ArcGIS Server includes the following as parts of a server-based GIS:
Web service publishing
As soon as you install ArcGIS Server, you get the ability to publish web services from your GIS resources such as maps, imagery, and geoprocessing models. You also get several preconfigured services described below.
Your ArcGIS Server web services are exposed through REST and SOAP and can be invoked by Esri and non-Esri clients. Advanced developers can extend the out of the box services using server object extensions (SOEs) and server object interceptors (SOIs).
Preconfigured services
ArcGIS Server comes with a variety of preconfigured services that help you perform common tasks.
Caching controllers
The CachingControllers service helps process map and image caching jobs. The maximum number of instances you allow for this service determines how many cache jobs can run at one time.
The CachingControllers service works together with the CachingTools service. Both must be running to build caches and both must run on the same cluster.
Caching tools
Instead of your map or image service being heavily utilized during caching, the work offloads to a geoprocessing service named CachingTools. This service is preconfigured in the System folder when you create your ArcGIS Server site. You can confine the CachingTools service to run within a defined cluster of machines, thus freeing up other machines in your site to quickly respond to service requests.
The CachingTools service is started by default. Leave this service running so that it can respond to caching requests. If the service is stopped or unavailable, caching requests fail. You cannot delete the CachingTools service and you must leave its execution mode as Asynchronous.
The CachingTools service works together with the CachingControllers service. Both must be running to build caches and both must run on the same cluster.
GeoAnalytics tools
The preconfigured GeoAnalyticsTools service is used to support big data feature analysis in ArcGIS GeoAnalytics Server.
In order for members to use the GeoAnalyticsTools to perform big data feature analysis in Portal for ArcGIS, the REST API, Python API, or ArcGIS Pro, you'll need to follow the instructions in configure the portal with ArcGIS GeoAnalytics Server in the Portal for ArcGIS Administrator Guide.. The GeoAnalyticsTools service is preconfigured in the System folder and is stopped by default. It is automatically started after you configure ArcGIS Server as the GeoAnalytics Server for your portal.
Geocoding tools
The preconfigured GeocodingTools service supports asynchronous batch geocoding in Portal for ArcGIS. See the ArcGIS REST API documentation for details on the batch geocoding tools.
Geometry service
The preconfigured Geometry service can perform geometric calculations such as buffering, simplifying, calculating areas and lengths, and projecting. It also includes functions used in web editing. If you are building a web application with ArcGIS API for JavaScript, you can reference the geometry service through its REST endpoint to perform geometric calculations and editing in your web application.
The geometry service is preconfigured in the Utilities folder and is stopped by default. Explicitly start it before you can use it.
Printing tools
PrintingTools is a geoprocessing service that you can deploy to help you print web maps. When you develop your web applications, for example, with the ArcGIS web APIs, you can call the PrintingTools service and get a printable image of high cartographic quality in return from a map service.
The PrintingTools service is preconfigured in the Utilities folder. It is stopped by default. You must explicitly start the PrintingTools service before you can use it.
Publishing tools
When you publish a service using Manager or ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Server uses a geoprocessing service named PublishingTools to upload the service definition file, unpack it on the server, and deploy it for use as a service.
The PublishingTools service is preconfigured in the System folder and is started by default. Leave this service running so that it can respond to publishing requests. If the PublishingTools service is stopped or unavailable, service publishing fails. You cannot delete the PublishingTools service.
Raster analysis tools
The preconfigured RasterAnalysisTools, RasterProcessing, and RasterRendering services are used to support distributed raster analysis in ArcGIS Image Server.
In order for members to use the RasterAnalysisTools to perform raster analysis in Portal for ArcGIS, the REST API, Python API, or ArcGIS Pro, you'll need to follow the instructions in Configure the portal to perform raster analysis in the Portal for ArcGIS Administrator Guide.. The services are preconfigured in the System folder and are stopped by default. They are automatically started after you configure ArcGIS Server as the ArcGIS Image Server for your portal.
Reporting tools
A geoprocessing service named ReportingTools helps generate reports on the status of your map and image service caching jobs.
This service is preconfigured in the System folder and is started by default. Leave this service running so that it is available to report the status of caching jobs. If the ReportingTools service is stopped or unavailable, you cannot view the status of your caching job. You cannot delete the ReportingTools service.
SampleWorldCities map service
The SampleWorldCities map service is provided to allow you to preview the functionality of ArcGIS Server. You can click the thumbnail for this map service in ArcGIS Server Manager to immediately display it in a web application. You can also consume this sample in ArcGIS clients like any other map service.
The SampleWorldCities map service is preconfigured in the Site (root) folder and is started by default. If you no longer need the service, you can delete it from your ArcGIS Server site.
Scene caching controllers
The SceneCachingControllers service helps process scene service caching jobs. The maximum number of instances you allow for this service determines how many cache jobs can run at one time.
The SceneCachingControllers service works together with the SceneCachingTools service. Both must be running to build caches and both must run on the same cluster.
Scene caching tools
Instead of your scene service being heavily utilized during caching, the work offloads to a geoprocessing service named SceneCachingTools. This service is preconfigured in the System folder when you create your ArcGIS Server site. You can confine the SceneCachingTools service to run within a defined cluster of machines, thus freeing up other machines in your site to quickly respond to service requests.
The SceneCachingTools service is started by default. Leave this service running so that it can respond to caching requests. If the service is stopped or unavailable, caching requests fail. You cannot delete the SceneCachingTools service and you must leave its execution mode as Asynchronous.
The SceneCachingTools service works together with the SceneCachingControllers service. Both must be running to build caches and both must run on the same cluster.
Spatial analysis tools
The preconfigured SpatialAnalysisTools service is used to support spatial analysis in Portal for ArcGIS. The server does the work of processing analysis requests, storing the results in ArcGIS Data Store, and returning results to members in the Portal for ArcGIS website.
In order for members to use the SpatialAnalysisTools service to perform analysis in Portal for ArcGIS, you'll need to configure ArcGIS Server as a hosting server for your portal and grant members privileges to perform analysis. The SpatialAnalysisTools service is preconfigured in the System folder and is stopped by default. It is automatically started after you configure ArcGIS Server as the hosting server for your portal.
Tip:
Full instructions on how to configure the portal to perform analysis are included in the Portal for ArcGIS Administrator Guide.
Sync tools
You can enable a sync capability on feature services, which allows clients to download a local copy of the data to use when offline, and synchronize changes between the client and feature service when the client is back online. These download and synchronization operations can run synchronously or asynchronously. The SyncTools service is used when sync operations run asynchronously.
The SyncTools geoprocessing service is preconfigured in the ArcGIS Server System folder and is started by default. Leave this service running if you have sync-enabled feature services. If the SyncTools geoprocessing service is stopped or unavailable, sync operations fail when run asynchronously. You cannot delete the SyncTools service.
ArcGIS Server Manager
ArcGIS Server Manager is the application you use to work with your GIS server. From Manager, you can add and remove services, tune and secure your services, and organize services in folders. Additionally, Manager allows you to configure the machines and directories in your ArcGIS Server site and troubleshoot the GIS server using its logs.
ArcGIS Web Adaptor
ArcGIS Web Adaptor is an optional setup that you can install to allow ArcGIS Server to work with your own web server. ArcGIS Server exposes web services through HTTP for basic development and testing scenarios, but if you want to customize the URL and port number for your site or configure security policies at the web tier, install the Web Adaptor.
For more information, see About the ArcGIS Web Adaptor.
ArcGIS Server Services Directory
When developing web applications, occasionally you need to supply URLs to some of the resources on your server. The ArcGIS Server Services Directory is a tool that uses representational state transfer (REST) technology to help you discover information about your services and the corresponding URLs you can use for development.
The Services Directory is also an excellent way to let your server be discovered through browsing or searches. For example, through the Services Directory, users of your server can access a geographic footprint of all available services. Users can also retrieve service-level metadata about your services and preview them in a web browser, ArcMap, ArcGIS Earth, and Google Earth.
You can open the Services Directory through the installed shortcut or by typing http://gisserver.domain.com:6080/arcgis/rest/services in a web browser.
REST API and command line utilities for server administration
The ArcGIS REST API allows you to script common server administration tasks such as adding a machine to a site, publishing a service, adding permissions, and so on. The ArcGIS Server Administrator Directory provides an easy interactive access to this API. This is helpful for learning the hierarchy of commands and constructing HTTP requests to put in your scripts. Once you understand the API, you can completely manage your ArcGIS Server site with any tool or programming language that can make HTTP requests.
Open the Administrator Directory by typing http://gisserver.domain.com:6080/arcgis/admin.
ArcGIS Server also installs a set of command line utilities that can be used in batch files. These eliminate the need to write any code for the most common administrative actions.
To learn more, see Scripting ArcGIS Server administration.
Extensions
The extensions to ArcGIS Server allow you to add capabilities to your system. In many cases the extensions have separate desktop and server offerings. For a list of available extensions, see ArcGIS Server extensions.