Redirect IIS web requests to 2nd internal IIS server
Our company recently upgraded to Small Business Server 2011 running iis 7. We have a single public IP address. Another of our server running Windows Server 2003 R2 and iis 6 contains a website we use for tracking billable time that is connected to an SQL database on that server. This website is accessed internally via http://host\XX being a directory under the default site of that server.
What I would like to do is be able to use XX.domain.com or host.domain.com/XX to access this site from outside of the domain. All incoming http/https request come into the SBS 2011 server so it would need to redirect the requests to the other server.
So essentially, any requests coming into host.domain.com/XX (or xx.domain.com) to the front end server would be send to \\backendserver/XX. I don't think this is an impossible task, but it's a bit beyond my pay grade.
Thanks.
What I would like to do is be able to use XX.domain.com or host.domain.com/XX to access this site from outside of the domain. All incoming http/https request come into the SBS 2011 server so it would need to redirect the requests to the other server.
So essentially, any requests coming into host.domain.com/XX (or xx.domain.com) to the front end server would be send to \\backendserver/XX. I don't think this is an impossible task, but it's a bit beyond my pay grade.
Thanks.
ASKER
Can you elaborate? Our domain registrar (godaddy.com) handles DNS for our public domain and SBS 2011 handles DNS internally. Are you saying to create that cname internally? And in that case, how will that work for connections coming in from outside of the domain?
Maybe I am over complicating things, but I was thinking this was more than a simple DNS entry.
Thank you.
Maybe I am over complicating things, but I was thinking this was more than a simple DNS entry.
Thank you.
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ASKER
Cliff,
After reading your post, i've done a bit of research and it looks like the Application Request Routing extension for IIS 7 can do this reverse proxy. Does that make sense? I don't want to just jump in and installing it without knowing much about it.
After reading your post, i've done a bit of research and it looks like the Application Request Routing extension for IIS 7 can do this reverse proxy. Does that make sense? I don't want to just jump in and installing it without knowing much about it.
IIS has supported reverse proxy since v5, but it cannot coexist with some of the other roles on SBS 2011. Thus, as I said above, SBS 2011 cannot do what you desire. Reverse proxy setups such as what you want must be done at the network edge due to limitations of NAT.
-Cliff
-Cliff
ASKER
It appears that I can accomplish what I am trying to do with a combination of IIS 7, URL Rewrite and Application Request Routing. So below, I would like to tidy things up a bit and reiterate what I would like to accomplish now based on this information.
All HTTP/HTTPS requests into remote.domain.com get handled normally by SBS 2011/IIS7 (frontendserver.domain.loc
I would like requests for remote.domain.com/tk to be redirected to sqlserver.domain.local/tk.
All HTTP/HTTPS requests into remote.domain.com get handled normally by SBS 2011/IIS7 (frontendserver.domain.loc
I would like requests for remote.domain.com/tk to be redirected to sqlserver.domain.local/tk.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/carlosag/archive/2010/04/02/setting-up-a-reverse-proxy-using-iis-url-rewrite-and-arr.aspxASKER
Sorry Cliff, I posted that last one before I had a chance to read yours. I'm not trying to ignore what you are saying. :)
So the general consensus is that without an additional external IP or network appliance to use, I am dead in the water?
So the general consensus is that without an additional external IP or network appliance to use, I am dead in the water?
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Godaddy is just your domain registrar or does it also host a website?
Either way set up an A record on Godaddy
xxx.mydomain.com that points to your sbs dns server
on your sbs dns
set up a cname record
xxx.mydomain.com that points to the server 2003 web server
Either way set up an A record on Godaddy
xxx.mydomain.com that points to your sbs dns server
on your sbs dns
set up a cname record
xxx.mydomain.com that points to the server 2003 web server
ASKER
Greg,
Yes, we have a very simple D-Link firewall that has worked great for us for years. I know I can go the port forwarding route, but I was hoping for something a little "cleaner". I get a little OCD when it comes to these matters. Additionally, my user base is not the most knowledgeable when it comes to I.T., so the simpler, the better. I guess I could always create a link in the landing page of the Remote Web Workplace and they can link to it through there.
ve3ofa,
Godaddy is only our domain registrar. Our website is hosted through another local company. The sbs does not have a public IP as we are behind a NAT firewall (see above). Probably an important piece of information I should have mentioned earlier. :)
At this point i'm thinking it is best to go the port forwarding route and cut my losses on the "clean" method as its not worth the time i've already put into it.
Yes, we have a very simple D-Link firewall that has worked great for us for years. I know I can go the port forwarding route, but I was hoping for something a little "cleaner". I get a little OCD when it comes to these matters. Additionally, my user base is not the most knowledgeable when it comes to I.T., so the simpler, the better. I guess I could always create a link in the landing page of the Remote Web Workplace and they can link to it through there.
ve3ofa,
Godaddy is only our domain registrar. Our website is hosted through another local company. The sbs does not have a public IP as we are behind a NAT firewall (see above). Probably an important piece of information I should have mentioned earlier. :)
At this point i'm thinking it is best to go the port forwarding route and cut my losses on the "clean" method as its not worth the time i've already put into it.
ASKER
Not exactly the answers I hoped for, but I thank everyone for their feedback. I have used port forwarding to turn a difficult problem into an easy solution.
klgerman,
glad i could help,
I too have a touch of ocd - the most elegant solution will be moving your app from iis6 to iis7 on your sbs box.
good luck!
glad i could help,
I too have a touch of ocd - the most elegant solution will be moving your app from iis6 to iis7 on your sbs box.
good luck!
xxx.mydomain.com internalipaddress of server 2