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MCSA and Internet Information Services

This sample chapter addresses the information you're expected to know about Internet Information Services for the MCSA exam, considered a part of the "Creating, Configuring, Managing, Securing, and Troubleshooting File, Print, and Web Resources" objective.
This chapter is from the book

Objectives

This chapter addresses the information you're expected to know about Internet Information Services, formerly Internet Information Server. The information you need to know about Internet Information Services (IIS) is considered a part of the "Creating, Configuring, Managing, Securing, and Troubleshooting File, Print, and Web Resources" objective. The subobjective that this chapter addresses is "Configure and Troubleshoot Internet Information Services (IIS)." Specifically, we'll cover the following sub-objectives:

Configure virtual directories and virtual servers.

IIS can serve multiple Web sites from a single server. Successfully administering a server includes the need to understand how to create and administer virtual servers.

Normally IIS serves a directory tree via Web or FTP protocols. However, sometimes it's desirable to serve non-contiguous directories. In other words, directories that are in different locations or directories.

Troubleshoot Internet browsing from client computers.

One of the important functions in today's network is Internet browsing. It's important that you understand how to troubleshoot problems and identify whether they are caused by configuration or server problems.

Configure authentication and SSL for Web sites.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is required to encrypt Web traffic. Encrypting Web traffic over the Internet is an important component of a security policy and necessary to ensure that private information remains private.

Configure FTP services.

Although most of the traffic that happens on the Internet today is HTTP (Web) traffic, the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is the real workhorse of moving files. It is still important when the goal is to transfer larger files or when you want to provide a low maintenance way for clients to gain access to files.

Configure access permissions for intranet Web servers.

In development environments and in many intranet configurations multiple Web servers are configured within one physical server. Because of this, it is important to know how to configure permissions on individual Web sites within IIS.

Outline

Introduction to Internet Information Services

  • Web Services
    • Setting Up IIS for Web Sharing
    • Setting Up and Maintaining Web Sharing
    • Web Sharing and Security
    • Troubleshooting Web Sharing
  • File Transfer Protocol Services

Virtual Servers

  • Assigning Multiple IP Addresses
  • Creating Virtual Web Servers
  • Creating Virtual FTP Servers

Virtual Directories

Web Site Security

  • Controlling Web Site Access Through the TCP Port Number
  • Controlling Web Site Access Through Access Permissions
  • Controlling Web Site Access Through Execute Permissions
  • Controlling Web Site Access Through Authentication Methods
  • Controlling Web Site Access Through IP Address and Domain Name Restrictions
  • Securing Web Access Using Certificates
    • Requesting an SSL Certificate
    • Issuing Your Own SSL Certificate
    • Implementing an SSL Certificate
    • Enabling Client Authentication Using Client Certificates
  • Troubleshooting Web Site Access

Configuring Web Clients

  • Proxy Servers
  • Troubleshooting Access
    • Network Connectivity
    • TCP/IP Settings
    • Name Resolution Settings
    • Proxy Settings
    • Server Problems

Chapter Summary

Apply Your Knowledge

Study Strategies

The best way to understand IIS is to create a new Web site or use an existing site and play with IIS. Thus, you should consider doing this when studying this chapter. This is particularly useful if the machine you use for testing purposes isn't a production Web server. Using a nonproduction server enables you to play with settings without worrying about disrupting future use of the server as a Web server.

Another strategy you should employ is to think from the perspective of how IIS would display something. Servers, virtual directories, and documents are displayed with a set of rules. After you learn those rules, determining how to configure IIS or identifying a misconfiguration is simply a process of determining which configuration rule was neglected or must be applied.

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Last Update: November 17, 2020