Setting NTAuthenticationProviders at an Application level in IIS 6

Question

I have the following structure in IIS.

Internet Information Services  
 (local computer)
  Web Sites  
   Default Web Site  
    MyApplication

MyApplication is a Application in IIS.

Integrated Windows authentication is NOT set on the Default Web Site. However I want to set Integrated Windows authentication on MyApplication. (Its an intranet app).

This can be done via the GUI: Right click on the Default Web Site and choose Properties. Select the Directory Security tab, and click Edit on the Anonymous access and authentication control.

I want to include this in a setup script. I have other setup commands, using adsutil.vbs but I'm struggling to set up the Integrated windows authentication.

Running:

cscript //nologo c:\Inetpub\AdminScripts\adsutil.vbs GET /W3SVC/1/NTAuthenticationProviders

Returns

NTAuthenticationProviders       : (STRING) "NTLM"

However, i exepcted to be able to run

cscript //nologo c:\Inetpub\AdminScripts\adsutil.vbs GET /W3SVC/1/ROOT/MyApplication/NTAuthenticationProviders

But this returns

Error Trying To GET the property: (Get Method Failed)
NTAuthenticationProviders (This property is probably not allowed at this node)

Is it not possible to set NTAuthenticationProviders Metabase property on an appliction level?

Answer 1

The metabase property that controls the Authenticated Access property values on the IIS Directory Security -> Authentication Methods dialogue is actually called AuthFlags.

The value is a flag and is documented here:

AuthFlags Metabase Property (IIS 6.0) (TechNet)

To set this value to Integrated Windows Authentication (AuthNTLM) use the following command (take care because this command operates on the Default Website, IISNumber:1) -

adsutil.vbs SET /W3SVC/1/ROOT/MyApplication/AuthFlags 4

If you want to set, say, both NTLM and Basic authentication then you would boolean OR the values together, e.g. MD_AUTH_BASIC | AuthNTLM. This would product an integer result of 6:

:: Set both NTLM and Basic authentication
adsutil.vbs SET /W3SVC/1/ROOT/MyApplication/AuthFlags 6

If you inspect the metabase file (C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetsrv\MetaBase.xml) and search for:

Location="/LM/W3SVC/1/ROOT/MyApplication"

...you will see the attribute that controls this setting (after setting to 6 as above):

AuthFlags="AuthBasic | AuthNTLM"

It may take some time before this value updates in the metabase because changes such as this aren't immediately flushed to the file (although IISRESET will cause it to update immediately).