In this article, technology expert for the IBM SmartCloud Enterprise shares his knowledge on how to perform tasks in the cloud. Tasks range from surprisingly easy to more complex and difficult tasks so that designers, developers, and deployers of all skills levels can learn.

Now that images are supported on Windows, the topics in this series focus on Windows instances. But, that doesn't mean we won't cover other really neat tasks. In fact, if you have a task that you'd like to see in this series, let us know and we'll consider it.

First, a little background for those who may not be familiar with IIS.

Internet Information Services web server

Microsoft® created the Internet Information Services web server application and set of feature extension modules for use with the Windows operating system. At a recent tally, it was deemed the second most used web server behind the Apache HTTP Server

IIS 7.5, the version that comes with Windows Server 2008 R2, supports the FTP, FTPS, SMTP, NNTP, and HTTP/HTTPS protocols. It's built in a modular format: Individual modules (extensions) can be added or removed so you only have to install the modules you require for specific functionality. Some native modules IIS 7.5 includes are:

• HTTP modules: Performs tasks such as responding to information and inquiries sent in client headers, returning HTTP errors, and redirecting requests.
• Security modules: Performs tasks such as specifying authentication schemes, performing URL authorization, and filtering requests.
• Content modules: Performs tasks such as processing requests for static files, returning a default page when a client does not specify a resource in a request, and listing the contents of a directory.
• Compression modules: Performs tasks such as compressing responses, applying Gzip compression transfer coding to responses, and performing pre-compression of static content.
• Caching modules: Performs tasks such as storing processed information in memory on the server and using cached content in subsequent requests for the same resource.
• Logging and diagnostics modules: Performs tasks such as passing information and processing status to HTTP.sys for logging, reporting events, and tracking requests currently executing in worker processes.

Now let's install an IIS web server on Windows 2008 R2.

Back to top

Install an IIS web server on Windows 2008 R2

These steps are fairly straightforward. After you have provisioned a Windows 2008 R2 instance, you can access it through the Remote Desktop Protocol tool. Once you have access to the instance, I'll show you how to:

• Install the web server.
• Ensure that the firewall is set up correctly.
• Update the initial page displayed by the web server.

Install the web server

To install the Web Server (IIS) on Windows 2008 R2:

1. Right-click My Computer > Manage to open the Server Manager window.
   
   Server Manager window
   
   
   
2. Select Roles under Server Manager, then click Add Roles.
   
   Add Roles
   
   
   
3. The Add Roles Wizard: Before You Begin window opens. Select Server Roles and click Next.
   
   Add Roles Wizard
   
   
   
4. Select the Web Server (IIS) check box and click Next.
5. On the Select Role Services window, keep the default options and click Next.
   
   Select Role Services window
   
   
   
6. The Confirm Installation Selections window opens. Read through the list and click Install to complete the installation process.
   
   Confirm Installation Selections window
   
   
   

Ensure that the firewall is set up correctly

This is even easier than the previous steps.

1. On the Server Manager window click Configuration and select Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.
   
   Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
   
   
   
2. Make sure the firewall is set to the default, World Wide Web Services (HTTP), to allow http/port 80 traffic.
   
   Allowed Programs window
   
   
   

Update the initial page displayed by the web server

Now update the initial page shown by the web server to say "Hello! Welcome to the IBM Compute Cloud."

1. Modify the iisstart HTML Document. In the wwwroot screen under Computer, find iisstart. (The location is iisstart HTML Document : C: > inetpub > wwwroot.)
   
   wwwroot screen
   
   
   
2. Open the iisstart HTML document in Notepad (or whichever text or code editor you prefer) and add the following line:

   <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <h1><center>"Hello! Welcome to the IBM Copute Cloud"</h1> <title>IIS7</title>

   
   

   Like so:

   
   
   iisstart HTML document
   
   
   
3. Save the file.
4. Open a browser from local machine and open the default web page. You should see the window shown below:
   
   Default web page
   
   
   

And that's all there is to that. Easy wasn't it?

Resources

Learn

• For more on Release 1.2, listen to the Brian Snitzer podcast.
  
  
• In the developerWorks cloud developer resources, discover and share knowledge and experience of application and services developers building their projects for cloud deployment.
  
  
• See the list of product images available on the IBM SmartCloud Enterprise.
  
  
• Find out how to access IBM SmartCloud Enterprise.
  
  

Discuss

• Join a cloud computing group on My developerWorks.
  
  
• Read all the great cloud blogs on My developerWorks.
  
  
• Join the My developerWorks community, a professional network and unified set of community tools for connecting, sharing, and collaborating.
  
  

About the author

Rate this article

Comments

Back to top

Table of contents

• Internet Information Services web server
• Install an IIS web server on Windows 2008 R2
• Resources
• About the author
• Comments

Next steps from IBM

Learn more, join the cloud community

---

• Community: Cloud computing conversations led by IBM community members
• Buy: Try IBM software on IBM SmartCloud Enterprise

Dig deeper into Cloud computing on developerWorks

IBM SmartCloud trial. No charge.

Unleash the power of hybrid cloud computing today!

---

Public and private solutions in one trial.

Special offers