HOW TO: Remotely Administer Internet Information Services in Windows Server 2003 (324282)

SUMMARY

This article describes the various methods that you can use to remotely manage Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0.

You can remotely administer your IIS-based server on an intranet and on the Internet. You can use the following three tools to remotely administer your IIS-based server:

• Internet Information Services Manager
• Terminal Services
• The Remote Administration (HTML) Tool

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How to Remotely Administer IIS by Using the Internet Information Services Manager

To remotely administer IIS over an intranet, use the Internet Information Services Manager. IIS 6.0 supports down-level remote administration with this tool. This means that you can use the Internet Information Services Manager on your server running IIS 6.0 to remotely connect to and administer an IIS 5.1-based server or an IIS 5.0-based server.

To use the Internet Information Services Manager, follow these steps:

1. On the IIS 6.0-based server, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services Manager.
2. On the standard toolbar, click the Add a computer to the list button. Or, you can click Connect on the Action menu.
   
   The Connect To Computer dialog box appears.
3. In the Computer Name box, type the computer name that you want, and then click OK.
   
   The computer is displayed under Internet Information Services (IIS) in the tree pane.
   
   NOTE: If you do not have Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and a name resolution server such as Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) installed, you may not be able to connect to an IIS computer by using the computer name. Alternatively, you can use the IP address of the IIS computer to which you want to connect.
4. Expand ComputerName, where ComputerName is the name of the computer that you added in step 3.
5. Use the Internet Information Services Manager to remotely manage IIS.

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How to Remotely Administer IIS by Using Terminal Services

If you are an administrator, you can use Microsoft Terminal Services from any remote client computer over a network connection to remotely administer your IIS-based server. You do not have to install the Internet Information Services Manager on the remote client computer.

Terminal Services supports up-level administration. This means that you can remotely administer your server that is running IIS 6.0 by using a Terminal Services client from any computer running Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, or Microsoft Windows 98.

1. On a computer on which the Terminal Services client is installed, start the Terminal Services client, and then connect to the remote IIS-based computer.
2. From the Terminal Services Client window, administer IIS as if you were logged on to the computer locally. For example, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services Manager to start the Internet Information Services Manager.

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How to Remotely Administer IIS by Using the Remote Administration (HTML) Tool

With the Remote Administration (HTML) tool, you can manage IIS from a Web browser. With this tool, you can perform most of the administrative tasks that you can perform with the Internet Information Services Manager.

NOTE: You can only use the Remote Administration (HTML) tool to administer servers that are running IIS 6.0. You cannot use this tool to administer IIS 5.1 or earlier.

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Turn On the Remote Administration (HTML) Tool

1. Click Start, point to Control Panel, and then click Add or Remove Programs.
2. Click Add/Remove Windows Components.
3. In the Components list, double-click Web Application Server and then double-click Internet Information Services (IIS).
4. Double-click World Wide Web Service.
5. Click to select the Remote Administration (HTML) check box, and then click OK.
6. Click OK, and then click Next.
7. When you are promoted, insert your Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM into the computer's CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive.
8. Click Finish.
9. Click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services Manager.
10. Expand ServerName, where ServerName is the name of your server, and then expand Web Sites.
11. Right-click Administration, and then click Properties.
12. Under Web Site Identification, record the numbers that are displayed in the TCP Port box and SSL Port boxes. For example, 8099 and 8098.
13. Click the Directory Security tab, and then click the Edit button under IP address and domain name restrictions.
14. In the IP Address and Domain Name Restriction dialog box that appears, do one of the following:
    • Click Granted Access if you want to allow all computers to administer IIS remotely.
      
      NOTE: If you want to maintain the highest level of security, Microsoft does not recommend that you allow all computers to administer IIS remotely.
      
      -or-
    • Click Denied Access (if it is not already selected), and then click Add. The Grant Access On dialog box appears. Under Type, do one of the following:
      • Click Single computer.
        Type the IP address of the computer that you want in the IP Address box, and then click OK.
      • Click Group of computers.
        Type the Network ID and the Subnet Mask of the group into the corresponding boxes, and then click OK.
      • Click Domain name. Type the domain name that you want in the Domain Name box, and then click OK.
15. When you are finished granting access, click OK.
16. In the Administration Web Site Properties dialog box, click OK. If an Inheritance Overrides dialog box appears, click Select All to apply the new security settings to the child nodes, and then click OK.
17. Quit the Internet Information Services Manager.

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Use the Remote Administration (HTML) Tool

1. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer, and then type the host name of the Web server, followed by the port number that you recorded earlier in the SSL Port box, and then click Go.
   
   For example, if you are on an intranet, and the SSL port number is 8098, type the following URL:

   https://Server Name:8098

   where ServerName is the name of the Web server.
   
   NOTE: You are prompted for a user name and password that exist on the Web Server.
2. The Remote Administration Tool is displayed in your browser window. Click the Administer this server link. You are prompted again for credentials if you chose not to save the password in the previous dialog box. There are many links and options to click and connect. Select the appropriate one the task that you want to perform on the Web Server.

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