@jdc - thanks for the links .

@nsa - thanks for that answer. Currently I do all AJAX calls to my backend VB.Net methods - I do not rely on any ASP.Net functionality at all.

Here's an AJAX POST and the backend VB.Net code that receives it. Is that VB code what you have sitting in a container? How do you get your DB online and work with it? I do stuff like make PDF's (with pdfSharp) and create .XLSX files (with .Net XMLSDK).

Code:
            var strWebParam = $.toJSON(objWebParam);
            $.ajax({
                type: "POST",
                url: "WebService.asmx/SourceService",
                dataType: "json",
                data: strWebParam,
                contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
                success: function(msg) {
                    ajaxAsyncFinished(msg, strNewAccordion, "success", options);
                },
                failure: function(msg) {
                    ajaxAsyncFinished(msg, strNewAccordion, "failure", {});
                    if (strNewAccordion.length != 0) {
                        $("#" + strNewAccordion).val("Loading...failure...");
                    }
                },
                error: function(msg) {
                    ajaxAsyncFinished(msg, strNewAccordion, "error", {});
                    if (strNewAccordion.length != 0) {
                        $("#" + strNewAccordion).val("Loading...error...");
                    }
                }
            });
Code:
    <WebMethod()> _
    <ScriptMethod(ResponseFormat:=ResponseFormat.Json, UseHttpGet:=False)> _
    Public Function SourceService(ByVal sproc As String, ByVal objReturn As Dictionary(Of String, String), ByVal sguid As String, ByVal username As String) As String

        Dim rtnString As String = ""

        Try
            If checkGuid(sguid) Then
                Dim credDB As String = ""
                If Not username.StartsWith("~~nologin") AndAlso username.Contains(":") Then
                    credDB = username.Split(":"c)(0)
                    username = username.Split(":"c)(1)
                End If

                Dim JsonMaker As JsonWriter = New JsonWriter

                With JsonMaker
                    .StartArray()
                    '.StartObject()
                    Dim blnDidFirstObject As Boolean
                    Try
                        Using dcn As New SqlConnection(System.Web.Configuration.WebConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("LocalSQLServerAWC" & credDB).ToString)
                            Using cmd As New SqlCommand
                                cmd.CommandType = CommandType.StoredProcedure
                                cmd.CommandText = "dbo." & sproc
                                cmd.Connection = dcn
                                cmd.CommandTimeout = 0
                                DetermineParameters(dcn, cmd)
                                SetParameters(cmd, False, "", objReturn, Nothing, "", "", username)
                                dcn.Open()
.
.
.
                                    Using sdrReader As SqlDataReader = cmd.ExecuteReader
                                        While sdrReader.Read
                                            If Not blnDidFirstObject Then
                                                blnDidFirstObject = True
                                            Else
                                                .Seperate()
                                            End If
                                            .StartObject()
                                            .NewObject("label", sdrReader(0).ToString, True, True)
                                            .Seperate()
                                            .NewObject("value", sdrReader(1).ToString, True, True)
                                            .EndObject()
                                        End While
                                    End Using
                                End If
                            End Using
                        End Using
                    Catch ex As Exception
                        .ResetJson()
                        .StartObject()
                        .NewObject("%%dalerror%%", ex.Message.Replace("""", "'").Replace("", "\"))
                    End Try
                    .EndArray()
                End With

                rtnString = JsonMaker.GetJson()
            Else
                rtnString = "{""LoginRequired"": true}"
                LogOutput("GUID not found (SourceService): " & username)
            End If
        Catch ex As Exception
            LogOutput(ex.Message & " (SourceService): " & username)
        End Try

        Return rtnString

    End Function