Configuration Manager 2007 sites can be configured to use custom Web sites for client to site system communications for interoperability with other server services installed on Configuration Manager site systems that require Internet Information Services (IIS).

It is important to decide if custom Web sites will be implemented during the deployment of Configuration Manager 2007 sites early in the planning stages. The use of a custom Web site is a sitewide operation and requires the manual creation of a custom Web site on every site system within the site that requires IIS for normal operations. Because Configuration Manager 2007 clients can roam from site to site, it may also be necessary to implement custom Web sites for every site in the hierarchy.

Custom Web Site Considerations

The following table lists the pros and cons of using a custom Web site:

Pro Con
  • Using a custom Web site would be beneficial if there are site systems within the site that also host other server services requiring IIS and require the use of the default Web site, such as Microsoft Windows® SharePoint® Services.

  • By creating a custom Web site for Configuration Manager 2007 use and setting it to accept client connections on the port that you specify for client communications, you can allow other applications to continue to function using the default Web site. For information about which Configuration Manager 2007 site systems require IIS, see Prerequisites for Installing Configuration Manager.

    Important
    Using Configuration Manager site systems to run additional applications increases the attack surface on those site systems and is not recommended. The best practice for Configuration Manager site systems requiring IIS is to use a server solely dedicated to providing Configuration Manager services.
  • Configuring a custom Web site is a sitewide operation. If you choose to use a custom Web site, custom Web sites should be implemented at every site in the hierarchy.

  • When you create and enable custom Web site use, the site roles installed on the server computer will automatically be uninstalled and reinstalled by site component manager.

  • When creating a custom Web site, you must define custom ports for the new Web site that are different from those in use on the default Web site. The default Web site and the custom Web site cannot be started at the same time if both are configured to operate on the same TCP/IP ports.

    Important
    When configuring the custom Web site to use https ports to support native mode site operations, the custom Web site must be configured to use a Web server certificate issued by a trusted certification authority. For more information about certificate requirements for native mode, see Certificate Requirements for Native Mode.

See Also