Install the software

The final installation step is to create a Web site and install the GRA software.

Set up the GRA as the only site on the server

If this Web server is configured solely for the Great Reading Adventure, you can utilize the default Web site for your GRA installation.

  1. Delete existing default files placed in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\ such as iisstart.htm and welcome.png.
  2. Unzip the GRA files into c:\inetpub\wwwroot\. Ensure that the files are placed in that directory directly and not in a subdirectory (you should see files such as Web.config present).
  3. Right-click on the c:\inetpub\wwwroot\ directory and select Properties.
  4. Choose the Security tab and then click the Edit button next to To change permissions, click Edit.
  5. Select Add in the Permissions for wwwroot window.
  6. In the Enter the object names to select box, enter in IIS_IUSRS and click OK (the IIS_IUSRS group is a local group on this machine, so ensure that the From this location box has the name of the Web server and not your domain - you can change this by clicking Locations... and select the server).
  7. Select the check box next to Full control in the Allow column.
  8. Select OK to close this window and OK to close the wwwroot Properties window.
  9. Open up the Internet Information Services Manager on the Web server.
  10. Expand the Server under Connections, expand the list of Sites, and select Default Web Site.
  11. On the right, under Actions, select Basic Settings....
  12. Click Select... to change the Application pool to ASP.NET v4.0.
  13. Select OK to close the Select Application Pool window and then OK to close the Edit Site window.
  14. Launch a Web browser on the server and navigate to the URL http://localhost/.
  15. At this point you should see the initial GRA setup screen.
  16. You can continue the GRA setup process either directly in this Web browser or you can navigate to the Web server name or IP address in a browser on another system to continue.

Set up the GRA as an additional site on the server

If you are deploying the Great Reading Adventure to a Web server which is already hosting one or more Web sites, you must create a new Web Site specifically for the GRA.

Because this Web server is already serving out files through the default Web Site, you must differentiate your GRA Web site somehow. Methods for doing so include:

  • Setting up a separate host name for your GRA Web site (for example: http://gra.<your domain>. This method utilizes the HTTP/1.1. Host Header Field.
  • Setting up a separate IP address on the Web server and putting your GRA site there.
  • Setting up the GRA on a different port number so that you'll access it via http://<your Web server>:<GRA port>/.

Your system administrator can help you select the correct approach.

  1. Create a directory on the Web server to contain the GRA files. For example, c:\inetpub\gra.
  2. Unzip the GRA files into that directory. Ensure that the files are placed in that directory directly and not in a subdirectory (you should see files such as Web.config present).
  3. Right-click on directory created in step 1 above and select Properties.
  4. Choose the Security tab and then click the Edit button next to To change permissions, click Edit.
  5. Select Add in the Permissions for ... window.
  6. In the Enter the object names to select box, enter in IIS_IUSRS and click OK (the IIS_IUSRS group is a local group on this machine, so ensure that the From this location box has the name of the Web server and not your domain - you can change this by clicking Locations... and select the server).
  7. Select the check box next to Full control in the Allow column.
  8. Select OK to close this window and OK to close the Properties window.
  9. Open up the Internet Information Services Manager on the Web server.
  10. Expand the Server under Connections.
  11. Right-click on Sites and choose Add Web Site....
  12. Enter an appropriate site name such as SummerReading.
  13. Enter the physical path where you put the GRA files under Physical path (we used c:\inetpub\gra above).
  14. In the Binding section you will either need to assign an IP address, a host name, or select a different port as defined above.
  15. Select OK to close the Add Web Site window.
  16. On the left, in Connections, select Application Pools.
  17. Find the Application Pool in the list named the same as your site (the name selected in step 12 above).
  18. Double-click the appropriate Application Pool and ensure the .NET Framework version is set to .NET Framework v4.0.30319 or newer.
  19. Ensure the Managed pipeline mode is set to Integrated.
  20. Select OK to close the Edit Application Pool window.
  21. Launch a Web browser on the server and navigate to the URL you defined for this install of the GRA.
  22. At this point you should see the initial GRA setup screen.
  23. You can continue the GRA setup process either directly in this Web browser or you can navigate to the Web server using the URL you defined for this install of the GRA.