Publish a tile layer from a cache dataset

Tile layers reference cached raster tiles. When you publish a hosted tile layer, the source data is copied to the portal's hosting server and tiles are built on that server. Similarly, when you publish a hosted tile layer from a tile package, the tile content is uploaded to the portal's hosting server. To save time when publishing and avoid using the resources on the hosting server to build and store tile caches, you can publish a tile layer that references a cache dataset that you create and place in a user-maintained folder or cloud data store before publishing.

If you delete a tile layer that references a precreated cache, the cache dataset remains in the data store.

Prepare the cache dataset

Before you can publish the tile layer, the cache dataset must exist in a folder or cloud data store.

Follow these steps to create a cache dataset and make it available in a file or cloud data store registered with an ArcGIS GIS Server site:

1. Use the Extract Package geoprocessing tool in ArcGIS Pro with the required tile package as an input to create a ready-to-serve cache dataset (.tiles file) in the desired file share or object store in the cloud.

   You can also use the Esri tile package open specification to create a tool that creates a cache dataset.

2. Add the file share or cloud object storage location as a user-managed data store in ArcGIS Enterprise.

   Alternatively, you can register the data source in ArcGIS Pro. The minimum release to register a folder to create a data store item is ArcGIS Pro 2.5; for cloud stores, it's ArcGIS Pro 3.0.

3. If you are preparing the data for others to use, share the data store item with the appropriate group or the organization.

Publish a tile layer

You must have access to the data store item created in the previous section and privileges to publish server-based layers and create content.

Follow these steps to publish a tile layer that references a cache dataset in a file or cloud data store:

1. Sign in to the portal.

   You must be a member of the default publisher or administrator role or a member of a custom role with privileges to create content and publish server-based layers.

2. From the My Content tab of the content page, click New item.
3. Choose Tile layer and click Next.
4. Choose Raster tiles, choose Select a dataset in a data store, and click Next.
5. Select the data store item created in the previous section.
6. Browse to and select the cache dataset in the data store.

   Only cache datasets (.tiles) are supported to publish a tile layer.

7. Select the server to which the layer will be published.

   The list includes only the servers to which the selected data store is registered.

8. Click Next.
9. Type a title.
10. Choose a folder in My Content where you want to save the layer.
11. Optionally, type tags that describe the item.

    Separate the terms with commas (for example, Federal land is considered one tag; Federal, land is considered two tags).

    As you type, you can select any of the suggested tags that appear; suggestions are generated from tags you have added previously.

12. Optionally, provide a summary that describes the item.
13. Click Save.

A tile layer is created in My Content.

By default, only you have access to the tile layer. You can share it with others.