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Back up and restore ArcGIS Notebook Server

It's recommended that you periodically backup your ArcGIS Notebook Server site configuration and content. In the event of a site failure, you can restore the most recent backup configuration to prevent or minimize data loss and downtime.

Starting at 10.7.1, ArcGIS Notebook Server provides the Export Site and Import Site tools, which back up and restore the site's configuration store to and from a .zip file, respectively. The configuration store hosts essential information about the ArcGIS Notebook Server site and its machines. These tools are performed through the ArcGIS Notebook Server Administrator Directory, either manually or through a programmatic call.

There are some directories that are not backed up by the export operation, notably the arcgisworkspace directory, which contains sample data and each notebook users' workspace data. Administrators should create and schedule periodic backups of this directory in addition to using the Export Site operation.

Note:
The WebGIS DR tool does not back up ArcGIS Notebook Server directories or configurations. Notebooks themselves are included in portal backups using WebGIS DR.

Back up a site configuration

You can use the exportSite operation in the ArcGIS Notebook Server Administrator Directory to back up a site's configuration store.

Perform the following steps to manually run the backup operation:

  1. Open the ArcGIS Notebook Server Administrator Directory and sign in as a user with administrative privileges.

    The URL is typically https://notebookserver.domain.com:11443/arcgis/admin.

  2. Click site > Export Site.
  3. Type the full path of the location on your machine to which you want to export the file.

    The site must have access to this directory.

  4. Click Export.

    When the export operation is complete, the directory provides a link to the backup file location on the server.

  5. Download the file, which has an .agssite file extension, as promptly as possible.

Restore a site configuration

In the event of a site failure, you can restore an ArcGIS Notebook Server site configuration backup. The Administrator Directory provides an importSite operation, which can be run programmatically or manually.

The importSite operation is intended to restore a failed site from the point in time of the backup. Accordingly, it deletes any existing server directories and notebook runtimes from the site and replace them with the directories and runtimes from the backup.

Caution:

If you're restoring a site after failure, ensure your users do not use the site or work with notebooks until after the importSite operation has finished.

Perform the following steps to restore a site after failure:

  1. Follow the ArcGIS Notebook Server installation guide to re-install the software on each machine in the same configuration as before.
  2. Create a new site in the ArcGIS Notebook Server Administrator Directory. Ensure all path names and shared directories are identical to the previous state of the site before failure.

    Note:
    The credentials you supply for the primary site administrator account will not be changed during the importSite operation, even if they are different from that of the backed-up site.

  3. If you have multiple machines in your site, join the additional machines to the site.
  4. From the Administrator Directory, access the Import Site operation.

    The URL format is https://notebookserver.domain.com:11443/arcgis/admin/importSite.

    Note:
    As ArcGIS Web Adaptor has not yet been registered, the operation must be accessed over port 11443.

  5. Type the full path of the location on your machine where your backup file (.agssite) is located.

    The site must have access to this directory.

  6. Click Import.
  7. The operation takes some time to complete.
  8. Keep the page open until the operation completes and indicates so.

    If you browse away from the page, you won't receive a notification that the import was successful.

  9. Install and configure a new ArcGIS Web Adaptor with your ArcGIS Notebook Server site.

Your ArcGIS Notebook Server site is now functional in its restored state.