Migrating IIS 6.0 Web Application to New
Version Guidance
Migrating Web Application from IIS6.0 to IIS7.x and above
Michael Li (PFE)
PFE
micl@microsoft.com
Prepared for
Users who want to upgrade IIS 6.0 to IIS 7.0 and above
Thursday, 17 July 2014
Version 1.2 Template
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Revision and Signoff Sheet
Change Record
Date
Author
Version
Change reference
7/16/2014
Michael Li
1.0
Initial draft for review/discussion
Reviewers
Name
Version approved
Position
Date
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Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1
1 Re-Planning Your Web Server................................................................................ 2
Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2012?.................................................................... 3
2 Windows Server Configuration Best Practices ..................................................... 4
2.1
Keep your Processor Scheduling to Background Services ............................................. 4
2.2
Size up your Application log in Windows Event Viewer ................................................... 4
2.3
Keep the proper size of the virtual memory .................................................................... 4
2.4
Reduce protocol binding on the network adapter ............................................................ 5
2.5
Stop unnecessary Windows services ............................................................................. 5
3 IIS Upgrade Considerations .................................................................................... 6
3.1
32bit vs 64bit .................................................................................................................. 6
3.2
Classic Mode vs Integration Mode .................................................................................. 7
3.3
.NET version Considerations .......................................................................................... 8
3.4
User permission Considerations ..................................................................................... 9
3.5
Summary ........................................................................................................................ 9
4 IIS Installation Tips ................................................................................................ 10
5 Migrate Web Content ............................................................................................. 12
6 Tuning Application Pool ........................................................................................ 13
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Introduction
This document describe how to migrate your web application hosted on IIS 6.0 to IIS 7.0 and above. This
document include considerations before upgrade, IIS installation, IIS tuning etc. But SharePoint upgrade
is not in scope.
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1
Re-Planning Your Web Server
It’s ten years passed, since Windows Server 2003 launched. In these ten years, computer hardware and
software has a significant improvement. It means that you may not need web servers as same as ten
years ago. For example, you have a 8 nodes load balance web server cluster that running on the
Windows Server 2003 ten years ago. For now, maybe 4 nodes web server running on the Windows
Server 2012 is enough.
To investigate how much nodes you really need. You’d better collect web server performance data from
production environment. Analysis real production data is much useful to help you know how much web
server you really need. To collect IIS related performance data, you can follow this steps:
1. Download PAL tool from http://pal.codeplex.com .
2. Run the PAL tool, and select “Threshold file” tab.
3. Select “ASP.NET” on threshold file dropdown list.
4. Click “Export to Perform template file”, save the file as “IIS.xml”.
5. Logon Windows Server 2003 machine as Administrator.
6. Start-> Run, log “perfmon.msc” and press Enter.
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7. On the “User Defined” node of left pane, mouse right click and select “New”->”Data Collector
Set”.
8. On the creatation wizard, name the collector set and keep default selection, click “Next”.
9. On the template selection page, click “Browse” button and select IIS.xml file that was save on this
machine before. Then click “Next”.
10. Keep the selection and click “Finish”.
After you get performance data. You can also analysis data by PAL tool. For more information about
mining of counters please visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/0a6c9f07-a70c-4c3db93d-5dfef593c744.mspx?mfr=true
Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2012?
To upgrade your Windows OS, you have four options:
OS version
IIS version
Windows Server 2008
IIS 7.0
Windows Server 2008 R2
IIS 7.5
Windows Server 2012
IIS 8.0
Windows Server 2012 R2
IIS 8.5
My recommendation is upgrade to Windows Server 2012 R2. To make this decision, it is based on these
reasons:
1. To get 64-bit computing benefits (Windows Server 2008 has 32 bit version).
2. To get the most efficient version of IIS (IIS 8.5).
3. To get a more security, more stable host environment to run your web applications.
4. To avoid frequently upgrade in future years (if Windows 2008 stop supporting, you have to
upgrade again).
The IIS cannot be upgraded individually. To upgrade IIS means upgrade Windows operating system.
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2
Windows Server Configuration Best Practices
When each new Windows server launched, Microsoft would release Performance Tuning Guide
document for each OS version. Windows Server 2012 R2 Performance Tuning Guide can be download
from: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=397832 . You can follow it to tuning your Windows Server
2012 as Web Role.
There are also some common tips for tuning your web server:
2.1
Keep your Processor Scheduling to Background Services
To check this, please right-click mouse button on “This PC”, and select “Properties”. In “Advanced
Settings”->Advanced Tab->Performance Settings->Advanced Tab, you’d better keep the
“Processor Scheduling” settings to “Background Services”.
This value “Background Services” is default.
2.2
Size up your Application log in Windows Event Viewer
The default value of log size is too small to contain enough Windows event especially Windows
Application Log. Generally it’s 20MB or 16MB (depends on your OS version). My
recommendation is set the size of application log larger than 300MB.
To change log size, you have to open Windows Event Viewer (Run->eventvwr). And click
“Windows Logs” on the tree of the left pane. Then right-click “Application” item and select
“Properties”. On the “Log Properties” window change the value larger than 307200.
For more information, please visit: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957662
2.3
Keep the proper size of the virtual memory
The virtual memory can be used in two ways: one is extension of memory, other is the buffer to
write kernel dump data. When a blue screen occurred, the blue screen write the whole physical
memory data to virtual memory file. If the virtual memory size is not enough, the dump file cannot
be write completely. The result is Microsoft support engineer cannot find out the root cause.
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To set the proper virtual memory size, please visit: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2160852 .
Generally speaking, the size depends on how much physical memory usually used.
2.4
Reduce protocol binding on the network adapter
To reduce protocol binding is good for network adapter performance.
2.5
Stop unnecessary Windows services
Here is some unnecessary services should be stopped:
Unnecessary Windows Services
Application Experience Lookup
Service
Background Intelligent Transfer
Service
Computer Browser
DHCP Client
Error Reporting Service
Help and Support
Shell Hardware Detection
Print Spooler
Telephony
Wirless Configuration
Note For security considerations, you’d better shutdown above services before your web server going to
production environment. And this recommendation is only for web server role.
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3
IIS Upgrade Considerations
Before you do your upgrade action you have to understand these and make your decision to your web
application.
3.1
32bit vs 64bit
On Windows Server 2003, most web application running on 32-bit mode. Because the version of 64-bit
Windows Server 2003 is not popular. In 32-bit mode, the 4GB virtual address separates two parts.
0x00000000 – 0x7FFFFFFF is user mode, 0x80000000 – 0xFFFFFFFF is kernel mode. So 32-bit
w3wp.exe process memory size usually less than 2GB. If the private bytes of w3wp.exe almost reach
2GB, the web application getting slow down.
In 64-bit mode, the virtual memory address almost unlimited (actually it has). To change your web
application running on 64-bit mode, You have to confirm that your web application meet these
requirements:
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1. Web application is not compiled under x86 mode.
If the web application is compiled x86 mode only, the assembly would not load by 64-bit process.
2. Web application is not calling COM object.
It is by design that 64-bit process cannot call 32-bit code. Due to the most COM objects are
compiled on 32-bit environment, if assemblies running under 64-bit mode the application would
not create COM object correctly. The typical scenario are:
a) Web application uses MSADO componment to read/write csv file or access db.
b) Web application interop Microsoft Office component.
3. Web application is not calling third-party component that only support 32-bits mode.
Same as rule 2.
If your web application is not meet above rules. Your web application only running 32-bit w3wp.exe
process that would be hosted in 64-bit IIS. The good news is on 64-bit IIS service, 32-bit w3wp.exe
process has 4GB user mode address than IIS 6.0(WoW64).
For more details, please check <<Internet Information Service 7.0 Resource Kit>> Page 632.
3.2
Classic Mode vs Integration Mode
In classic mode, IIS manages ASP.NET as a add-on. When a HTTP request reaches to IIS, first step is
URL parse. After parse completed, IIS would check the handler mapping list. If request resource is htm or
html, IIS handles by itself. If resource is aspx, IIS redirects request to aspnet_isapi.dll.
Classic Mode
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The Integrated Mode is the new feature of IIS 7.0 and above. In Integrated Mode IIS will combine
ASP.NET into itself. In this mode, ASP.NET application running more efficient.
Integrated Mode
The big different between these two mode is request context. In classic mode, the request context will go
through each process steps. In each process step, code will get request header, verbs and URI correctly.
But in integrated mode, request context may not pass to each module due to some ASP.NET modules
have been combined into IIS.
Now the question is “What kind of ASP.NET web application can running under integrated mode?”
There is no exactly answer. If you want to confirm your web application can running under integrated
mode, you’d better do a black-box testing.
My recommendations is:
a) if your web application has some legacy pages like asp, you’d better set to classic mode.
b) If your web application is base on .NET 1.1 please set to classic mode.
3.3
.NET version Considerations
.NET has been released three major version: 1.1, 2.0, 4.0. The other version 3.0, 3.5 are base on 2.0.
core library doesn’t change. Compare with .NET 2.0 and .NET 4.0, the new version has a significant
improvement. .NET 4.0 is more flexible and more efficient. If your web application still has the newest
version source code. You can migrate your web application to new .NET version.
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3.4
User permission Considerations
There is a built-in account named “Network Service” that is used to run work process. This account can
do some limited actions on local web service and related resources. For example, this account can create
new file in its own virtual directory and sub directories but cannot create a new file in its parent directory.
To known the precise permissions you can visit: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff647402.aspx .
With IIS 7.0 launched, Microsoft offered a new kind of worker process account. It’s named
ApplicationPoolIdentity. This kind of account can let your permissions more flexible and security. Before
you upgrade IIS, you’d better consider this kind of account can apply your worker process. To know more
details, please visit: http://www.iis.net/learn/manage/configuring-security/application-pool-identities .
3.5
Summary
Base on above considerations, you have to collect information from your software vendors or partners.
For questionnaire, please check these:

Does vendor still have the newest source code to match your web application?

Does your web application call a COM object?

Does your web application call a third-party component that cannot running in 64-bit mode?

Does your web application have standalone installer?

What’s your web application permissions?

What’s the .NET version your web application required?

Does the web application need other application installed on web server? Like Windows Service,
Task Scheduler or other tools.

Does the web application need other configuration settings? Like registry key, Machine.config,
aspnet.config etc.
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4
IIS Installation Tips
Another big different between IIS 6.0 and IIS 7.0 is new IIS features has componentized. When you install
IIS, you will find a lot of options like this:
Here is a list of component that you have to install:
Component Name
Comments
Web Management Tools
IIS Management Console
IIS Management Scripts and Tools
IIS Management Service
Application Development Features
.NET Extensibility 3.5
or
.NET Extensibility 4.5
Application Initialzation
ASP.NET 3.5
ASP depends on web application requirement.
.NET 3.5 or .NET 4.5 please chose one version.
WebSocket Protocol is only used for HTML5, for old
style dynamic conent page is useless.
or
ASP.NET 4.5
Server-Side Includes
Common HTTP Features
Default Document
HTTP redirection and Web DAV publishing depends on
web application requirement.
HTTP Errors
Static Content
Health and Diagnostics
HTTP Logging
Logging Tools
Request Monitor
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Tracing
Performance Features
Static Content Compression
Security
The Dynamic Content Compression will use more CPU
utilization time. If your end users access site by dial-up
or ADSL, please install Dynamic Content Compression.
Otherwise please disable this feature.
It totally depends on real requirement.
Note For security considerations, You’d better only install the components you really need. FTP services is
not recommend.
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5
Migrating Website Content
Microsoft has created a tool called Web Deploy. This tool can package web content into a zip file. And on
the target server, you can also extract zip file by this tool. I don’t want to spend a lot of words to discuss it.
For more details, please visit:
http://www.iis.net/learn/publish/using-web-deploy/migrate-a-web-site-from-iis-60-to-iis-7-or-above
Note The Web Deploy tool reads IIS configuration file and only package web content in virtual directory.
For complicate deploy action like combine registry key, register COM object this tool won’t help you more.
Unfortunately, Web Deploy tool is base on .NET 2.0. To migrate .NET 1.1 web application from Windows
Server 2003, you have to install .NET 2.0 Redist on Windows Server 2003 first.
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6
Tuning Application Pool
By default, application pool settings are not optimized. For the general situation: A web server only
running one website that must offer 7x24 service, I will give you a best settings as below:
Application Pool Settings
The Best Value
Start Mode
AlwaysRunning
Idle Time-out (Minutes)
0
Rapid-Faild Protection Enabled
False
Disable Overlapped Recycling
False
Regluar Time Interval
0
Specific Time
Specifiy a not busy time, like 2:00 AM.
MSIT team has an classic article to discuss application pool tuning:
Managing, Tuning, and Configuring Application Pools in IIS 7.0
To get the best performance on your worker process, you also have configure processModel element in
configuration file. To set MaxIOThreads = 100 and MaxWorkerThreads = 100. For details please visit:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/7w2sway1(v=vs.100).aspx
For tuning ASP.NET thread usage, you also need to check this:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/tmarq/archive/2007/07/21/asp-net-thread-usage-on-iis-7-0-and-6-0.aspx
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References
1. Upgrading ASP.NET 1.1 to IIS 7.0 on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
2. Using Web Deploy
3. Web Deploy Tool on TechNet
4. Upgrading To IIS 7 on TechNet
5. Professional IIS 8
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