How to backup IIS 6.0 Configuration to work across different Servers?

Question

Ok. Cloud Computing is the new kid in the block. And Our company is getting into it really quickly. Not so much for the price benefit, but for the process management perspective. I am in the process of moving an IIS 6.0 server running in Windows 2003 Server. The IIS Engine has many Web Sites adn each Web Sites has Virtual Hosts configured, with Application Pools and all that good stuff.

I am backing up the IISPUB directory but since everything is running in the cloud now, I will like to make sure that if one day I come in and the server is completely gone. So the only thing that I have is the backups, I can recreate fairly easy the full scenario. I am trying to bind all Websites to All IPs so If the IP gets reassigned all will still works.

I know that the MetaBase is the file holding the configuration, what I don't know is how to backup that file often. Has any of the fellow IT Admin gotten into this situation before?

Answer 1

if you want to schedule the backup the metabase, you can use IISBack.vbs script that should have been installed at /System32 folder.. backup to a file and make sure you're backups slurp up the metabase backup.

edit: on a side note - don't forget to backup certificates and, depending on the age of your applications, any COM+ components as well.

Answer 2

The IIS metabase inn IIS6 is part of the servers system state, so to back it up, backup the system state, which you are most likely doing anyway.

If you want to just backup the metabase file on its own, you can do so using IIS manager, or by using the IISback.vbs script. See this Microsoft KB article for instructions.

Answer 3

As Rex suggested, you can use the iisback script - for example:

iisback /backup /b WebBackup /v 0 /e yourpassword /overwrite

There is also a good TechNet Magazine article with more info.

Answer 4

You can export the metabase using an included tool called iiscnfg.vbs, located in systemroot\System32

Execute something like:

iiscnfg.vbs /export /f C:\temp\metabase-export.xml /sp /lm /children /inherited

This will retrieve the entire metabase. For the Default Web Site only (typically the first installed site on IIS), use the following /sp: /lm/W3SVC/1

See more at the Technet topic here

You also might want to check out the IIS 6.0 Metabase Explorer from the Resource Kit, and learn more about which branch of the metabase you want.

Once you have exported the Metabase sections you want, you can even use iiscnfg.vbs to import the metabase to a remote IIS, and then get your cloud running.