Install Web Deploy on IIS (Export and Import Websites With Application Pools)

by SinaOnline System Training

Hello everyone , in this video I will show you how can migrate Websites in IIS from one server to another servers with all required components by using Web Deploy tools. Let me describe Web Deploy Tools: Web Deploy (also known as MSDeploy) in IIS refers to a technology developed by Microsoft that enables seamless deployment, migration, and synchronization of web applications, websites, and web server configurations across IIS servers. It streamlines the process of exporting and importing IIS configurations and content, making it easier to move web applications between different servers or environments. Web Deploy provides a set of tools and utilities that allow you to Export IIS Configuration and Content, You can use Web Deploy to create a deployment package that includes not only the web application’s files but also the IIS server’s configuration settings. This package captures everything needed for the application to run correctly on another server. Second provided option is  Import and Deploy, On the target server, you can use the same Web Deploy tool to install the application and its associated configurations using the deployment package. This process ensures that the target server’s IIS configuration matches the source server’s configuration. Also you can use Web Deploy to synchronize changes between a source and target server. For example, if you’ve made updates to a web application on your development server, you can use Web Deploy to sync those changes to your staging or production server.

Step 1: Installing Web Deploy

  1. Download Web Deploy:
  2. Install Web Deploy:
    • Run the downloaded installer with administrative privileges (right-click and choose “Run as administrator”).
    • Follow the installation wizard:
      • Accept the license terms.
      • Choose the installation location (you can leave it as the default).
      • Select the components to install. Make sure to select at least the following:
        • Web Deployment Tool
        • IIS Deployment Handler
        • Management Service Delegation UI
      • Click “Install” to begin the installation.

Step 2: Configuring IIS for Web Deploy

  1. Open IIS Manager:
    • Press Win + R, type inetmgr, and press Enter to open the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
  2. Enable Management Service:
    • In IIS Manager, select your server node (usually the top node in the Connections pane on the left).
  3. Double-Click on “Management Service” under the “Management” section in the middle pane.
  4. Configure Management Service:
    • Check the “Enable remote connections” checkbox to allow remote management of the IIS server.
    • Set the “Start Type” to “Automatic” to ensure the service starts automatically with Windows.
    • Specify a unique port for the management service (default is 8172).
    • You can also configure other settings like SSL and client certificates if needed.
  5. Configure Permissions:
    • Under “Management Service Delegation,” you can configure permissions for various users and roles. Click “Add User…” to specify the users or groups that should have permission to deploy websites.
  6. Apply Changes:
    • Click the “Apply” button to save your configuration.

Step 3: Exporting and Importing Websites with Application Pools

Now that Web Deploy is installed and IIS is configured, you can use Web Deploy to export and import websites with application pools.

Export a Website:

  1. Open a Command Prompt:
    • Press Win + X and choose “Command Prompt (Admin)” to open a command prompt with administrative privileges.
  2. Run the Export Command:
    • Use the msdeploy command to export a website. Replace placeholders with actual values:
    bashCopy codemsdeploy -verb:sync -source:webServer,computerName=<ServerName>,userName=<Username>,password=<Password> -dest:package=<PathToPackage.zip> -enableRule:AppPoolExtension
    • <ServerName>: Replace with the server name or IP address.
    • <Username> and <Password>: Replace with the credentials of an account with sufficient permissions.
    • <PathToPackage.zip>: Specify the path where you want to save the exported package.

Import a Website:

  1. Open a Command Prompt:
    • Open a command prompt with administrative privileges.
  2. Run the Import Command:
    • Use the msdeploy command to import a website. Replace placeholders with actual values:
    bashCopy codemsdeploy -verb:sync -source:package=<PathToPackage.zip>,includeAcls=“False” -dest:webServer,computerName=<ServerName>,userName=<Username>,password=<Password>
    • <PathToPackage.zip>: Specify the path to the package you want to import.
    • <ServerName>: Replace with the server name or IP address.
    • <Username> and <Password>: Replace with the credentials of an account with sufficient permissions.
  3. Execute the Command:
    • Execute the command, and the website with its associated application pool will be imported to the target server.

By following these detailed steps, you should be able to successfully install Web Deploy, configure IIS for remote management, and perform website export and import operations with application pools. Always exercise caution when making changes to production servers and ensure you have backups in place.