Using Web Deploy appHostConfig to Create a Website in IIS 6

Question

I am having problems using the Web Deploy provider appHostConfig with IIS 6. I don’t see anything in the documentation saying that I can’t or that I need to install something additional.

I know what I'm trying to do in later versions of IIS. If I run the command below in IIS 7.5 (Windows 7), it will create a copy of the Default Web Site , which I can see in IIS Manager.

 "C:\Program Files (x86)\IIS\Microsoft Web Deploy V2\msdeploy.exe" -verb:sync -source:apphostconfig="Default Web Site" -dest:apphostconfig="Created from command line" 

However, when I try to do the same on IIS 6 (Windows 2003), I get this message:

Error: an object of type 'appHostConfig' and the path “Default website” could not be created.

Error: A command was issued that requires the IIS Configuration System, but the system is unavailable. Make sure you are using the version of IIS that contains the configuration system.

Can I do this in IIS 6 or do I need to do something different?

Answer 1

You cannot use appHostConfig in IIS6.

appHostConfig works by directly synchronizing the applicationHost.config file that runs IIS7.

In IIS 6, this functionality was implemented using IIS Metabase instead of a system based on a configuration file, so there is no copy that the provider can directly copy. (That's why you get this error about the "configuration system")

In your example, you can use the webServer60 provider to achieve the same.

Answer 2

For individual sites in IIS6, use metakey, i.e.

-source:metakey path="lm/w3svc/71913498"

Note that in IIS6 it will not include the default AppPool configuration. For this you need ...

add: -enableLink:AppPoolExtension