Installing IIS, PHP , MySQL on Windows Server 2008 (R2 and non R2)

Question

Of the following, which way is better?

1. Install IIS, PHP, MySQL separately on Windows Server 2008 R2 and non R2.
2. Install WAMP server alongside IIS (again in R2 and non R2). Is this possible, and how?

I found some links about this issues, but those manuals were for some years ago. I have some web applications written in both ASP.NET and PHP. How can I use them in Windows Server 2008?

Solution 1

I'd simply run IIS - PHP plays nicely with IIS 7 these days. If you get the Web Platform Installer, it's simply a case of pressing a few buttons and PHP is installed and IIS is configured appropriately.

With regards to scenario 2, you certainly can install WAMP and IIS side by side (not that I'd recommend it), as long as you run one of them on a port other than 80.

Solution 2

PHP: Go to http://php.iis.net/ Click Install PHP. Follow instructions.

Mysql: http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/5.1.html Use the MSI installer. Its easy.

I run both asp and php applications on my IIS server. No problems.

Solution 3

I would consider using a WAMP package such as xampp (free), WampDeveloper Pro (commercial, production ready), WampServer (free). You'll have an easier time.

To run Apache and IIS on the same server you have two options:

1. Bind Apache and IIS on different IPs.
2. Bind Apache and IIS on different ports.

The first one is the best option. Just change a few "Listen" lines in httpd.conf and edit some IIS website settings.

The second option either requires the Apache on the front-end proxypassing requests to IIS on the backend, or access to the non-port 80 server via custom URLs (http://localhost:8080).

Comments

[MDMarra]

Don't all of the *AMP packages have a warning in the readme that they shouldn't be used in a production environment?

[rightstuff]

@MarkM, No. AMP on Windows can be rock solid, secured, and production ready... There is nothing inherently insecure about it. You just need to know how to work with it.