CyberCorps UK

Lab Overview

Internet Information Services (IIS) is Microsoft's web server platform that runs on Windows systems. This comprehensive lab will teach you to install, configure, and manage IIS on Windows 11, including website hosting, security configuration, and performance optimization.

What You'll Learn: IIS installation methods, website creation, virtual directories, application pools, security configuration, SSL certificates, and web server management

0% Complete

Prerequisites: Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise (Home edition has limitations), Administrator privileges

Part 1: System Requirements and Preparation

Understanding IIS Requirements

Windows 11 Edition Support:

Windows 11 Home: Basic IIS with limitations
Windows 11 Pro: Full IIS feature set
Windows 11 Enterprise: All enterprise features
Windows 11 Education: Full feature set

Hardware Requirements:

RAM: Minimum 512 MB (2GB+ recommended)
Disk Space: 15 MB for basic installation
CPU: Any Windows 11 compatible processor
Network: Network adapter for web hosting

Exercise 1: System Check and Preparation

Check Windows edition: Settings → System → About → Windows specifications
Verify administrator access: Right-click Start → Windows Terminal (Admin)
Check available disk space: File Explorer → C: drive properties
Ensure Windows Update is current: Settings → Update & Security → Check for updates
Create a system restore point: Control Panel → System → System Protection

Important: IIS on Windows 11 Home is limited to 10 concurrent connections and lacks some enterprise features. For full functionality, Windows 11 Pro or higher is recommended.

Part 2: IIS Installation Methods

Multiple Installation Approaches

Exercise 2: GUI Installation via Windows Features

Method 1: Installing IIS through Windows Features dialog (Recommended for beginners)

Open Windows Features: Win + R → type optionalfeatures → Enter
Locate "Internet Information Services" in the list
Expand IIS and check these essential components:
- Web Management Tools → IIS Management Console
- World Wide Web Services → Common HTTP Features → All items
- World Wide Web Services → Application Development Features → ASP.NET 4.8
- World Wide Web Services → Security → All items
Click OK to begin installation (may require restart)
Wait for installation to complete (5-15 minutes)
Restart computer if prompted

Exercise 3: PowerShell Installation (Advanced Method)

Method 2: Installing IIS via PowerShell commands (For IT professionals)

Open PowerShell as Administrator: Right-click Start → Windows PowerShell (Admin)
Install IIS with basic features:Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-WebServerRole
Install IIS Management Console:Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-ManagementConsole
Install ASP.NET support:Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-NetFxExtensibility45
Verify installation: Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName IIS-*

PowerShell Benefits: Faster installation, scriptable for multiple servers, precise feature control

Part 3: Installation Verification and Testing

Confirming Successful IIS Installation

Exercise 4: IIS Installation Verification

Test default website: Open browser → navigate to http://localhost
Verify IIS welcome page displays (blue IIS logo and welcome text)
Open IIS Manager: Start → type "IIS Manager" → Open as Administrator
Expand server node in left panel to see "Default Web Site"
Check Windows Services: Services.msc → Find "World Wide Web Publishing Service" (Running)
Verify from command line: netstat -an | findstr :80 (should show listening)

Success Indicators:

IIS welcome page loads at http://localhost
IIS Manager opens without errors
World Wide Web Publishing Service is running
Port 80 is listening for connections

Part 4: IIS Manager Exploration

Understanding the IIS Management Interface

Exercise 5: IIS Manager Navigation

Open IIS Manager and examine the three-pane layout
Left Pane - Connections: Explore server → Sites → Default Web Site
Center Pane - Features View: Click on Default Web Site to see feature icons
Right Pane - Actions: Note context-sensitive actions based on selection
Bottom tabs: Switch between Features View and Content View
Explore Application Pools: Left pane → Application Pools node

Key IIS Manager Features

Feature Category	Key Features	Purpose
Authentication	Anonymous, Basic, Windows, Forms	Control user access methods
Authorization	Authorization Rules, URL Authorization	Define user permissions
Compression	Dynamic, Static Content Compression	Improve performance
Error Pages	Custom Error Pages, HTTP Redirects	User experience management
Logging	Access Logs, Failed Request Tracing	Monitoring and troubleshooting
Modules	Native and Managed Modules	Extend IIS functionality
SSL Certificates	Server Certificates, SSL Settings	Secure communications

Part 5: Creating Your First Website

Setting Up a Custom Website

Exercise 6: Create a New Website

Project: Create a simple company website with multiple pages

Step 1: Prepare Website Content

Create website folder: C:\inetpub\MyCompanyWebsite
Create index.html with basic HTML structure and company information
Create about.html with company details and team information
Create contact.html with contact form and business details
Create CSS folder with basic stylesheet for consistent styling

Step 2: Configure IIS Site

Open IIS Manager → Right-click "Sites" → Add Website
Site name: "My Company Website"
Physical path: C:\inetpub\MyCompanyWebsite
Port: 8080 (to avoid conflict with default site)
Click OK to create the website
Test the website: Browse to http://localhost:8080

Sample HTML Template:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>My Company</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style.css">
</head>
<body>
    <header>
        <h1>Welcome to My Company</h1>
        <nav>
            <a href="index.html">Home</a>
            <a href="about.html">About</a>
            <a href="contact.html">Contact</a>
        </nav>
    </header>
    <main>
        <h2>About Our Services</h2>
        <p>We provide excellent web solutions...</p>
    </main>
</body>
</html>

Part 6: Application Pools Management

Understanding and Configuring Application Pools

Exercise 7: Application Pool Configuration

What are Application Pools? Isolated environments that separate web applications for better security, reliability, and performance.

In IIS Manager, click "Application Pools" in left panel
Note the default pools: DefaultAppPool and .NET v4.5
Create new Application Pool: Right-click → Add Application Pool
Name: "MyCompanyPool", .NET CLR version: v4.0, Managed pipeline mode: Integrated
Assign your website to the new pool: Sites → My Company Website → Basic Settings → Application Pool
Configure pool advanced settings: Right-click MyCompanyPool → Advanced Settings
Adjust settings: Process Model → Identity → ApplicationPoolIdentity (recommended)

Application Pool Best Practices

Setting	Recommended Value	Purpose
Identity	ApplicationPoolIdentity	Minimal privileges for security
Load User Profile	False	Better performance
Idle Time-out	20 minutes (default)	Resource conservation
Maximum Worker Processes	1 (default)	Increase for high-traffic sites
Recycling Conditions	Regular intervals	Prevent memory leaks

Part 7: Security Configuration

Securing Your IIS Installation

Exercise 8: Basic Security Hardening

Authentication Configuration:

Select your website → Double-click "Authentication"
Review authentication methods: Anonymous (Enabled), Windows, Basic, etc.
For public websites: Keep Anonymous Authentication enabled
For internal sites: Enable Windows Authentication if needed

Directory Security:

Configure directory browsing: Select site → "Directory Browsing" → Disable
Set default document: "Default Document" → Ensure index.html is listed
Configure error pages: "Error Pages" → Set custom 404 page if desired

File System Permissions:

Navigate to website folder in File Explorer: C:\inetpub\MyCompanyWebsite
Right-click folder → Properties → Security tab
Verify IIS_IUSRS has Read & Execute permissions
Remove unnecessary permissions (Full Control should be limited)

Part 8: Virtual Directories and Applications

Extending Website Functionality

Exercise 9: Create Virtual Directories

Scenario: Add a documentation section and file download area to your website

Create physical directories: C:\Documentation and C:\Downloads
Add some sample files to both directories (HTML files, PDFs, etc.)
In IIS Manager: Right-click your website → Add Virtual Directory
Alias: "docs", Physical path: C:\Documentation
Create second virtual directory: Alias: "downloads", Path: C:\Downloads
Test access: http://localhost:8080/docs and http://localhost:8080/downloads

Virtual Directory Benefits:

Organize content outside main website folder
Share common files across multiple websites
Apply different security settings to different areas
Easier backup and maintenance of separate content types

Part 9: SSL/TLS Configuration (Optional Advanced)

Implementing HTTPS Security

Exercise 10: Self-Signed Certificate Setup

Note: Self-signed certificates are for testing only. Production sites require CA-issued certificates.

In IIS Manager, select server node → Double-click "Server Certificates"
Actions panel → "Create Self-Signed Certificate"
Certificate name: "MyCompanySSL", Store: Personal
Right-click your website → Edit Bindings → Add
Type: https, Port: 443, SSL certificate: MyCompanySSL
Test HTTPS access: https://localhost (expect certificate warning)

Part 10: Monitoring and Troubleshooting

IIS Logging and Performance Monitoring

Exercise 11: Configure Logging and Monitoring

Select your website → "Logging" feature
Enable logging, Format: W3C Extended Log File Format
Directory: %SystemDrive%\inetpub\logs\LogFiles
Configure log file rollover: New log daily
Generate some traffic by visiting your website multiple times
View logs: Navigate to log directory and open log file in text editor
Check IIS Worker Processes: Task Manager → Details → Look for w3wp.exe

Common Troubleshooting Steps

When Websites Don't Load:

Check if World Wide Web Publishing Service is running
Verify port availability (netstat -an | findstr :80)
Check Windows Firewall for port blocking
Verify file permissions on website directory
Review IIS logs for error details
Check Application Pool status (stopped/started)

Lab Completion & Next Steps

Continue Your IIS Journey!

Complete all exercises above to master IIS installation and management. You're 0% complete!

45 tasks remaining

Advanced Topics for Further Learning

Web Server Administration:

Load balancing with Application Request Routing
URL Rewriting and redirection rules
Output caching for performance
Failed Request Tracing

Application Development:

ASP.NET Core application deployment
PHP and Python integration
Database connectivity configuration
Web API hosting and management

Production Deployment Tips:

Always use proper SSL certificates from trusted Certificate Authorities
Implement regular security updates and patches
Configure automated backups of website content and configuration
Set up monitoring and alerting for service availability
Document your configuration for disaster recovery