Appendix A: Microsoft Internet Information Server

Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) is the industrial-strength web server supplied by Microsoft. Unlike the Web Matrix web server, IIS is designed to serve entire sites, and it contains many more features. If you are using a server product (Windows 2000 Server for example), then IIS is installed by default, but it's not installed by default on the Professional versions (for Windows 2000 and XP). It is, however, included on the CD that comes with the Professional versions, so you can just install it as an add-on, as shown below. If you are using the Home version of Windows XP, then IIS is not included on the CD, and not supported on XP Home, and you are limited to using the Web Matrix web server.

Installing IIS

To install IIS you pick Add or Remove Programs from the Control Panel. From the next screen select Add/Remove Windows Components:

You now have the option to install extra components of Windows. Just tick the Internet Information Services (IIS) option:

Press Next, and go make some coffee. It's either that or sit and look at the dialog that tells you it'll take 'just a few minutes'. You can click Finish when the installation is complete. Once done, you then need to make sure you can get to the IIS admin tool.