Configure IIS 7.0 meta database issue

With IIS7, it gets MUCH easier. What you're looking for is "Shared configuration". You can set that at the global level on the server. With that, you can have hot-hot, or hot-warm like you described.

On the primary server, use "export" under shared configuration. That will save the server's Machine Key (different than ASP.NET's machineKey). That ensures that all encrypted data can be ready on the new server. It will also save applicationHost.config and administration.config. Once you do an import on the 2nd server, applicationHost.config and administration.config can (and should) be 100% the same between both servers.

So, you can use DFS-R to keep the configs 100% in sync automatically, or use something like robocopy to do it at regular intervals, depending on your favorite tool.

You don't need to point to a different path on your primary server either. Just use the export for the sake of the 2nd server.

The Web Deployment Tool is great, but for what you're talking about, Shared Configuration is a better fit.

It should be noted that certificates aren't stored in those files so you need to do them manually when you set them up, or use something else (like Web Deployment Tool) for keeping those in sync.

Another thing you can consider for an inexpensive but powerful load balancer is Microsoft's new ARR technology. (Application Request Routing)

If you're trying to do this from code, I would recommend Microsoft.Web.Administration instead of appcmd. However, if you're doing it from the command line then appcmd is what you need.

Additionally if you have access to the server, why are you using vdirs for sites instead of full sites? You may find that full sites are cleaner. It depends on your situation, of course.

To do it with appcmd, it would be something like this:

• First, make sure that the folder is created. You can do that with the old command line 'md'

• Then create the 'application'. It will use the default app pool, not the one of its parent. It's a bit more work to figure out the app pool of the parent first. It would be something like:

  appcmd add app /site.name:"sitename" /path:/foldername

• Then create the 'vdir'.

  appcmd add vdir /app.name:"sitename/foldername" /path:/ /physicalpath:c:\inetpub\wwwroot\foldername