I understand the basics of what machine keys are. I have a couple of curiosities.
The machine keys settings for my IIS servers are-out-of-the-box. But the settings for my SharePoint web site are very different: specific keys have been generated and duplicated on all servers. I set up and configured these servers but I am pretty sure that the machine key settings never came up in the configuration process.
So, how is it possible for the machine key settings at the web site level be different from the server level without admin interference? Can this be set from a GPO? Some other approach?
I am also wondering about the effects of changing the settings. The documentation I have read explains what the options are, but does not address practical issues:
- If I change the server settings, will that affect or overwrite the existing web site settings?
- If I change settings at either level, will I need to restart IIS or reboot the servers afterward?
Thanks for any clarity.
David