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Configuring Application Pools in IIS 6.0

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

Important

This feature of IIS 6.0 is available only when running in worker process isolation mode.

An application pool is a configuration that links one or more applications to a set of one or more worker processes. Because applications in an application pool are separated from other applications by worker process boundaries, an application in one application pool is not affected by problems caused by applications in other application pools.

By creating new application pools and assigning Web sites and applications to them, you can make your server more efficient and reliable, as well as making your other applications always available, even when the worker process serving the new application pool has problems.

Guidelines for Creating Application Pools

Consider the following guidelines when configuring application pools:

  • To isolate Web applications on a Web site from Web applications on other sites running on the same computer, create an individual application pool for each Web site.

  • For enhanced security, configure a unique user account (process identity) for each application pool. Use an account with the least user rights possible, such as Network Service in the IIS_WPG group.

  • If there is a test version of an application on the same server with the production version of the application, separate the two versions into different application pools. This isolates the test version of the application.

  • As a design consideration, if you want to configure an application to run with its own unique set of properties, create a unique application pool for that application.

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".

To create a new application pool

  1. In IIS Manager, expand the local computer, right-click Application Pools, point to New, and then click Application Pool.

  2. In the Application pool name box, type the name of the new application pool.

  3. If the ID that appears in Application pool ID box is not the ID that you want, type a new ID.

  4. Under Application pool settings, click the appropriate setting. If you click Use existing application pool as template, in Application pool name box, right-click the application pool that you want to use as a template.

  5. Click OK.

Application pools allow you to apply configuration settings to groups of applications and the worker processes that service those applications. Any Web site, Web directory, or virtual directory can be assigned to an application pool.

To assign an application to an application pool

  1. In IIS Manager, right-click the application that you want to assign to an application pool, and then click Properties.

  2. Click the Virtual Directory, Directory, or Home Directory tab.

  3. If you are assigning a directory or virtual directory, verify that Application name is filled in. If the Application name box is not filled in, click Create, and then type a name.

  4. In the Application pool list box, click the name of the application pool to which you want to assign the Web site.