Windows Server 2003® contains all the features and capabilities required for a robust and flexible web hosting system. Windows Server 2003® enhancements include application services, security, and much more.

In addition, you can now install components that fit the ASP.NET installation model. For example, this allows our servers to upload .NET assemblies (a form of Dynamic Link Library or DLL). To upload an assembly, just copy it to the /bin directory of the relevant IIS application. Visual Studio® .NET offers the easiest method of uploading .NET assemblies as it uploads them automatically when you deploy your Visual Studio®.NET project to the server. Additionally, .NET assemblies also can be uploaded through an FTP client or through Microsoft FrontPage®.

Yes. As your Windows Server 2003® account will reside on a new server, you will receive a new numerical IP address. Your new IP address will locate your web site content, be used for scripting, and serve as an optional mail server setting for your email client.

If you have any hard-coded references to numerical IP addresses in your HTML or database files, you will need to change them to your domain name. If you have installed any custom scripts that reference (a) the server number on which your account currently resides, (b) your IP address, (c) your UserID or (d) your password, you will need to change the server number when referencing the secure server in your site's code. You can contact Technical Support for additional information.

Important: If you manage your own DNS, you will need to update your DNS settings after your account's migration has been completed.

The following three areas may require attention:

.NET Framework: Windows Server 2003® has .NET Framework 1.1 integrated within it. We recommend that you use .NET Framework 1.1 to compile applications for Windows Server 2003®. If, instead, you choose to use .NET Framework 1.0, you may want to keep tabs on applications created within it so as to make sure that they run properly under version 1.1. In the great majority of cases, you should encounter no problems. However, if you do discover an incompatibility or glitch, please contact our AT&T Web Hosting^SM Technical Support team.

ASPmail-to-CDOmail: Our Windows Server 2003 plans will not support ASPmail. If you choose Windows Server 2003®, you should use CDO mail or the native .NET mail solution. ASP.NET provides alternatives to ASPMail and ASPUpload. It also enables new functionality -- such as image generation, encryption and more -- that, in the past, has always required third-party components.

Absolute and Relative Paths: We recommend using relative links in your code. Absolute paths are a common cause of broken links and are the responsibility of whoever codes your website. In other words, if your Web site is now using relative paths with ASP, you will need to use virtual paths instead. For example, #include virtual="/includes/file.asp" instead of #include file="../includes/file.asp".

No, IIS is not configured to support Index Service.

The functional issues include the following:

• The version of Windows Server 2003® we’re using is the Standard Edition, not the Enterprise, Datacenter or Web edition.
• ActivePerl version 5.6 is installed on Windows Server 2003®.
• CDO (Collaboration Data Objects) is installed on Windows Server 2003®.
• Microsoft SharePoint® technology is not supported.
• The "stats" directory is now a virtual directory. As such, you can neither delete this directory nor upload data to it.

Microsoft provides a wealth of on-line documentation regarding Windows Server 2003® (WS 2003) product on their websites. In particular, we recommend that you visit the following Microsoft pages for in-depth technical information about WS 2003:

• Product Overviews: This Microsoft web page is the launching point for your introduction to the various versions of WS 2003.
  
• Introducing the ".NET" in the Windows Server 2003 Family: Learn about how the .NET initiative works within WS 2003.
  
• Microsoft.NET: The main source for information and advice regarding .NET. This Microsoft sub-site will provide you with answers to your most commonly asked questions regarding .NET. In addition, it contains a very good set of technical resources for.NET
  
• Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN): An invaluable resource for anyone who is either seeking to learn about .NET or who wants to keep up with the latest news and developments within it. Performing a search for "asp.net" on MSDN provides you with many of the latest developments in ASP.NET programming and functionality. Some of the many useful sub-sites within MSDN are:
  
  • .NET Framework: This area of Microsoft.NET provides very good information on all major aspects of .NET Framework. Among the resources available are product downloads, product updates, and Microsoft Product Support Services Options for .NET Framework.
    
  • Visual Studio.net: Here, you'll find valuable information about Visual Studio, a program that you can use to write XML code and Windows-based programs that can be used under .NET.
    
  • Migrating ASP Pages to ASP.NET: A resource that provides technical information on how to convert your existing ASP pages to ASP.NET
    
  • Migrating ASP Pages to Web Forms Pages : A web page devoted to providing details on how to convert ASP pages to Web Forms Pages. The instructions contained on this page are presented in an easy-to-follow step-by-step manner.

• ASP.NET: Offers excellent information on .NET's abilities. Here, you'll also find a regularly updated library of numerous ASP.NET information articles. Additionally, this location provides you with the freely available Web Matrix tool, a tool developed and provided by Microsoft for the creation of ASP.NET web applications.
• GotDotNet: A complete on-line community devoted to supporting .NET initiative. Here you'll find information and support through message boards, news postings, a resource center, articles, tutorials, user samples, and much more.
• Migrating from PHP to ASP.NET: A general comparison of the features, functions, and internal architecture of PHP and ASP.NET. Additionally, this document provides useful advice on where to find additional information on switching from PHP to ASP.NET.