Register your data with ArcGIS Server using Manager

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You can use ArcGIS Server Manager to register data directories and databases with ArcGIS Server. Data registration provides the server with a list of locations where the source data for your services originates. Data registration provides several benefits:

Data registration helps you validate whether your services are using data locations known and approved by the server administrator.
Data registration provides automatic remapping of the paths to your data when you publish (and thereby upload) your map, globe, model, or other resources to the server.

Registering your data directories does not grant the ArcGIS Server account permissions to access your data. You'll need to give the ArcGIS Server account at least read permissions to any folder that you register. If you're registering a database, the type of permissions you need to grant depends on what type of database you are using and what type of authentication you are using to connect. See Make your data accessible to ArcGIS Server to learn more about the scenarios where you need to apply permissions.

Tip:

For more information on what is required to register a database or managed database, see the topic specific to your database management system. Note that if the database does not contain an enterprise geodatabase, it cannot be registered as the ArcGIS Server managed database.

The way you register your databases and data directories with ArcGIS Server in Manager is through the Data Store tab in the GIS Server module. To access this tab, log in to Manager and click Site > GIS Server > Data Store.

Follow the steps in the sections below based on what you want to register with the server.

Register a database

Using the tools on the Data Store tab, you can register any database compatible with ArcGIS, such as Oracle, PostgreSQL, Informix, DB2, or Teradata. The 64-bit version of the database's client software must be installed on each GIS server in the site before registration.

Note:

You can register databases that contain enterprise geodatabases and databases that do not. See About registering your data with the server for information on which registration scenarios you can use for each.

To register a database, follow these steps. For file geodatabases, use the option described in the subsequent section titled Register a folder.

Next to the Registered Databases dialog box, click Register Database.
Enter a unique name for the registered database. Names can be alphanumeric and contain spaces.
Click Import. This opens a window where you can browse to the database connection file (.sde or .odc only) on disk. If you need help with this step, consult the documentation specific to your database platform in the Administering geodatabases section of the help.
Depending on how you've set up your data sources to work with ArcGIS, choose one of the following scenarios:
- If the publisher's machine and the server are working with the same database:
1. Click the Same as publisher database connection check box. This specifies the publisher's machine and ArcGIS Server will view and access data residing in the same database. To learn more about this scenario, see About registering your data with the server.
- If the publisher's machine and the server are working with different databases:
1. Next to the Server database connection section, click Import to select a connection file.
  Note:
  Manager does not allow you to automatically create a geodata service to link your registered enterprise geodatabases. Optionally, you can create a geodata service after registering. To automatically create a geodata service when registering your enterprise geodatabases, use ArcGIS for Desktop. Geodata services are only supported with enterprise geodatabases, not with databases.
Click Create. The database (or databases) you registered appear on the Registered Databases dialog box.

Register a folder

Using the Data Store tab, you can register a local file directory or shared directory that contains GIS resources and data, such as shapefiles and file geodatabases. When you register a directory, all subdirectories under the folder you specify are also registered with the server.

Next to the Registered Folders dialog box, click Register Folder.
Enter a unique name for the registered folder. Names can be alphanumeric and contain spaces.
For the Publisher Folder Path, specify the full path to the publisher's folder, for example, /opt/local/data, or /net/myserver/opt/local/data.
Note:
You cannot browse directories in Manager. You must enter the full path to the folder you want to register.
For the Publisher Folder Host Name, specify the machine that is hosting the publisher's folder. You can specify the machine name (MyServer), fully qualified domain name (MyServer.domain.com), IP address (12.34.56.789), or localhost (localhost).
Depending on how you've set up your data sources to work with ArcGIS, choose one of the following scenarios:
- If the publisher's machine and the server are working out of the same folder:
1. Click the Same as publisher folder path check box. This specifies the publisher's machine and ArcGIS Server will view and access data residing in the same folder. To learn more about this scenario, see About registering your data with the server.
- If the publisher's machine and the server are working out of different folders:
1. Next to the Server Folder Path section, specify the full path to the server's folder. To learn more about this scenario, see About registering your data with the server.
Click Create. The folder or folders you registered appear on the Registered Folders dialog box.

Register ArcGIS Server's managed database

You can register an enterprise geodatabase as ArcGIS Server's Managed Database. Only enterprise geodatabases are supported. You must explicitly create this enterprise geodatabase before you can register it. To learn more about ArcGIS Server's Managed Database and scenarios for using it, see Copying data to the server automatically when publishing.

To register ArcGIS Server's managed database, follow these steps.

Next to the Registered Databases dialog box, click the drop-down arrow next to Register Database and select Register Database as ArcGIS Server's Managed Database.
Enter a unique name for the geodatabase connection. Names can be alphanumeric and can contain spaces.
Next to the Server database connection section, click Import. This opens a window where you can browse to the database connection (.sde) file on disk. If you need help with this step, consult the documentation specific to your database platform in the Administering geodatabases section of the help.
Click Create. ArcGIS Server's managed database is registered and appears on the Registered Databases dialog box.

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