Configuration files exist within a hierarchy. The configuration settings for an individual Web site are inherited from configuration ...

Configuration files exist within a hierarchy. The configuration settings for an individual Web site are inherited from configuration files that exist above it within the hierarchy. The root of the configuration system hierarchy is the machine.config file, which stores configuration settings that apply to the whole system and to all applications that are running on the system. You cannot change settings in the machine.config file that uses the Web Site Administration Tool; only the Web server administrator can change those settings.