Lesson 2: Internet Information Server (IIS)

Features of IIS

IIS includes a number of components that you can use to expand the capabilities of your Web site. General features of IIS include:

  • A high-performance network application server.
  • An application development environment.
  • Integrated full-text searching.
  • Multimedia streaming.
  • Site management extensions.

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Figure 3.2 IIS components

Active Server Pages

Active Server Pages (ASP) is an open , compile-free application environment in which you can combine Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), scripts, and reusable ActiveX server components to create dynamic and powerful Web sites. Active Server Pages provides native support for both VBScript and JavaScript.

ASP is flexible like CGI programs and scripts, but offers better performance. Unlike CGI, ASP runs in-process with the server and is multithreaded and optimized to support large numbers of users.

You do not have to learn a new environment to use ASP. It combines the ease of HTML with familiar tools like Visual Basic scripting and ActiveX server components. Active Server Pages also supports any scripting language and components written in any language, including Java.

NetShow

The Microsoft NetShow Server is the streaming media server for IIS. It is a standards-based, information-sharing platform that delivers on-demand and live content for enhanced one-to-many communication over the Internet.

NetShow includes NetShow On-Demand and NetShow Live. NetShow On-Demand provides streaming audio and illustrated audio and video over networks. Use it to provide information and training on a just-in-time basis. NetShow Live enables content authors and producers to multicast audio over their corporate networks.

Index Server

Microsoft Index Server is the search engine integrated with Internet Information Server and Windows NT Server 4.0. Once installed, it builds an index of files on the Web server; this index then can be searched from any Web browser with built-in query forms. The index is updated automatically whenever a file is added, deleted, or changed on the server.

Java Support

IIS fully supports Java and JavaScript on the client and server. To run Java, the client or server must have a Java Virtual Machine that can interpret the Java bytecode. Java Virtual Machines are included with IIS and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 (IE3) and 4.0 (IE4).

JavaScript is a high-performance scripting language designed for the creation of active online content for the World Wide Web. JavaScript allows you to link and automate a wide variety of objects in Web pages, including ActiveX controls and Java programs. Internet Explorer is designed to interpret JavaScript embedded into Web pages.

FrontPage Server Extensions

Microsoft FrontPage is a visual authoring and Web site management tool. The FrontPage client application includes a GUI-based HTML authoring and site management environment. FrontPage Server Extensions are a collection of server components and APIs that allow Web pages and sites to be built and managed from FrontPage. Users of the FrontPage client who want to post files to and maintain their Web site on a remote server must use the FrontPage Server Extensions. You can use the Server Extensions to create custom applications.

Remote Administration

IIS uses FrontPage Server Extensions to manage Web sites remotely with FrontPage client software. Client Reports for IIS also assists in remote administration by providing custom reports based on server logs. These presentation-quality reports can be print- or HTML-based. In addition, Windows NT Server administration tools can be used to manage access privileges, monitor usage, and configure server resources.

Secure Sockets Layer Support

The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) provides a security "handshake" that is used to initiate a TCP/IP connection. This handshake results in the client and server agreeing on the level of security they will use and fulfills any authentication requirements for the connection. SSL also is used to encrypt all the information in both the HTTP request and HTTP response, including:

  • The URL the client is requesting.
  • Any submitted form contents (such as credit card numbers).
  • Any HTTP access authorization information ( user names and passwords).
  • All the data returned from the server to the client.
HTTPS

HTTPS is a special version of the HTTP protocol that includes privacy features. When used, communication with a server is transported over the SSL.



Microsoft Windows Architecture Training
Microsoft Windows Architecture for Developers Training Kit
ISBN: B00007FY9D
EAN: N/A
Year: 1998
Pages: 324

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