Websites and Application Pools are two crucial IIS components that we shall examine. Understanding these components will improve your capacity to efficiently deploy and administer web applications.

What is an IIS Site?
An IIS Site is like a container that holds your web application. It has several important properties.

• Site Name: A unique name within IIS (e.g., "MyWebApp")
• Physical Path: The folder on the server where your application files live
• Bindings: Define how users access your site (IP address, port, and optionally a hostname)

Example

• Physical Path: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\MyWebApp
• Binding: http://localhost:8080 or myapp.local

You can have multiple sites on the same server, each with different bindings and content.

What is an Application Pool?
An Application Pool (App Pool) is a container for one or more web applications. It defines how the applications run and are isolated from others.

Here’s what it does.

• Runs your web app in its own process
• Allows you to use different versions of .NET
• Provides application isolation — if one app crashes, others remain unaffected
• Manages performance settings like idle timeout, recycling, and max processes

By default, when you create a new IIS Site, IIS also creates a new App Pool for it, but you can change that if needed.

How do IIS Sites and App Pools Work Together?
An IIS Site must be assigned to an Application Pool. That pool is responsible for executing the code in the application and handling incoming requests.

• A site can use one app pool
• An app pool can serve multiple sites or applications, though it’s best to isolate apps for better reliability and security

Rule of Thumb: Use one App Pool per site unless you have a good reason to share (e.g., performance tuning or tightly coupled apps).

Rules for Configuration about Application Pool and Sites

• Valid: One App Pool → Multiple Sites
• Invalid: One Site → Multiple App Pools

Best Practices

• Use separate App Pools for each site: This helps with stability and security.
• Stick to the default settings at first: They’re good enough for most apps during development
• Give App Pools correct permissions: If your app reads/writes files, make sure the App Pool’s identity has access to those folders
• Learn to recycle App Pools: This refreshes the app and clears memory leaks. You can do this from IIS Manager or PowerShell.
• Use Preload for better performance: Set preloadEnabled=true so IIS warms up your app as soon as the server starts

In this article, I will show you how to install and configure a website remote desktop on Windows Server 2019 properly and easily.

WEB RD
WEB RD in server refers to Remote Desktop Web Access (RD Web Access), a feature offered by Microsoft Windows Server that allows users to access remote desktops and applications through a web browser. This eliminates the need for users to install dedicated remote desktop software on their devices.

How does Web RD work?
Here's a breakdown of how it works.

• RD Web Access is a role service that needs to be installed and configured on a Windows server.
• Once configured, users can access a web portal via their web browser, typically from any device with internet access.
• Users can launch RemoteApp programs or establish connections to remote desktops through the web portal.
• RD Web Access can be used in conjunction with other Remote Desktop Services (RDS) components like Remote Desktop Session Host (RD Session Host) and Remote Desktop Connection Broker (RD Connection Broker) for managing remote desktop access.

Key benefits of using RD Web Access
Here are some key benefits of using RD Web Access.

• Increased accessibility: Users can access their desktops and applications from anywhere with an internet connection and a web browser.
• Reduced complexity: Eliminates the need for users to install and configure dedicated remote desktop software.
• Improved security: RD Web Access can be configured with various security features to protect against unauthorized access.

Step 1. On your server’s dashboard, click “add features”.

Step 2. Click “remote desktop session installation” after clicking “next”.

Step 3. Click “quick start” after clicking “next”.

Step 4. Click “session-based desktop deployment” after clicking “next”.

Step 5. Click “next”.

Step 6. Click “restart” and click “deploy”.

Step 7. After installed on your server’s dashboard, click “remote desktop services”.

Step 8. Click “RD gateway”.

Step 9. Add your server by clicking the arrow and after clicking “next”.

Step 10. Type your computer name with the domain name.

Step 11. Click “add”.

Step 12. After installing the same installing process for “RD licensing”.

Step 13. After installation, open your web browser from the client's computer, and type your computer name with the server’s domain name after continuously typing/rdweb and hit enter then give your server’s user's name with the domain name and password.

Note. Now you can see our remote app and desktop works successfully.

Conclusion
In this article, we all clearly understand how to install and configure a website remote desktop on Windows Server 2019 in the proper method and easiest way. If there is clarification regarding this topic, feel free to contact me.

I'll walk you through the correct and simplest approach to install and setup a read-only domain controller on Windows Server 2019 in this post.

A read-only domain controller (RODC): what is it?
In Microsoft's Active Directory service, a Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC) is a unique kind of domain controller that offers a read-only replica of the primary Active Directory database. It provides features that are comparable to those of a typical domain controller yet differ significantly.

Key Structures of an RODC

• Read-only access: Users can search for domain resources, authenticate, and receive group policies like a regular domain controller. However, they cannot modify any data directly on the RODC.
• Security focus: Primarily for secure environments where physical access to the server might be compromised. Since it doesn't store user passwords, an attacker gaining access wouldn't have access to critical credentials.
• Limited functionality: Unlike standard domain controllers, RODCs cannot be used for tasks like creating user accounts, resetting passwords, or modifying group policies.
• Offline functionality: RODCs can cache login credentials for a limited set of users, allowing users to log in even when the connection to the main domain is unavailable.

Benefits of using an RODC

• Improved security: Reduced risk of sensitive data like passwords being compromised if the RODC is physically compromised.
• Increased availability: Allows users to access domain resources even when the connection to the main domain is unavailable (cached credentials).
• Reduced bandwidth consumption: Requires less bandwidth compared to a full domain controller as it only replicates data from the main domain, not vice versa.

Note. We need two server operating systems server one has ADDS and DHCP with configuration, on server two without any configuration.

Step 1. On your server two set an IP address based on server one’s IP address.

Step 2. Create a user on server one. If you want to know how to create a user

Step 3. On your server, one’s dashboard clicks “tool” after clicking “active directory users and computers”.

Step 4. Right–click on “domain controllers” after clicking “pre–create read-only domain controller account”.

Step 5. Click “next”.

Step 6. Select “my current login” after clicking “next”.

Step 7. Type your server two’s computer name and click “next”.

Step 8. Click “next”.

Step 9. Again click “next”.

Step 10. Click “set” and choose your created user account after clicking “next”.

Step 11. Again click “next”.

Step 12. Click “finish”.

Step 13. On your Second Server / Server Two install adds services

Step 14. Login to your created user account and password by clicking “change” after clicking “next”.

Step 15. Click “RODC” and give your “DSRM” password and after click “next”.

Step 16. Select your main server/server one after clicking “next”.

Step 17. Click “next”.

Step 18. Again click “next”.

Step 19. Click “install”.

Note. On your main server/server one’s active directory users and computers” under domain controllers, you can see our RODC server in online.

Conclusion
In this article, we all clearly understand how to install and configure a read-only domain controller on Windows Server 2019 in the proper method and easiest way. If there is clarification regarding this topic, feel free to contact me.

Install the latest .NET Core SDK - not sure if .NET 8 is enough for old ASP.NET. Any way install both .NET 8 and .NET standard framework (.net 4.8.1). Install the latest .NET Core runtime(I guess .NET 8 installation takes care of it, anyway. If things dont work - install .NET runtime separately)

This software is important - I guess it is ASP.NET Core runtime.

Anyway, google --- ASP.NET Core runtime - Windows Hosting Bundle Installer -- whatever software suggestion comes in Google, pls install it.

Whenever you migrate to the latest version, Install the above software in Windows Server 2022

Of course, we need to install the latest IIS on the Windows server.

I will write a separate article about the IIS Migration

For IIS migration, list all software present in the old server. Install all this software on the new server. If you miss any software, there will be a code break/your apps will not work on the new server.

If you are using Excel Libraries on the old server, this may not be allowed on the new server. Use NPOI/EXcelDataReader opensource nugest package instead.
Below are the steps for IIS 10 Migration

First, we have to export all IIS settings from IIS 6 or IIS 8.

The settings will be exported/saved as a zip file.

You may get an error, or export settings may fail if you try to export all IIS settings.

So we have to export one set by one. Please follow the below steps.

In IIS 8/IIS 6/Old Server.

Right-click IIS => Export Server Package => Manage Components.

We have to export each item using the provider name dropdown.

Webserver and webserver60 are important.

Before exporting, delete unwanted files inside a physical directory because exporting some of the items in the dropdown may fail if the physical directory size is large.

After exporting, import each component's settings.

Right-click IIS => Import and import zip file settings in the same order they are exported.

Importing some components may fail, but move on to the next component.

Dont stop if you get errors while importing or exporting some of the components. Yes, you may not be able to export some of the settings, but dont worry. Move on to the next setting.

When you install IIS from Server Explorer, Imort Option may not be there when you right-click IIS.

Installing and activating IIS Express on Windows (11/10) is described in this article. Start by downloading IIS Express from the Microsoft website's official IIS Express page. After that, install the software by opening the installer and following the prompts on the screen. Verify from the Start menu after installation.

To activate IIS Express, take the actions listed below.

Step 1. Search and open "Turn Windows features on or off" from Control Panel > Programs and Features

Step 2. From "Turn Windows features on or off" window search and on check box "install and enable the IIS express" option and click ok.

Step 3. Windows Feature update will update the required files. After Completing Click Close.

After completion go to start menu and search IIS Express manager will get enable in your system.

I encountered the following issue when attempting to use Winget (the Windows package manager) to install "Windows Terminal Preview" on an Azure-hosted Windows 11 virtual machine.

Winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal.Preview.

The error message says. The installer failed with exit code: 0x80073cf3. This package has a dependency missing from your system. Just a note, windows terminal preview is a terminal window that allows the users to open command line terminals with multiple shells. In other words, you can open one shell with Windows Power Shell, another tab with Bash, and another tab with Ubuntu shell, etc. More about the Windows terminal can be learned from the references section.

Reason
When trying to install “Windows Terminal Preview” using Winget, Winget tries to look for dependencies on your system, if not found it will get the required software from the app store and try to install just like the NuGet package manager. The issue here is that Winget is trying to get the older version of dependency software Microsoft.UI.XAML which isn’t supported by Windows Terminal Preview.

Fix
The fix is to get the latest version of dependency software which is Microsfot.UI.XAML 2.8 and install it first and proceed with the Windows Terminal Preview using Winget. Below are the commands and the screen capture for reference.

winget install Microsoft.UI.xaml.2.8
winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal.Preview

The log files that IIS generates can, over time, consume a large amount of disk space. This article will discuss a way to remove the IIS Log Files, including locate the log file directory. The content of this article is

Introduction

• Problem
• How to locate the IIS Log File Folder
• Run the VB Scrip

Problem:
IIS log files continue to grow in Web Server and can, over time, consume a large amount of disk space. Logs can potentially fill up an entire hard drive. To mitigate this problem, many users turn off logging completely. Fortunately, there are alternatives to doing so, such as the following:

• Enable folder compression
• Move the log folder to a remote system
• Delete old log files by script.

Here we will discuss the third option.

How to locate the IIS Log File Folder
By default, the IIS log file folder is in %SystemDrive%\inetpub\logs\LogFiles, it is usually in C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles. However, the location can be customized by user. We have two ways to locate the IIS Log Folder

• through IIS Manager
• through Running a Script, such as Windows PowerShell Script

Through IIS Manager:
Open IIS Manager => Click the Chosen  Site under Sites => Double Click the Logging Icon

In the Logging page, the IIS Log File Folder is shown in the Direcitory:
such as %SystemDrive%\inetpub\logs\LogFiles by default

In certain case, it is set by user,
such as D:\LOGS\IIS\

Through Windows PowerShell Script:
Import-Module WebAdministration

# Replace 'Default Web Site' with the name of your website
$siteName = 'Default Web Site'

# Get the log file directory
$logFilePath = Get-ItemProperty "IIS:\Sites\$siteName" -Name logFile | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Directory

Write-Output "The log files for '$siteName' are located at: $logFilePath"

If we put the code in a PowerShell Script file: GotLogFolder1.ps1, we got the default folder:

In a customized case, the folder could be different:

For the IIS structure:

Run VB Script to Remove the IIS log files by Retention Policy

Microsoft provide a VB Script to implement this:
You can control disk usage of log files by running a script that automatically deletes log files that are older than a certain age. Running this script in a scheduled task will keep the problem of a disk filling up under control without constant maintenance.

The following VBScript will check the age of each log file in a folder and will delete any log file older than a specified age. To customize the script for your purposes, simply change the name and path of the folder in line 1 of the script, and change the maximum age to the desired value in days, in line 2.
sLogFolder = "c:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles"
iMaxAge = 30   'in days
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
set colFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(sLogFolder)
For Each colSubfolder in colFolder.SubFolders
        Set objFolder = objFSO.GetFolder(colSubfolder.Path)
        Set colFiles = objFolder.Files
        For Each objFile in colFiles
                iFileAge = now-objFile.DateCreated
                if iFileAge > (iMaxAge+1)  then
                        objFSO.deletefile objFile, True
                end if
        Next
Next

How to run the VB Script?
Windows Script Host enables you to run scripts from Windows ether by WScript or CScript, you still run the scripts in the same manner. The difference is only in the output — WScript generates windowed output, while CScript sends its output to the command window in which it was started.

Imagine this: A critical Windows service that you just launched is meant to maintain the seamless operation of your organization. However, the moment you launch it, the service abruptly ends after 30 seconds, leaving you furious and scratching your head. Users are experiencing problems that are becoming worse by the minute, and the logs aren't offering definitive explanations. What isn't working well?

Stopped services
This is a scenario that many developers and IT professionals encounter when working with Windows services. The core of this problem is a specific behavior enforced by the Service Control Manager (SCM), which expects the OnStart method of your service to complete within a strict 30-second window. If your service doesn’t comply, the SCM will assume a failure and halt the service.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the reasons why your Windows service might be stopping right after it starts and explore the mechanics behind the SCM’s behavior. Whether you’re troubleshooting an existing service or designing a new one, understanding this common factor will help you create more resilient and reliable services.

To resolve this issue, consider the following approaches.

• Optimize Initialization Code: Review and refactor the code in the OnStart method to ensure it executes as quickly as possible. If certain operations are time-consuming, consider moving them to a separate thread or background worker. Make sure executing the Onstart method does not take more than 30 seconds.
• Increase the Timeout: This approach is not recommended as a first step. It’s possible to extend the startup timeout by modifying the service’s properties in the registry. However, this should be done with caution, as it may lead to other performance issues.

  

Follow the below steps to increase service time out.

• Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. This opens the Windows Registry Editor.
• In the Registry Editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control.
• Right-click on the Control key, select New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Regedit

• Name this new value “ServicesPipeTimeout”.
• Double-click the “ServicesPipeTimeout” value you just created.

ServicesPipeTimeout

• In the “Value data” field, enter the desired timeout value in milliseconds. In this case, we will be setting a timeout of 60 seconds, so we will input “60000” as value data and ensure that the base is set to Decimal.
• For the changes to take effect, restart your system.

Important note

• Modifying the registry can have unintended side effects if not done correctly. Always back up the registry before making any changes.
• The “ServicesPipeTimeout” value affects all services on the system, not just the specific service you're troubleshooting.
• While increasing the timeout can prevent premature service stoppages, it can also delay the detection of legitimate service startup failures.

Conclusion
While increasing the timeout via the registry is an option, it’s often more recommended and also effective to optimize your OnStart method or use asynchronous tasks. By doing so, you can prevent premature service stoppages and ensure your service runs smoothly and efficiently.

We can parse various log kinds with the aid of Log Parser Studio. The primary topic of this lesson will be IIS log parsing. There are two Log Parser programs: one that can only be used with a command prompt and the other that includes full GUI support.

Installation

Below is the sample query for Log Parser with GUI to get the output from IIS logs for a URL and other data like [MAX, MIN, AVG] – Response Time in mili seconds and hits.
SELECT cs-uri-stem as URL,
MAX(time-taken) As Max,
MIN(time-taken) As Min,
Avg(time-taken) As Average,
Count(1) as Hits
FROM '[LOGFILEPATH]'
GROUP BY URL
ORDER BY Average DESC

Below is the sample query to run in Log Parser with the command prompt version.
Logparser -i: iisw3c “ SELECT cs-uri-stem as URL,
MAX(time-taken) As Max,
MIN(time-taken) As Min,
Avg(time-taken) As Average,
Count(1) as Hits from D:\test.log GROUP By URL ORDER BY Average DESC TO D:\result.csv” –o : csv

Usage details Log parser studio
The landing screen of Log Parser Studio is given below.

As we are interested in parsing IIS logs, so select IIS-Top25 slow URLs.

The query with all the details will be shown to the user.

Now, we need to choose the IIS logs file. Click the Choose log files icon.

The dialog box with the options will be shown, where we have to select the individual log files or the folder. Now, we need to click the icon to execute an active query.

Below is the screenshot of Log Parser Studio with the results. The data for Max, Min, and Average refers to Response Time in mili seconds. We can copy data or export the data, as required.

I'm using Windows 10 Enterprise Edition in my instance. Now launch the browser and enter http://localhost/ as the URL.

A page not found error will appear when you press Enter.
I'm going to look for the IIS manager now.

Not located!
Slide the Control Panel open.

Click Programs.

Under Programs and Features, click Turn Windows features on or off.

A new popup will appear.

Just check the Internet Information Services and its related features. Under Internet Information Services check the following folders.

• FTP Server
• Web Management Tools
• World Wide Web services
• Application development features
• Common HTTP Feature
• Health and Diagnostics
• Performance Feature
• Security

Then click OK to complete the installation of new features.

Click Restart now to apply changes to complete the IIS feature installation.

After a successful restart.
Now you can see the IIS webserver option on the All Programs menu.
Open the browser.
Now type URL http://localhost.

Internet Information Services (IIS) successfully configured.

Summary
In this article, we learned about Configure IIS In the Windows 10 Operating System.