IIS TIPS - Host Header
Host Header ? what is it ? This is a very common question in IIS discussion groups. Host header is the Name (either NetBIOS or FQDN) that associated to a website in IIS, it is used to host multiple websites using 1 IP address running on default port 80. Websites in IIS can be distinguished using three unique identifiers. These unique identifiers include:
Host Header Name
IP Address
Port Number
You can have multiple websites running on IIS as long as either of the above three identifiers is unique. For example:
Host Header - www.a.com
IP Address - 192.168.10.10
Port Number - 80
Host Header - www.b.com
IP Address - 192.168.10.10
Port Number - 80
Host Header -
IP Address - 192.168.10.11
Port Number - 80
and many more... detail steps ? refer MS KBs...
IIS 6.0 - 324287 HOW TO: Use Host Header Names to Configure Multiple Web Sites in Internet Information Services 6.0
IIS 5.0 - 308163 How To Use Host Header Names to Configure Multiple Web Sites in Internet Information Services 5.0
190008 HOW TO: Use Host Header Names to Host Multiple Sites from One IP Address in IIS 5.0
IIS 4.0 - The steps are similar to IIS 5.0, or you can refer this article at IISFAQ.com.
Now, you are 50% done with the above. To complete the configuration, you need to work with Name resolution, in short is how do get those host name works. You need to ensure when users query those host name it will returns the correct IP address that you setup. So you can either have DNS resolution or via a host file. And you can either have your own DNS or using your existing one, bottom line is to get the name resolution works and users get the correct IP address. Read
IIS 6.0 - 324260 How To Configure DNS Records for Your Web Site in Windows Server 2003
IIS 5.0 - 315982 HOW TO: Configure DNS Records for Your Web Site in Windows 2000
IIS 4.0 - 172953 How to Install and Configure Microsoft DNS Server.
If you don't have any DNS server, you can use the following article which utilizing HOSTS file to facilitate Intranet name resolution. 228760 - How to Use a HOSTS File to Test a Site that Uses Host Headers on an Intranet
Next, after you configured host header, you can not browse to that specific site with its IP address, this is because IIS don't know which site to display. You will get a 'No website is configured for this address' in your browser, refer
300238 - Error Message: "No Web Site Is Configured At This Address" When Using Host Headers
From time to time, I get questions like “How do configure Host Header with FTP ?“ Well, the answer is NO. FTP doesn't support host header concept. You are advised to use virtual directory + proper NTFS configuration to achieve the same purposes. However, the name resolution will only have ONE name. To create multiple ftp site, the only unique identifiers are IP and Port. Now, we know Host Header doesn't click with FTP, SSL is another implementation that doesn't click with host header, refer
187504 - HTTP 1.1 Host Headers Are Not Supported When You Use SSL