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Using IIS Manager to Export and Import Metabase Elements

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You can use the metabase import/export feature to to create an export file, containing specifically selected elements of a metabase configuration file. This export file can later be imported into the metabase configuration file on the same computer or another computer running a member of the Microsoft Windows.NET Server family.

The simplest way to use the metabase import/export feature is through IIS Manager. However, if you need to use this feature on numerous machines quickly, you can use one of the following:

important Important You must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer to perform the following procedure (or procedures), or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, log on to your computer using an account that is not in the Administrators group, and then use the Runas command to run IIS Manager as an administrator. From the command prompt, type runas /user:administrative_accountname "mmc %systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\iis.msc".

To export metabase elements

  1. In IIS Manager, expand Local Computer, right-click the application pool, Web site, FTP site, or virtual directory that you want to export, point to All Tasks, and click Save Configuration to a File.
  2. In the File name box, type the name you want to give to your export file.
  3. In the Path box, type or browse to the path where you want the export file saved. For security purposes, select a folder on which you have already restricted access by setting strict access control permissions. (See "Access Control" in Windows Help.) Any files created in such a folder inherit the access control list (ACL).
  4. If you want to encrypt your export file for increased security, select the Encrypt configuration using password check box, and type a strong password in the Password and Confirm password boxes. (See "Passwords" in Windows Help.)
  5. Click OK and verify that your export file has been created.

To import metabase elements

  1. Before importing metabase elements from a file, make sure you have removed or changed all machine- and system-specific information.
  2. In IIS Manager, expand Local Computer; right-click the Web site, FTP site, virtual directory, or application pool node to which you want to import configuration data; point to New; and click Web Site (from file), FTP Site (from file), Virtual Directory (from file), or Application Pool (from file) depending on the type of node to which you want to import configuration data.
  3. In the File box, type the path to your import file or click Browse to locate it.
  4. Click Read File. The importable nodes are displayed under Select a configuration to import.
  5. Click the object whose configuration you want to import and click OK.
  6. If the element already exists in the metabase, a message that states This <element> already exists appears. You can choose Create a new <element> or Replace the existing <element>, and then click OK. Note that if you choose to replace the existing element, you lose all previous configuration settings.