Web Platform Installer Beta

Sometimes deploying an IIS website can be a daunting task because there are so many pieces you need to get it all working.  IIS 7.0 in Windows Server 2008 and Vista takes a much more modular approach so that you can install only the pieces you need.  But there are still pieces that you might need that aren’t part of the normal IIS 7.0 install.  So enter the Web Platform Installer Beta.  So what is it exactly?  Well it’s a single tool for installing our entire web platform suite in one easy to use installer.  What it allows you to install is the following?

  • ASP.NET Components
  • SQL Server 2008 Express Edition (and all required pre-requisite software)
  • IIS extensions such as Secure FTP, Web Playlists, URL Rewriter and many more
  • Visual Web Developer
  • .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
  • SQL Server Driver for PHP

So as this runs on Vista I thought I would give this a go.  The series of screenshots are what you get when you download the installer from the link above.

webpla1

So the good thing about this tool is you get to choose the complete platform in one easy step or go through and choose the bits you want to install.  I chose a custom install so I could see what was on offer.

webpla2

So here I can choose what web components I want to install and what additional tools I want such as the .NET Framework.

webpla3

So one final review of what I’ve chose and we are good to go.

webplat4

I had to accept a license agreement and then click install and it was good to go.  The small installer package you download kicks off the download and then installs everything from the web.  Works pretty well but it did take awhile to install. Could be the connection in the Melbourne office but who knows..After the install you have to reboot the machine and your good to go.

So to finds out all about our web platform check and to download the installer check out the Microsoft Web Platform site.

Technorati Tags: IIS,Web Platform,SQL

Jeffa