What's new in ArcGIS 10.1 for Server install
The architecture, functionality, and workflows used with ArcGIS for Server have seen significant changes at version 10.1. This topic highlights many of those changes and is of particular interest to users of previous versions of ArcGIS for Server.
Simplified installation
The ArcGIS for Server installation experience has been greatly simplified as compared to previous releases. At 10.1, there is no post installation to complete, and there are no SOM, SOC, or ArcGIS Web Services accounts to configure.
Setups distinguished by Windows or Linux
Previously, two setups of ArcGIS for Server were offered: ArcGIS Server for the Microsoft .NET Framework, and ArcGIS Server for the Java Platform. At 10.1, the setups are distinguished by operating system. The two setups are now ArcGIS for Server (Windows) and ArcGIS for Server (Linux).
ArcGIS for Server is now a 64-bit application
ArcGIS for Server runs as a native 64-bit application so that your GIS services can take full advantage of your hardware. This change enhances the throughput and scalability of ArcGIS for Server. Given that 64-bit hardware is the current industry standard, support for 32-bit operating systems has been discontinued.
As an exclusive 64-bit application, ArcGIS for Server requires a 64-bit Linux computing platform. If you are unsure whether or not your operating system is supported with ArcGIS for Server, please see the system requirements topic.
The ArcGIS for Server site replaces the SOM-SOC model
In previous versions of ArcGIS Server, the GIS server was composed of two distinct parts: the server object containers (SOCs) and server object manager (SOM). SOCs hosted GIS services, while the SOM managed these services and provided them to clients for use.
In ArcGIS 10.1 for Server, the SOM-SOC model has been replaced by the ArcGIS Server site. A site is a deployment of one or more machines (GIS servers) that have ArcGIS for Server installed and work together. The 10.1 site architecture is more robust than the SOM-SOC model. It reduces the chances of failure, and simplifies the provisioning and recovery of new machines.
To learn more about the ArcGIS for Server site, see Inside an ArcGIS for Server site.
ArcGIS Web Adaptor
The ArcGIS Web Adaptor is a setup that you can install to allow ArcGIS for Server to work with your own web server. ArcGIS for Server can expose REST and SOAP web services out of the box, but if you want to configure a custom URL for your site or integrate with your web server's security model, you should install the ArcGIS Web Adaptor. This component is also recommended when you configure a site with multiple machines, or when you want to tighten security on your GIS server.
For more information, see ArcGIS Web Adaptor.