If your organization requires a small-scope deployment of ArcGIS Server, you can deploy it on just one machine. This type of deployment is also useful for development or testing purposes.
These are the steps you'll follow to get ArcGIS Server running on one machine:
- Install ArcGIS Server.
- Log in to Manager and create a site.
- Install and configure the Web Adaptor.
- Connect to the GIS server in ArcGIS Desktop.
- Grant permissions to data directories.
- Publish services.
- Use the services.
Install ArcGIS Server
After installing any prerequisites as detailed in the system requirements, begin installing the ArcGIS Server software. The most common configuration for a single-machine deployment is to install all components.
The ArcGIS Server Installation Guide contains detailed information about the software installation process. It also contains a list of system requirements and prerequisites for ArcGIS Server.
Log in to Manager and create a site
ArcGIS Server Manager is a web application you can use to administer ArcGIS Server. The first time you attempt to log in to Manager, you are helped through the process of creating an ArcGIS Server site. See Logging in to Manager and Creating a new site for steps.
Install and configure the Web Adaptor
If you are preparing your site for a production deployment, install ArcGIS Web Adaptor. Web Adaptor provides a link between your enterprise web server and your ArcGIS Server site. It allows you to choose the port, address, and authentication settings that you want to use for incoming requests. It also prevents outside users from accessing Manager and the Administrator Directory. For more information, see About the ArcGIS Web Adaptor.
Connect to the GIS server in ArcGIS Desktop
Most of your work publishing services occurs in ArcGIS Desktop, where you create your maps, geodatabases, and so on. To publish a service directly from ArcGIS Desktop, define a connection to your server using ArcCatalog or the Catalog window in ArcMap. Once you've done this, the connection information is saved on your machine, then you can reference it whenever you want to publish a service.
If you make the connection with administrative privileges, you can also perform some server administration functions from ArcGIS Desktop.
See Making an administrative connection to ArcGIS Server in ArcGIS Desktop for instructions.
Grant permissions to data directories
ArcGIS Server needs to read all the data referenced by its services. The data is read using the ArcGIS Server account that you specified when you installed the software.
The items you publish are copied to the server where the ArcGIS Server account has already been granted access. Usually, these items reference other data sources; for example, a map often references multiple feature classes and raster datasets that compose its layers. If you do not want all of this other data to be copied to the server automatically, explicitly give the ArcGIS Server account permissions to read the data, then register the location with ArcGIS Server (see Registering data below).
- Grant at least read permissions to the ArcGIS Server account for the data.
- Grant at least read permissions to the ArcGIS Server account for the folder. Grant permissions to every directory down to this folder. For the example above, grant permissions to all the folders below:
- /opt
- /opt/gisdir
- /opt/gisdir/server_output
If your data is accessed through an enterprise geodatabase, make sure that your name and password are saved in the database connection. For detailed help with accessing enterprise geodatabases through ArcGIS Server services, see Making your data accessible to ArcGIS Server. This topic also explains what to do if your data is stored on a machine where no other ArcGIS Server components are installed.
Registering data
Whenever you set up a new ArcGIS Server site, consider registering a set of data locations with the server. Data registration gives the server a list of locations that the server administrator has verified that the GIS server can access. Data registration also helps the GIS server understand how to adjust data paths as you publish across machines. If you attempt to publish a service that references data from an unregistered location, the data is copied to the server during the publishing operation. To learn more about this, see About registering your data with ArcGIS Server.
Publish services
With a connection to the server established, you can begin publishing your GIS resources as services. To add a service, follow the directions in How to publish a service.
Most types of services begin in ArcGIS Desktop, where you author the underlying GIS resource for the service. This could be a map, a locator, a toolbox, a mosaic dataset, and so on. ArcGIS Desktop contains toolbars and other user interface components to help you through the process of publishing these resources to the server.
Use the services
Once you add services to your GIS server, you can use them in many types of applications. These include ArcGIS.com, Portal for ArcGIS, and applications you create with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript. Alternatively, you can view services in ArcGIS Desktop (ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, ArcCatalog, and ArcGlobe. Mobile devices, such as the iPhone, Android-based devices, and Windows Phone, can also use your GIS services.