-- Simplified configuration and application deployment. Configuration can be accomplished entirely through XML files. Central IIS configuration can be spread across multiple files, allowing many sites and applications hosted by the same server to have independent but still easily managed configurations. One of Microsoft's favorite demos of IIS 7 involves setting up a Web farm with identically configured machines. As new members of the farm are brought online, the administrator simply uses XCopy and moves existing configuration files over to the new server, and in a matter of seconds, the IIS setup on the new machine is identical to that on the existing machines. This is perhaps the best change in IIS 7.

-- Delegated management. Much like Active Directory allows an administrator to assign permissions to perform certain functions to other users, IIS administrators can delegate control of some functions to other people, like site owners.

-- Efficient administration. IIS Manager has been completely redesigned and is joined by a new command-line administration utility, appcmd.exe. Figure 1 shows the new administrative console for managing IIS.

Networking improvements

The Longhorn server team has made a special effort at improving network performance and efficiency in Beta 2. For the first time, there is a dual-IP layer architecture for native IPv4 and IPv6 support together, simultaneously. (If you've ever configured IPv4 and IPv6 on a Windows Server 2003 machine, you'll know what a pain it is to get them to interoperate without falling all over each other.)