Microsoft Internet Information Server Now Available

February 12, 1996

The Microsoft® Internet Information Server (IIS) is now available for Microsoft Windows NT™ Server on Intel®, Digital Alpha AXP™, MIPS®, and PowerPC™ systems.

Overview of features
Requirements
Availability
Download IIS

Overview of features

• Performance. IIS performs about four times faster than Netscape's Netsite Communications Server for Windows NT, version 1.2, according to an independent software testing laboratory report by Shiloh Consulting and Haynes & Company.

• Integration with BackOffice. IIS is a member of the Microsoft BackOffice™ family of server products. This integration helps enable the development of a new generation of Web applications and can "Web-enable" thousands of existing database and messaging applications.

• Advanced fault tolerance. IIS is optimized for Windows NT Server, which provides advanced fault tolerance and built-in security. Windows NT Server also gives users the ability to choose from thousands of PC and RISC single- and multi-processor servers (x86, Pentium®, Pentium Pro, Digital Alpha AXP, PowerPC, and MIPS).

• Integration with ODBC-compliant databases. The Internet Database Connector included with IIS is based on open industry standards, providing integration with SQL Server™, Microsoft Access, and other ODBC-compliant databases.

• Encryption. IIS includes Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which provides encryption for secure communications.

• Secure administration. The graphical Internet Service Manager included with IIS centralizes administration from a single desktop for multiple servers and allows secure administration over the Internet.

• Support for CGI, PERL, and ISAPI. While fully supporting existing standards such as CGI and PERL, IIS also includes the open Internet Server Application Programming Interface (ISAPI), an extension to the Win32® API, which is up to five times faster than CGI-based applications. ISAPI can be used to provide server extensions such as customer communications, site management, and business solutions like accounting, order entry, and catalog databases. More than 50 third-party developers have announced plans to deliver ISAPI-based applications.

• Information sharing. Through Microsoft Exchange Server, IIS will tie Web-based information into corporate-wide mail and messaging systems, providing seamless sharing of information and documents.

• Browser software. IIS includes the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser for Windows 3. x, Windows 95, and Windows NT.

Requirements

IIS requires Windows NT Server 3.51 (or later) and Windows NT Service Pack version 3.0. For downloadable, localized versions of the Windows NT Service Pack and additional information on requirements, please see the Internet Information Server Web site.

Availability

If you already have Windows NT Server 3.51 or later, you can obtain IIS online or as a stand-alone product from Microsoft:

• Online. IIS is available for downloading on the Internet at no charge (other than the cost of connect time, if any). Link to the Microsoft Internet Information Server Web site to download any of four versions--Intel, Alpha AXP, MIPS, and PowerPC.

• Stand-alone product. Estimated retail price: US$99. This product will be available in March from resellers.

• For production: You can receive IIS along with Windows NT Server and 10 client access licenses through the Windows NT Server Network Value Pack. (Note: IIS has an unlimited license; customers do not need client access licenses to access IIS.) The Windows NT Server Network Value Pack is available for the approximate retail price of US$999. This product will be available in March from resellers.

• For design, development, and testing: You can obtain IIS and Windows NT Server through Level 3 membership in the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN). Level 3 members receive quarterly shipments of all released BackOffice server components (which currently include Windows NT Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft SNA Server, Microsoft Systems Management Server, and Microsoft Mail Server) as well as pre-release versions of BackOffice, as they become available. Members will receive a special premium shipment of IIS and Windows NT Server with the BackOffice 2.0 pre-release during the first quarter of 1996. Join MSDN Level 3 to receive future versions of IIS and Windows NT Server; see the MSDN Web page for subscription information.

Download IIS

Link to the Microsoft Internet Information Server Web site to download IIS for Intel, Alpha AXP, MIPS, or PowerPC. You can also download localized versions of the Windows NT Service Pack 3.0 (which is required for IIS) from this location.