Using managed paths it can help identify the design and navigation of a Microsoft SharePoint 2007 implementation. Managed paths define which pieces of the URL namespace are controlled by Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services. There are two types of paths you can manage: included and excluded paths. Excluded path indicates that the path is managed by a different application and that Windows SharePoint Services to be leaves it alone. An included path indicates that Windows SharePoint Services manages that path. Included paths can be two types:
* Explicit inclusions include only the specific path you set. Use explicit inclusions if you want Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) to manage a specific path, such as /portal -- but not any sites below it, such as /portal/site.
* Wildcard inclusions encompass any sites below the path you set, so you don't have to add them individually. Use this type of inclusion for Self-Service Site Creation -- when you want users to be able to create top-level websites underneath a specific path, such as /sites.
Web server performance declines mostly with the number of inclusions
and exclusions. User can minimize the performance impact by using
wildcard inclusions rather than many explicit inclusions, and by
putting as many excluded applications under the same excluded path as
possible.