Software Deployment

I searched the forums here but nothing relevant turned up. I have an app that uses a webfarm. We currently have an IIS scripted install and custom metabase configurator for IIS 5, written in VBS. However, the person who wrote the script is gone and I am inexperienced with VBS. We are migrating to a new version of the app on W2K3 & IIS6. I am currently working with IIScnfg.vbs and it doesn't perform the steps or carry the capabilities I need.

I have a custom configuration that needs to be applied such as deleting the Default website (currently overcome) setting the log file attributes, New website creation with server name, etc, etc. The IIScnfg.vbs tool included with Windows will export all the settings to an XML file, but imporing them is another story.


To use a baseline server and export the config to other (or multiple) servers the iiscnfg /copy command is used, but the source server must be a running machine with all the settings and the target machine must be up and running. This can't happen when we're in the middle of imaging 102 servers in the web farm. Additionally I can't use common "NT"-esque variables in the XML file (such as %computername%) but hat may be my lack of XML experience. The iiscnfg.vbs /import switch just imports the XML file and does not make any machine-specific changes to the VBS file...keeping the original IWAM/IUSR accounts, ACLS, etc. Obviously, not acceptable.


Does anyone have any experience with building a server from a ground up process and applying these IIS settings without human interaction? I've got Altiris DS (RapidDeploy) doing the imaging, even installing IIS with SYSOC script to the D: partition and the default website deleted. But that's as far as I can go with the automation unless I start teaching myself VBS...an even more daunting task. Even if a solution takes multiple scripts to accomplish this, it is acceptable. Would anyone have experience with a similar scenario or be aware of a 3rd party tool that will allow me to build an IIS 6 box, configured, and replicate it to multiple servers? ....obviously with the assumption that the various pitfalls of "disk cloning" IIS to multiple servers (E.G. IWAM & IUSR account are specific to machine names, etc) would be avoided.

Any assistance or a point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.


[:@]