IIS Rewrite rule to rewrite to different web site

Question

I have 2 web sites installed on the same IIS server. I need them both to listen on port 443 with HTTPS. I want them to use different application pools and be able to stop and start one without affecting the other. The clients of these websites are not able to configure the host header that they use in their HTTP requests.

Is there a solution? I have been trying to use IIS Rewrite rules. I have one website deployed on port 443 and the other on some unusual port. I tried setting up a URL rewrite on the first one that did a rewrite (not a redirect) to an absolute URL referencing the 2nd site on the unusual port. This always seems to produce an HTTP 404 response.

I can't do a redirect because the client gets redirected to the unusual port and the client is not allowed to make internet requests to non-standard ports.

I believe I am using IIS 6.2, that's what is says in the Help about in IIS MAnager

What options do I have?

Answer 1

It is not possible to rewrite to different applications in IIS, especially if they are in different application pools. Your only option is redirect if you want to do it simply using URL Rewrite. Another alternative is to use ARR (Application Request Routing) and then proxy the call to the actual site depending on rules, this has also the advantage that sites could be in different machines or in the same one, and give you more flexibility. Obviously it does come with more complexity.