Saving Configurations

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1

After you have your site and application up and running the way you want, you can save all or part of the configurations for a backup copy, or for import and export to other sites or computers.

IIS automatically makes a backup copy of the metabase configuration and schema files each time the metabase changes. Administrators can also create backup files on demand, or create backup copies of individual site or application configurations and then export and import them to and from other sites or computers.

Backup files contain only configuration data; they do not include your content (.asp files, .htm files, .dll files, etc.).

Important

You must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer to perform the following procedure or procedures. As a security best practice, log on to your computer by using an account that is not in the Administrators group, and then use the runas command to run IIS Manager as an administrator. At a command prompt, type runas /user:Administrative_AccountName "mmc %systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\iis.msc".

Procedures

To save a metabase configuration

  1. In IIS Manager, right-click the local computer, point to All Tasks, and then click Backup/Restore Configuration.

  2. Click Create Backup.

  3. In the Configuration backup name box, type a name for the backup file.

  4. To restore your backup files to a different computer, provide a password that will be used as the encryption key by doing the following:

    • Select the Encrypt backup using password check box, type a "strong password" in the Password box, and then type the same password in the Confirm password box.
  5. Click OK, and then click Close.

To restore a metabase configuration

  1. In IIS Manager, right-click the local computer, point to All Tasks, and then click Backup/Restore Configuration.

  2. From the Backups list box, click a previous backup version, and click Restore.

  3. When a confirmation message appears, click Yes.

  4. Click OK, and then click Close.

To save a site or application configuration

  1. In IIS Manager, right-click the site or application you want to back up, point to All Tasks, and click Save Configuration to a File.

  2. In the File name box, type a file name.

  3. In the Path box, type or browse to the location where you want to save the file.

  4. Click OK.