Give users a vanity url in 2010 via URL re-write and redirect http to https on a short name even

Stacy Simpkins

If you haven’t incorporated Host Named Site Collections into your SharePoint 2010, you should definitely look into that resource saver.

In the meantime, using URL re-writes is one way to give users a vanity url that will take them to their subsite.

e.g. they can type teamProjects.mydomain.com and it will redirect/take them to the projects.mydomain.com/erp/teamprojects subsite

 

Needed to make happen:

Default site started (sometimes companies mandate that default site is off, these steps don’t work with default site turned off)

Host (A) record for teamprojects.mydomain.com that routes to the sharepoint server(s)

URL re-write module and configuration on each front end if in a load balanced farm.

urlNavigate into IIS, select the default web site, and then click on URL rewrite.  If your IIS is OOB install, go here to download the appropriate version of URL rewrite node – – http://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite

url1

url2

Enter a name for the re-direct

Requesting URL:  Matches the pattern

Using: Wildcards

Pattern: *

Conditions:  Http_Host and HTTPS matches any and matche the pattern TheURLCname*  (e.g. TeamProjects*)

Action Type:  Redirect

Redirect Type:  The image shows Permanent 301, you should avoid that if you’re using F5 load balancer, or other load balancer as that will permanently cache and this could cause issues, instead, use 307.

Redirect:  Url to the site or sublite that should open (e.g. https://projects.mydomain.com/erp/teamprojects) and make sure to include the trailing “/”, so again this picture is WRONG, the “/” is not included at the end of the URL.  as a result the redirector will only work for non FQDN names.  dont forget the slash.

Make sure the default website has a binding for 443 if using SSL.

 

In a nutshell, if you’re not on 2013 yet using managed metadata driven navigation, then aviod the extra web application pools that extended zones bring to 2010 and give you users vanity urls, this way, vs the extendended zone.  Note;  make sure to check your sites for any hardcoded urls before you remove those extended zones.

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