Migration to ArcGIS 10.1 for Server
This topic provides a reference of things to consider when moving from ArcGIS Server 10 to ArcGIS 10.1 for Server. If you're ready to start migrating now, begin working through the Migration checklist. If you're just interested in what's changed between releases, see What's new in ArcGIS 10.1 for Server.
Migration approaches
The easiest way to migrate to ArcGIS 10.1 for Server is to install it on a new machine or set of machines. This allows you to go back and reference your existing applications and service properties while you are creating your new ArcGIS Server site. It also minimizes downtime because you can set up the 10.1 site and then immediately redirect traffic to it once you are ready.
The other approach, migrating a machine "in place", requires some downtime while you uninstall the 10.0 software, install 10.1, redeploy your services (which is not automatic), and update your applications. An in-place migration requires you to take careful notes about your service configurations before you uninstall. The Migration checklist contains a list of essential properties you should record and files you should back up.
If you must perform an in-place migration, it's recommended that you practice on a development server or on a virtual machine before you attempt the process on your production server.
The GIS server and services
Preserving your 10.0 server URL
By default, ArcGIS 10.1 for Server exposes its web services through port 6080 and uses a site name of "arcgis". The services you create at 10.1 will include port 6080 and "arcgis" as part of the service URL. For example:
ArcGIS for Server version | URL example |
|---|---|
10 | http://myserver.domain.com/planners/rest/services/MyMapService/MapServer |
10.1 | http://myserver.domain.com:6080/arcgis/rest/services/MyMapService/MapServer |
If you want to preserve your version 10 server URL at 10.1, you should install the ArcGIS Web Adaptor. The Web Adaptor connects ArcGIS Server with your enterprise web server, allowing you to configure a URL for your site that matches your ArcGIS 10 deployment. For more information, see About the ArcGIS Web Adaptor.
Migrating services
Services are not automatically migrated between 10 and 10.1. The migration path for services is to re-create them using the new publishing pattern at 10.1. Items that you attempt to publish are put through a more rigorous analysis process at 10.1 to make sure that they are ready to be exposed on the server in an efficient way. Although completing this analysis process can take time, it will help you to adapt your services to the various changes that have occurred at 10.1. You will also likely discover ways that you can improve the performance of your services.
Nonpooled services are not available at 10.1. When you republish your services at 10.1, they will all be pooled. Nonpooled services were typically used to support web editing workflows. A pooled feature service can be used to accomplish the same types of things.
Migrating map and globe caches
Map and globe caches that you created in ArcGIS Server 10 and previous versions can be used in 10.1. The only exception is multilayer caches, which are not supported in 10.1. If you have a multilayer cache, you should rebuild it as a series of separate fused caches.
Use the following sequence of steps to migrate a map cache:
- On your 10.1 ArcGIS Server site, create a server cache directory that references the folder holding your 10.0 cache. For instructions on creating a server cache directory, see Creating a server directory in Manager. Alternatively, you can move your 10.0 cache into your existing server cache directory. All ArcGIS Server sites at 10.1 are created with at least one server cache directory.
- Use the File > Share As > Service wizard in ArcMap to start creating a service with the same name as the existing cache. When you reach the Service Editor dialog box, stop and go on to the next step. Do not click Publish yet. If your existing cache is named with an underscore, that means you need to create the service in the GIS server folder, following the pattern <folder name>_<service name>.
- In the Caching tab of the Service Editor dialog box, modify the Cache directory property to point at the migrated cache directory that you registered in Step 1.
- In the Caching tab of the Service Editor dialog box, modify the sliders for the minimum and maximum cached scales so that they include all the scales for which you have existing tiles.
- In the Service Editor, click Publish to publish the service.
Migrating caching scripts
If you performed map or globe cache creation and updates through geoprocessing scripts, be aware that the parameter order, names, and data types in many tools in the Caching toolset have changed at 10.1. You should carefully examine the geoprocessing tool reference topics and examples to understand how to update your scripts.
Migrating code to server object extensions (SOEs)
Prior to ArcGIS 10.1 for Server, many developers accessed ArcObjects by making a local (DCOM) connection through the Web ADF. These local connections to ArcGIS Server are not available beginning at 10.1. Instead, you are encouraged to develop server object extensions (SOEs) and expose them as REST web services. Your GIS services enhanced by the SOEs can be displayed in the ArcGIS Services Directory and used through the ArcGIS Web APIs.
For more information on developing SOEs, see What is a server object extension?
Migrating existing SOEs
As mentioned in the previous section, SOEs that rely on ArcGIS Server Local connections do not work with 10.1 and must be refactored to act as REST or SOAP web services.
If you developed a REST or SOAP web service SOE with version 10 or earlier, you must build or rebuild it with references to 64-bit libraries before the SOE can be used with 10.1. You must also package your SOE as an .soe file so that it can be deployed to ArcGIS 10.1 for Server. The IDE templates for SOEs that are included with 10.1 can do this packaging. You can find instructions in Migrating a Java server object extension to 10.1 and Migrating a .NET server object extension to 10.1.
As mentioned in the previous section, SOEs that rely on ArcGIS Server Local connections are incompatible with 10.1 and must be refactored to act as REST or SOAP web services.
Migrating secured deployments
ArcGIS Server does not attempt to automatically migrate security settings from previous versions. This is because ArcGIS Server cannot discern enough information about a previous installation's security configuration to guarantee a complete migration of security settings. If your ArcGIS Server 10 security store was managed in SQL Server, you can manually migrate it to 10.1 by following the instructions in the topic Using a 10.0 .NET SQL Server security store in 10.1.
Security is already enabled when you install 10.1, with anonymous users being allowed to use your services by default. You can log in to Manager at any time and specify the user and role stores that you want to use for security. You can then apply more restrictive permissions on your services. For more information, see Configuring ArcGIS Server security.
Migrating web applications
At version 10.1, ArcGIS Server Manager is solely focused on hosting and administering services. It does not build web applications. If you want to build a GIS web application without having to write code, you can use the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex or the ArcGIS Viewer for Silverlight. These now include interactive application builders that allow you to design a web app by pointing and clicking on the features you want, very similar to the way you built web apps with Manager in previous releases.
If you want to share your maps on the web without building and hosting a full application, you can use the ArcGIS.com map viewer. This is an online canvas for creating and sharing a web service-based map online. To get started, visit ArcGIS.com and click Map.
The Web Application Developer Framework (ADF) that shipped with previous versions of ArcGIS Server is deprecated, and developers should use the ArcGIS web APIs (for JavaScript, Flex, and Silverlight) when writing new web applications. Printing, editing, and other tasks previously accomplished through the ADF are now readily available using the ArcGIS web APIs.
The ADF continues to ship with ArcGIS 10.1 for Server as a separate setup named ArcGIS Web Applications. This exists solely for the purpose of supporting legacy applications. The setup includes ArcGIS Web Applications Manager, a legacy version of Manager that allows you to view and modify your web applications.
Discontinued functionality
Support for the following items has been removed in ArcGIS 10.1 for Server, and you will need to adjust your services and applications accordingly:
Personal geodatabases
ArcGIS 10.1 for Server no longer supports Microsoft Access-based personal geodatabases (.mdb) due to lack of scalability in the 64-bit application environment. Personal geodatabases continue to be supported in ArcGIS for Desktop.
If you have data stored in a personal geodatabase and want to make it available to ArcGIS Server, migrate your data into a file geodatabase or ArcSDE geodatabase before referencing it in anything you publish to ArcGIS Server.
VBScript
Map documents that contain VBScript cannot be published to ArcGIS for Server (Linux). When ArcMap analyzes your map prior to publishing, you will see errors listed if VBScript is detected. Python is the recommended scripting language for constructing strings such as label expressions.
Multilayer map caches
Map caches of type multilayer are no longer available in ArcGIS for Server. All layers in the map are now fused into the cached image.
Common migration questions
This section lists questions that you might have when migrating to ArcGIS 10.1 for Server and suggests possible solutions. If you don't find your question here, you can also search for articles on the Esri Support Center.
In what order should I upgrade different ArcGIS components? If ArcGIS for Desktop is on the same machine as ArcGIS for Server, does that affect the order?
If ArcGIS for Desktop and ArcGIS for Server are all installed on the same machine, everything must be migrated in one event. If ArcGIS for Desktop and ArcGIS for Server are spread out among multiple machines, you can upgrade different ArcGIS components in stages. For example, you could follow the steps below:
- Upgrade a few ArcGIS for Desktop clients. After confirming the upgrade process is sound, upgrade all ArcGIS for Desktop clients.
- Upgrade ArcGIS for Server.
Should I upgrade my operating system at the same time I upgrade ArcGIS for Server?
ArcGIS for Server is a 64-bit application and will require a 64-bit operating system. If you are currently using a 32-bit operating system, you'll need to upgrade to a 64-bit operating system before you can install ArcGIS for Server.
If you are unsure whether or not your operating system is supported with ArcGIS for Server, see the ArcGIS for Server system requirements.
When I create the 10.1 ArcGIS Server site, can I re-use the server directories I used at previous releases, or should I type a new path for my server directories?
When you create a site, you'll be asked for the root location of your server directories. You can specify a new location to have empty directories created for you, or you can point at a location that contains server directories from previous releases.
If you re-use your previous server directories, use your web server management software to remove the virtual directories that were associated with your server directories in previous releases. ArcGIS Server handles directory virtualization for you at 10.1, so you do not need your old virtual directories.
If your server directories contain map caches in the exploded storage format, be aware that it could take a while to create your site. The site creation process applies permissions for the ArcGIS Server account on the cache folders, and this can take a long time with large exploded caches.
My SOC account from previous releases already has permissions to my data folders. When I install 10.1, can I re-use that account as the ArcGIS Server account?
Previous versions of ArcGIS Server required you to create an account called the SOC account and grant it permissions to all data folders. If you already have a SOC account and its permissions in place, you can specify it as the ArcGIS Server account if you choose. This can reduce or eliminate the reassigning of permissions you need to perform during migration.