Publishing to IIS6 Virtual servers with FP2003

[jonnybee]

Hi All,

This is my first post in this forum.

I have an IIS6 server with the FP2002 server extensions installed. I have
been using FP2003 to publish pretty much without a hitch. Of course, lol, I
only have one web running at the moment.

Before I started this thread I searched the web, the KB, this forum and the
FP Server Extensions Forum, on a few things like 'FP2003', 'virtual server'
'publish' 'multiple servers' and read through most of the threads, including
the one that refernces the problems with SP1 for folks hosting multiple
websites.

My objective is to host 2 or 3 domains (not subdomains) on the same server
and be able to use FP2003 to publish to them separately. I'd rather not have
to switch web tools as I have some handy-dandy stuff I have creatd in FP for
the main site.

I recently tried an experiment.

I set up a virtual server in IIS6 on the server. I created a separate
directory for it (not under the wwwroot) and in MMC pointed the web's
properties to that directory. I configured the new 'virtual server' with the
FP extensions in MMC. Just to be on the safe side, I rebooted and 'started'
my new virual server.
I then made a DNS change to point a registered domain to the virtual server
by its Internet IP address. in effect www.mydomain.com is on 202.44.32.xxx to
rely on Host Header identification to pipe the request to the correct virtual
server.
The default web site was running OK, and continued to run.
Before I tried publishing to the virtual server, I opened a browser and
typed the www.mydomain.com URL in, and pleasantly got a 404 error ( I had
made index.htm the default document) and It was not present. To my thinking
this indicated that I had 'probably' set the virtual server up correctly in
IIS.

However, when I tried to publish to it in FP2003, using its registered URL
(www.mydomain.com), I 'landed' in the default web site when I opened the
remote view. gah...

A. Is this 'doable' without subdomains?
B. What am I missing here?
C. If you would rather just point me to a terrific little tutuorial in some
corner of the net, thats OK too, lol.

thanks in advance for any help

jonnybee

 

[Jon Spivey]

Hi,

This is certainly do-able. I've got an IIS6 box running several sites quite
happily. This is how I set up sites, compare with what you've done.
Persoanally I stop the default web site - I'd suggest you do the same.
1/ Create a directory for your new site - not under wwwroot - you can put it
wherever you like. I have a structure like this
/sites
/site1
/site2
/site3
etc....
Use whatever works for you.
2/ Open IIS, Right Click Web Sites - New - Web Site. Give it a name. On the
next screen make sure "All Unassigned" is selected under IP address, under
Host Header type www.you.com Set the path and permissions as needed.
3/ Right click your new site - Properties. On the Web Site tab hit advanced
at the top hit Add in the dialog choose All Unassigned for IP 80 for TCP
Port and type you.com for host header value OK your way right out.
4/ Right click your new site. All Tasks - Configure Server Extensions. IE
will open up - Hit Submit and extensions will be applied.

Now you should be in business. Test by viewing the site at www.you.com and
http://you.com you can publish to www.you.com If you're still stuck with
this post back.

 

[jonnybee]

Hi Jon

Thanks for the repsonse. I guess I should have emphasized "AND use Front
Page to publish them". Thats really the thrust of the question, 'can you use
both IIS6 multiple virtual servers and sucessfully publish to them separately
using FP2003?'

I did basically as you described, (pretty much exactly) and concluded that
that part A. of my question (can you run multiple virtual servers that are
not under the wwwroot) "works".

Now for the famous BUT part
I have not been able to get Front Page to publish to them. I keep 'falling
into' the default web site when I go to publish.

I guess I should ask if you are using FrontPage 2003 to publish these sites?

If I missed something in your response, please accept my apologies, I'm only
on cup one of AM coffee, lol.

thanks for your help

jonnybee

 

[Jon Spivey]

Hi,

Yes I use both FP2003 and Visual Studio (which also uses extensions) to
publish. Both work fine - as they should. I'd try stopping the default web
site first - if you're using host headers it serves no purpose. Questions
Do you have 1 IP address for all the sites?
Can you view the sites properly in your browser?
Do you have the home directory for each site outside wwwroot?

 

[jonnybee]

Hi Jon

(I'm laffin' cause I am a 'Jon' as well, and its wierd addressing a post
with 'Hi Jon')

First, thanks and I am heartened by your answers.

Before I answer your questions, I'm going to say that I'm going to configure
a new server to test with, as the one i used was a production server, and the
deafult web site is pretty busy. Then I will test a 'pure' situation (what
no smileys?) I know: Its NNTP compliant, lol. ;-) I'll setup as recommended
in this thread, and then give you a heads-up when I get it all going. might
be over the weekend. I have a spare W2K server with IIS5 in standby mode
that I will test on. Please let me know if you think that will make a
difference.

Answers:

A. 1 internet connected fixed IP, plus a local net fixed IP so I can publish
without using bandwidth. The server is in our location.
B. The default site was running as noted above.
C. The virtual servers were outside the wwwroot. I don't use the wwwroot
normally anyway. I always have the creepy crawlies about stuff MS might have
left in the default install (I go back to IIS 3), plus any new exploits are
likely to be directed there, lol. Geez, I'm laughing about security
problems. Same reason as no mas Anonymous FTP, ruined by crackerz, ahh, and
what about locking down my SMTP server so spammers can't relay? (the last few
are just sad comments)

I do have one question? When you publish to those virtual servers, are you
using their FQDN or what?

thanks for the help

jonnybee