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Mary Haggard
Program Manager
Microsoft Corporation
March 13, 1997
The following article was originally published in Site Builder Magazine (now known as MSDN Online Voices).
In the simplest cases, a Web server is a machine that uses a fast Internet connection to send HTML to clients as they request it.
Life, of course, is never that easy, and neither is the server side of the Internet. Web servers also are used to download executables, stream audio and video, run chat rooms, generate dynamic content, run database applications, conduct business transactions over the Internet, and provide many other services.
In this column, we'll talk about hardware and software for your Internet server. We'll overview the process of getting a Web server connected to the Internet, and give you some pointers for working with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). I assume you're familiar with the basics of Microsoft Windows NT®, including networking, setup, and security—and that you know your way around the Windows NT documentation, the Resource Kit 
and the Windows NT Hardware Compatibility List .
Everything I cover here is detailed in dozens of books and online publications about Internet Servers and hardware. I'm going to introduce you to important issues, then use the beauty of hypertext links to point you to more information.
How will your Internet server be connected to the Internet? What will your corporate URL be on the Internet? How do you get an IP address for your machine? What is DNS? Many people don't realize that there is much more to going online than building a Web server and a few HTML pages.
An important early decision: Will you host your own Internet server or will you work with an ISP? My advice to most of you in small- to medium-size businesses is to go with an ISP. Those ISPs who cater to corporate needs are usually responsible for the setup and maintenance of the Web server(s), as well as taking care of such issues as IP addressing, DNS management, and domain naming. They also have existing, fast Internet connections and can provide you with server services—database support, transaction processing, electronic mail—that you would be hard pressed to provide yourself. When working with an ISP, be sure you have a clear understanding of your business needs, and ask a lot of questions to ensure the ISP's services will answer those needs.
Some good questions to ask an ISP:
, a listing of about 5,000 ISPs around the world.
If you really want to host your own server on the Internet, come armed with your Windows NT and Internet Information Server (IIS) documentation as well as helpful books from Microsoft Press . Helpful sites include the Microsoft Network Operator HomePage , the InterNIC Web site , and the BackOffice Live site . You also will want to become familiar with UseNet newsgroups where you can get more information about Web server software and hardware. Learn more about UseNet by visiting the DejaNews Web site.
Whether you build your site in-house or use an ISP, you need to be familiar with the issues of IP Addressing and Domain Naming.
Even if you go with an ISP, or are building an intranet, you should know something about these concepts. IP addresses are unique identifiers, 32 numbers in length, for each machine on the Internet. They allow other computers to identify and talk to your Web server. IP addresses are distributed by the Internet Network Information Center (InterNIC), an independent group responsible for many of the network management duties for the Internet. Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networks are divided into three classes (A, B, and C), depending on their size and complexity, and numbers are assigned from there. For more information about IP addresses, check out InterNIC's Web site, your Windows NT Documentation and the Windows NT Resource Kit.
Have you ever wondered whether your business could get its own domain name? Imagine how cool http://www.<your_name_here>.com would be! The InterNIC also assigns domain names. First, decide on your domain name. Then use InterNIC's Web site to see if the name is already in use, have your ISP set up the necessary DNS records, register the name with InterNIC, and pay the bill when it comes—about US$50 a year.
Develop a comprehensive security program for your network before going online. Luckily, Windows NT 4.0 takes care of a lot of security issues for you by integrating its Web server component (IIS) with Windows NT Security. A lot of you have e-mailed asking for a column that specifically covers security. I've added this request to the list of columns I'll be writing in this series. To get a jump start on learning about security, visit the new Microsoft Security Advisor site.
Building an intranet? Your intranet server will function as a part of your existing TCP/IP-based Windows NT Network, and proper setup and configuration of IIS will correctly identify the machine to the rest of your network. See your Windows NT documentation for information on setting up IIS. Remember to assign IP addresses correctly, even if these machines will never actually access the Internet. There have been many reported problems with machines in this circumstance actually getting onto the Internet and causing problems. A few precautions now can save headaches late. See InterNIC's Web site, as well as Ohio State University's RFC 1918 for more information.
Microsoft has a new Intranet Solutions Center that provides you with a front door to all of the Intranet information available from Microsoft, and has links to many other sites helpful to intranet builders.
Your Web servers will mostly function as file servers. Some general hardware recommendations:
Learn the basics of Internet Connection Speeds (ICS) and the associated hardware that goes with each. Great information is available on the Internet from dozens of vendors who can help meet your needs. Here's a handy table. You could commit it to memory (this will be on the test next time).
| 14.4 Modem | 14,400 bps |
| 28.8 Modem | 28,800 bps |
| ISDN | 128,000 bps |
| T1 connection | 1.5 Mbps (most ISPs have T1 connections to the Internet) |
| T3 connection | 45 Mbps |
| Cable lines | 10 Mbps |
IIS is a key integrated component of Microsoft Windows NT 4.0., an easy-to-manage Web server that provides all the functionality you need to connect your server to the Internet or to provide your corporation with intranet services. It is fully integrated with Windows NT Server 4.0 directory and security services. With IIS, you can provide ftp and gopher hosting services, as well as link to back-end database servers, provide dynamic information through Active Server Pages technology, and have support for the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) when a secure, encrypted connection is required. The BackOffice Live Web site is also a great place to see the power of IIS at work and to get more information.
Other Internet server products available from Microsoft include Microsoft Exchange Server , Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Proxy Server , Microsoft Commerce Server, Microsoft Transaction Server and Microsoft Commercial Internet System. BackOffice Live has more information on the Big Picture Internet server story from Microsoft.
Since taking early retirement as commander of the Starship Enterprise and joining Microsoft, Mary Haggard has worked her way through the ranks to her lifelong goal, being Program Manager for the MSDN Online Web publishing team. Mary once worked in a paper mill, so she knows pulp when she sees it.
For technical how-to questions, check in with the Web Men Talking, MSDN Online's answer pair.
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