Web site configuration settings are stored in an XML file named Web.config, which is located in the root folder of the Web ...

Web site configuration settings are stored in an XML file named Web.config, which is located in the root folder of the Web site. The Web Site Administration Tool lets you change your site configuration without having to manually edit the Web.config file. The first time that you use the Web Site Administration Tool to administer a specific Web site, if no Web.config file exists, the Web Site Administration Tool creates one. By default, the Web Site Administration Tool also creates a database in the App_Data folder of the Web site to store application services data, such as membership and roles information. For most settings, changes that are made in the Web Site Administration Tool take effect immediately and are reflected in the Web.config file.