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Update an Ubuntu multiple-machine ArcGIS Server site on AWS

This topic describes how to apply an ArcGIS update to an Ubuntu multiple-machine ArcGIS Server site running on Amazon Web Services (AWS), which you created using ArcGIS Server Cloud Builder on Amazon Web Services. In the context of this topic, a multiple-machine site is a site that includes more than one EC2 instance running the ArcGIS Server.

To upgrade the site, you need to apply the update on two machines, then use those machines to create a template from which you launch your final updated site.

To minimize downtime, it's recommended that you apply the update on a copy of your site, which you can also make using site templates. The optional step 2 below explains how to do this. Once you have applied the update, you can redirect traffic into your updated site.

Follow the steps below to update a multiple-machine site to the latest version of ArcGIS. Do not stop your site at any time while performing these steps.

If you do not want to perform the steps below, you can launch a new site using the latest version of Cloud Builder and redeploy your data, services, and applications on it.

  1. Install the version of ArcGIS Server Cloud Builder on Amazon Web Services that corresponds to the update you want to apply. Be aware that when you do this, you will not be able to access your sites with an older version of Cloud Builder.
  2. To minimize downtime during the update, use Cloud Builder to create a template of your site. Then launch a new site from the template.

    When you launch this site, configure it to have exactly two EC2 instances running ArcGIS Server. In other words, you should set the Number of instances property to 2 and uncheck Enable auto-scaling.

    You'll apply the update to this copy of your site. Once you are ready, you can switch your incoming traffic to the updated site.

  3. If you did not perform step 2 above, edit your site in Cloud Builder so that it contains exactly two EC2 instances. In other words, you should set the Number of instances property to 2 and uncheck Enable auto-scaling.
  4. Download the ArcGIS Server update.
  5. First, log in with the arcgis user to the EC2 instance containing the ArcGIS Server configuration store and server directories. This instance is marked SITEHOST in the AWS Management Console.

    To log in, type the following command:

    ssh -i <your key pair file> arcgis@<public DNS of AWS instance>

    Remember that to log in to an instance, you must open the SSH port in the site's security group.

  6. Copy or ftp the update's tar file to the SITEHOST instance.
  7. Untar the update's setup.
  8. Run the installation.
    ./Setup
  9. After you apply the update to SITEHOST, apply it to the second machine, repeating steps 5 through 8.
  10. If your site includes a PostgreSQL database cluster on SITEHOST or on EGDBHOST, upgrade your geodatabases. See Upgrade geodatabases in PostgreSQL in ArcGIS Enterprise on Amazon Web Services for instructions.
  11. Test and configure your updated site. Make sure it is working exactly the way you want.

    If you were to leave your site in its current state, the second EC2 instance would be lost the next time you stopped your site using Cloud Builder. Therefore, continue with the following steps to preserve your work as a template and launch a site with the desired number of instances.

  12. Use Cloud Builder to create a template from your newly updated site.
  13. Using the template you created in the previous step, launch a site with the desired number of EC2 instances and auto-scaling rules.
  14. If you had data replicated to a geodata service on your original site, you must change your replicas to point to the geodata service on the new site.
    1. Open one of the .mxd files that contains data you replicated to your original site.
    2. Under the GIS Servers node in the Catalog window, create a connection to the new site.
    3. Click the Manage Replicas Manage Replicas button on the Distributed Geodatabase toolbar.

      The Replica Manager opens.

    4. Right-click the replica in the list that you need to point to the new site and click Properties.
    5. Click the Open Open button next to the Relative Replica Connection.
    6. Navigate to the new site, choose the geodata service, then click Open.
    7. Click OK to apply changes and close the Replica Properties dialog box.
    8. Close the Replica Manager.
    9. Restart your geodata service.

    Repeat these substeps for every replica you created that includes geodatabases in your original ArcGIS Enterprise on Amazon Web Services site.

  15. Switch your organization's address mapping to point at your updated site's URL. If your apps were referencing the site URL directly, you'll need to modify any URLs in your apps to incorporate your new Elastic Load Balancer (ELB) address. You can get the ELB address by looking at the Manager URL in the list of site details in Cloud Builder.

    Once you verify that the updated site is working, you can delete your original site and optionally the templates you created in step 2.

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