Keys and Data Entries

You can use the IIS Admin Base Object to control the configuration of your IIS installation. IIS configuration data is stored in the metabase in a hierarchical structure that parallels the organization of the elements of your IIS installation. Configuration data is stored in keys that are associated with IIS elements, and the keys are organized in a path structure similar to the Windows NTŪ registry, or a directory and file system. Keys are identified by their path within the metabase. For example, the path /LM specifies the local machine key, and the path /LM/W3SVC/3 specifies the key for the third web server.

Each key name cannot be longer than the METADATA_MAX_NAME_LEN constant. This applies to each node name separately, not the entire path. In the preceding example, the names LM and W3SVC must each be less than METADATA_MAX_NAME_LEN, but their combined path (/LM/W3SVC) can be longer.

Data entries may be assigned to each key, and each data entry has a unique identifier in the metabase. For example, MD_SERVER_STATE is an identifier for data that specifies the server state, and, when located at the key having the path /LM/MSFTPSVC/1, specifies data that describes the server state of the first virtual FTP server on the local machine. For more information about identifiers, see Reserved Identifiers and User Types.

For each FTP or Web server, the root virtual directory is given the special name ROOT. For example, the path /LM/MSFTPSVC/1/ROOT/Scripts/Script1.asp refers to the key associated with an ASP page in the virtual directory Scripts under the first virtual FTP server on the local machine.