Deploy configuration file to the wss

I need to deploy a custom configuration file to the WSS 3.0. As I have read, there are 2 approaches:

1. Deploy the configuration file to the 12/CONFIG 开发者_如何学Cfolder and then use stsadm -o copyappbincontent command. Adv: Suitable for large files. Disadv: All web applications deployed on the server will receive the merged web.config.

2. Use SPWebConfigModification class and using c# code add the required elements. Adv: We have the control over the web application where we want to deploy the configuration data. Disadv: Cumbersome in case we have large configuration data.

In my case, I have a large block of data that has to be deployed. I want it to be deployed to a certain web application, NOT TO ALL of them. How can I do this using the first approach?

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See MSDN - Managing Custom Configuration Options for a SharePoint Application

If your configuration may need to be different at different scope levels (Farm > Web App > Site Collection > Site and event list) then look into the Hierarchical Configuration Manager in the link below.

SO - What is a proper way to store site-level global variables in a SharePoint site?

So you could, for example, setup a configuration for all sites in a particular web app, or all site in a particular collection, or individual sites.

Not sure about your "Large Block of Data" - how large is large? I mean how large can configuration files be in KB?