IIS hosting
Well what exactly is IIS? For those who are not known to the world of IIS, it is Internet Information Services and it can be used for the mail or the ftp server or the web. It has been crafted by Microsoft. Well here we would be basically discussing the web sever aspect of IIS and how one can set up the IIS to host their website, which proves as one of the best options for Windows.
IIS usually comes as a standard feature with the professional, Server and Advanced Servers of Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional Edition. It is not available with Windows XP Home Edition or with any of the Windows 95/98/ME versions and one would need to be upgraded before making it compatible with the IIS. However before one ventures into installing or setting up IIS for its web hosting services, it would be recommended that one should install the service packs , patches and hot fixes which would be readily available online. Moreover, one should have a frequent check on any flaws which might be arising on the security front
After the system is totally safe and conducive to the installation, one need to follow the certain steps in order to install IIS as the host for the webpage:
- One needs to go to the control panel and then click on the Add/remove programs
- After waiting a few seconds the Windows Components Wizard would pop up
- Post the above action one needs to click on the Internet Information Services entry and the window would pop up
- There would be a list of components of IIS which would appear and the user can decide which ones they want to install.
- During the installation, the user might be asked for their Windows CD so, so the user can check OK on the same.
It is interesting to know that the IIS allows one to use a web page which is accessible by the IP address or the DNS name which is related to the PC on that network. The IIS can be configured using a method called the IIS snap-in which was earlier known as Internet Services Manager. This can be done in the following ways:
Method 1
- One can open the start menu and then select Settings after which open the control panel
- Open administrative tools
- Lastly open the Internet Information Services
Method 2
- On the desktop, one needs to do a right click on the My Computer
- Selection needs to be done of Manage which would open the Console of Computer Management
- Under the Services and Applications , one needs to choose Internet Information Services
Method 3
- From the start menu, one needs to select Run
- Inetmgr can be typed after which that command can be run
After the above has been done, one needs to have an existing website which the client needs to host. Thus, one needs to follow the below mentioned steps for completion:
- Creation of a new folder in the C: Drive which would be called WEB_ROOT, after which the website needs to be copied there. In order, that IIS knows that the website is in there, one needs to right click on My Computer which is present on My Desktop. The user needs to go to Manage after the Right click and the Computer Management console one can find IIS in Services and applications.
- Under IIS the default website one would need to right click and then go to the settings part of it.
- A description if the website needs to be given in my website space. Next time the website would flash there when opened, instead of a default website
- One needs to check if the Enable Default Document is checked and the added as well. In that one needs to type in the website name which one would want people to see it as and the click OK to that as well.
- Return to the Computer Management window after this. The site needs to be selected, and the play button which is there needs to be clicked to start the web server. The server will enable people to see the website. On the other hand when a person wants to stop people from viewing, it can be stopped, and the viewing is disabled.
- Lastly, the Computer Management window can be shut. In order to check if everything has gone off fine, one needs to open Internet explorer and type the address of the local host. In the event of everything going well the website would appear, and one would be able to navigate the website with ease.
This procedure needs to be followed in order to use IIS for hosting of a website!