Web dev shop

[Beth Tang]

A friend just asked me a question about optimal set up for a Windows/NT shop
using IIS.  They are wondering about web development and hosting set-up.
It's a bit beyond me, so I'm hoping to tap the collective wisdom of the
list.  What devices and procedures are recommended, either based on
experience or according to a recent article?  Do you mirror a site for fault
tolerance?  What is the best arrangement (not necessarily physical) of the
hardware, i.e., testing/staging/production servers?

Thanks!  Summary forthcoming.

-Beth Tang
tangb at calib.com