Microsoft's new Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS 7) presents backward compatibility issues for shops using the ASP.NET 1.1 framework, Visual Studio 2003, or Front Page 2003. IIS 7 will not be a solitary migration for many shops. IT must uncover the ripple effect and work with all stakeholders affected by the proposed IIS 7 upgrade.

IIS 7 Backward Incompatibility

The latest version of Microsoft's Web server software, IIS 7 is now available with Windows Vista and will begin seeing widespread adoption when Windows "Longhorn" Server ships, possibly later this year. This adoption will be driven by several enhancements to the Web server's feature set and recovering security reputation that was greatly helped by the solid IIS 6 performance. To learn about the benefits that IIS 7 brings to the table, refer to the Info-Tech Advisor research note, "Prepare now for IIS 7."

Early adoption experiences suggest the following pitfalls await the unwary:

• .NET 1.1 compatibility is not automatic. Ensuring .NET 1.1 compatibility in IIS 7 involves a series of software installations, upgrades, and option enablement. See  Microsoft's IIS Web site for a five-step process summary and specific details. The enterprise may decide the time...