IIS7 introduces a great number of features which are greatly appreciated.  (Yes I know Apache already had them - but I'm not going there).  My favorite thing about IIS7 is the module based architecture.  Its extensibility is allowing the IIS team and the community to drum up some really cool modules.

AwareReverseProxyModule

This has enabled gridGISTICS to develop a "Reverse proxy" module which takes the incoming IIS request and hands it off DIRECTLY to an Aware service.  Better yet - it intelligently find the appropriate service with all the load balancing and ninjaness you'd expect from Aware.  You can even choose what services to expose to the web directly from the Aware Enterprise Manager.  How could this get even better?  You already have it if you are using the latest version of Aware - you just need to install the module.

URL Rewrite Module

Almost Mod Rewrite (mod_rewrite) for IIS.  Enables flexibility of URLs and beats the snot out of the HTTP redirection module that ships with IIS7.

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Application Request Routing Module

(I totally stole this paragraph from the link below)

Microsoft Application Request Routing for IIS7 is a proxy based routing module that forwards HTTP requests to content servers based on HTTP headers and server variables, and load balance algorithms.  Application Request Routing can be used to:

• Increase application availability and scalability.
• Better utilize content server resources.
• Facilitate application deployment including pilot management and A/B testing.
• Lower management costs and create opportunities for shared hosters.

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PowerShell Provider

I'd like to pretend that I am all savvy with PowerShell - but I just haven't personally tapped its power yet.  However - my team members that are ninjas with it - tell me its the only way to go.  The IIS team thinks so too and here is their module for managing IIS via powershell.

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