FTP 7.5 for IIS 7 (Windows 2008 Server) with Shared Web Hosting Perspective

Setup and Configure FTP 7.5 for IIS 7 (Windows 2008 Server) with Shared Web Hosting Perspective

Introduction

Microsoft have developed a new MSFTP 7.5 service written entirely afresh for Windows Server 2008. This new MSFTP service holds many new features that enable web admins to publish their websites with improved ways than before. MSFTP 7.5 provides web admins more security and more deployment options.

This document will help you understand and implement the different FTP user isolation options using the new user interface with a shared web hosting implementation perspective.

Note: You must be logged in as an "administrator" to perform these steps on Windows 2008 Server.



Prerequisites

Please ensure you have following Service Roles installed which are required to complete the procedures in this article:

• IIS 7
• Internet Information Services Manager
• The new FTP 7.5 service
• Create a root folder for FTP publishing

Install IIS and FTP Services

1. Install all IIS 7 components except for FTP server and FTP Management Console. IIS 7 must be installed on your Windows Server 2008 server, and the Internet Information Services Manager must be installed.


2. The new MSFTP 7.5 service must be installed. You can download and install the FTP service from the http://www.iis.net/ web site through any one of the following links according to your system configuration i.e. x86 or x64:

• FTP for IIS 7.0 (x64)
• FTP for IIS 7.0 (x86)

Setup is very simple, simply double click the executable file you downloaded from above link and follow simple installation steps. You will see Finish windows when installation is completed:





FTP User Isolation (Which method to choose?):

NOTE: You can decide to either isolate or not to isolate users using FTP isolation. This is a new important addition in MS FTP Service so let me give some explanation to it as under:

Case 1:
Do not isolate users. Start users in:
o FTP root directory
+ This option specifies that all FTP sessions will start in the root directory for the FTP site.
This option is new in this FTP server, and simply disables all user isolation or starting folder logic.
o User name directory
+ This option specifies that all FTP sessions will start in the physical or virtual directory with the same name of the currently logged on user if the folder exists; otherwise, the FTP session will start in the root directory for the FTP site.
This option is the same as choosing no user isolation in the IIS 6.0 FTP server.

Case 2:
Isolate users. Restrict users to the following directory:
o User name directory (disable global virtual directories)
+ This option specifies that you want to isolate FTP user sessions to the physical or virtual directory with the same name of the FTP user account. The user sees only their FTP root location and is, therefore, restricted from navigating higher up the physical or virtual directory tree. Any global virtual directories that are created will be ignored.
This option is new in this FTP server.
o User name physical directory (enable global virtual directories)
+ This option specifies that you want to isolate FTP user sessions to the physical directory with the same name of the FTP user account. The user sees only their FTP root location and is, therefore, restricted from navigating higher up the physical directory tree. Any global virtual directories that are created will apply to all users.
This option is the same as choosing user isolation in the IIS 6.0 FTP server.
o FTP home directory configured in Active Directory
+ This option specifies that you want to isolate FTP user sessions to the home directory that is configured in the Active Directory account settings for each FTP user.
This option is the same as choosing Active Directory user isolation in the IIS 6.0 FTP server.



Configuration and Setup of FTP 7.5 for IIS 7 (Windows 2008 Server) with Shared Web Hosting Perspective:

Since we are preparing setup for shared hosting perspective, so following steps need to be taken:

1. Remove all permissions from target drive:
Remove all permissions except "Administrator" and "System" from drive [X:\] that will hold FTP directories.


2. Create a root folder for FTP:

Create a folder at "%SystemDrive%\inetpub\ftproot"
Remove all permissions except administrator and then give this folder “Read Only” access for Everyone.




3. Create FTP Error folder:

Create a new folder named "Error - Contact Support" for your users to view when they fall into root ftp directory and don't have the proper virtual directory (with same name as their user name) added to FTP site.




4. Open IIS Manager:

Open IIS manager by typing "inetmgr" command in Run.



5. Create Default FTP Site:
Create a Default FTP Site which will contain virtual FTP sites allowing access to different users on their allocated directory path specified in virtual FTP site settings.


5(a). Map this to ftproot folder:


5(b). Set Binding and SSL as per your needs (following are used for now):


5(c). Set Authentication and Authorization Information:

These settings will allow any user (who has a valid login / password on this server) login to FTP server. All users falling into the default directory will have "Read" permissions only and will not be able to modify anything on the server.


6. Setup User Isolation mode for shared hosting setup:

Navigate to following interface and double click "FTP User Isolation" icon.


6(a). From “Do not isolate users. Start users in:”, select “User name directory” option and click apply.




7. Create windows users for FTP connectivity:




7(a). Set “Local Path” for user on appropriate folder this will automatically set permissions.




7(b). Set advance permissions for user inheritance (apply only once when user is created first time after directory creation):




8. Add Virtual Directory in Default FTP Site.



8(a). Set parameters for new Virtual Directory:



8(b). Modify FTP Authorization Rules.





8(c). Add Allow Rule:



8(d). Specify user and set permission with respect to FTP access.


9. Verify FTP using FTP Client:


Feel free to contact me if there is anything I can do to help you !!!