found this on MS site and it is just a little bit of ASP code.

2. I am using an internediate SQL database to hold user details before they are fed into the AD. To access this I am using the SQLConnection web control. Is there some way to variablise this?

I want to have an ini file for system variables that is read at the beginning of the page load of the second page.

3. Is it possible to redirect from one page to another and pass variables to another page (Such as username, SQL server name, etc)

4. Does anyone have any code for checking AD group membership based on a userid?

Finally, does anyone know whether it is possible to easily execute the move mailbox feature in Windows 2000. One of the goals of the page will be to allow mailbox moves via the web for administrators.

I am sorry for so many dumb questions, all advice is appreciated and accepted greedily,

Kind Regards,
Sam.