Enabling HTTP Keep-Alives
Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1
Most Web browsers request that the server keep the client connection open while the server sends multiple elements (.htm files and .gif or .jpeg files) to the client. Keeping the client connection open in this way is referred to as an HTTP Keep-Alive. Keep-Alive is an HTTP specification that improves server performance. HTTP Keep-Alives are enabled by default.
Important
You must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer to perform the following procedure or procedures. As a security best practice, log on to your computer by using an account that is not in the Administrators group, and then use the runas command to run IIS Manager as an administrator. At a command prompt, type runas /user:Administrative_AccountName "mmc %systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\iis.msc".
Procedures
To enable HTTP Keep-Alives
In IIS Manager, expand the local computer, expand the Web Sites folder, right-click the Web site, and click Properties.
On the Web Site tab, in the Connections section, click the Enable HTTP Keep-Alives check box.
Click Apply, and then click OK.
Related Information
For information about HTTP Keep-Alives, including security requirements and how disabling keep-alives can impact the server, see Enabling HTTP Keep-Alives to Keep Connections Open.
For more information about improving the performance of IIS network resources using related features like HTTP Compression, bandwidth throttling, and connection limits, see Administering Network Resources.