I don't know why I am having such a hard time distinguishing when to use a URL and when to use a UNC, but I am!!! Can anybody help? I thought that a URL was only when you want to ponit to a different server, but then I came across the following question. Do you use a URL also to point to a different "virtual server", even though it resides on the same physical server? See question:

Mary must set us IIS 4.0 on her corporate intranet. All of the Web browsers that are used on client computers support host headers. Each department of the company must have its own Web site with a unique host name. File level security is required to prevent users from accessing documents on other department Web sites. What is the most economical way to donfigure IIS in this scenario?

Answer: Use a single Windows NT Server computer that has hard disk partitions formmated as NTFS and that uses host header names to provide multiple URL's (one for each department).

Any clarificatin would really be appreciated!

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virtual servers/directories = URL

physical servers/workstations (on local or trusted domain) = UNC (normally)

sometimes you can choose ie Web site properties, Home directories Tab

DD.

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So even if the virtual directory is in the physical or local domain, it is still a URL?

Thanks!

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I saw a question asking how you would connect to a remote virtual server ... with a URL or UNC. I thought it would be a URL but the answer was UNC. Is this correct?

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In an NT network a UNC will be the typical input when specifing for both local and network resources provided that WINS or LMHOST files are available resolve the computer names. This seems to be a common assumption (which seems fine, being that NetBIOS names play such a role in NT).

In relation to accessing SQL/ODBC databases, the UNC can cause connection errors to local resources (this is deep in the ASIA dump...) becasue the UNC makes resources 'look' like like they are on the network even when they are local. Due to SQL/ODBC acess requirement issues, this can be a problem at times.

In these cases, a full path to the local resouce is prefered. i.e. "c:\whatever absolute path"

It is not so common that URL's (or FQDN's) are used in configuring IIS. That I can gather (I am far from an expert in this area <: ) places that URL's are used are often specified (like in redirects, or configuring domains to lock out, for example).

In your original question, the URL is used in the Host Header because this is the FQDN that an internet user will use to access the virtual site.

UNC= locate resource on Microsoft networks (intranets)
URL= locate resource in Mixed platform networks (internet)

A good general rule of thumb that I think fits DD's point

[This message has been edited by cltrin (edited 11-30-2000).]

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Thank you! I really appreciate your thorough, clear and concise explanation. I think I am getting it! Thanks so much again to everyone that has been so helpful.

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