A method and system for dynamically configuring a server computer is provided. A global configuration file is utilized to configure a server computer on a per request basis. When a request is received at a server computer embodying aspects of the present invention, the server computer dynamically configures itself utilizing the contents of a global configuration file. The global configuration file contains configuration settings that may or may not be utilized by the server computer in configuring itself. To determine if particular configuration settings should be utilized by the server computer in configuring itself, the server computer parses rules also contained in the global configuration file. If a rule is evaluated as true, configuration settings associated with the rule are used by the server computer when configuring itself. The server computer can then respond to the request utilizing its dynamic configuration.