Configuring a one-machine deployment

If your organization requires a small-scope deployment of ArcGIS for 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 for Server running on one machine:

1. Install ArcGIS for Server.
2. Log in to Manager and create a site.
3. Install and configure the Web Adaptor.
4. Connect to the GIS server in ArcGIS for Desktop.
5. Grant permissions to data directories.
6. Publish services.
7. Use the services.

Install ArcGIS for Server

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After installing any prerequisites as detailed in the system requirements, you can begin installing the ArcGIS for Server software. The most common configuration for a single-machine deployment is to install all components.

The ArcGIS for Server Installation Guide contains detailed information about the software installation process. It also contains a list of system requirements and prerequisites for ArcGIS for Server. You can open the guide by clicking the Install Guide button on the first panel of the setup.

During installation, you will be prompted to provide a name and password for the ArcGIS Server account. You can choose an existing account, or you can have the setup create a default account for you on the local machine. Keep in mind that the account you specify does not have to be part of the Administrators group. For production systems, it's recommended that you use a pre-existing account that resides in your domain or active directory and follows your organization's security policy. Creating a local account during the installation is primarily for the convenience of quickly installing ArcGIS Server. To learn more about the ArcGIS Server account and best practices for configuring it, see The ArcGIS Server account.

Log in to Manager and create a site

ArcGIS Server Manager is a web application you can use to administer ArcGIS for 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, you should install the ArcGIS Web Adaptor. The 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 for Desktop

Most of your work publishing services occurs in ArcGIS for Desktop, where you create your maps, globes, geodatabases, and so forth. To publish a service directly from ArcGIS for 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 and you can then 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 for Desktop.

See Making an administrative connection to ArcGIS Server in ArcGIS for Desktop for instructions.

Grant permissions to data directories

ArcGIS Server needs to be able 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 this other data to be copied to the server automatically, you need to explicitly give the ArcGIS Server account permissions to read the data, then register the location with ArcGIS Server (see "Registering data" below).

For example, when you publish a globe service, you don't need to give the ArcGIS Server account permissions to read your 3DD file (because this always copied to the server). However, you need to explicitly give the ArcGIS Server account read permissions to the data used in the layers of that 3DD document. Then you need to register these data locations with ArcGIS Server.

1. If the folder is shared, grant at least read share permissions to the ArcGIS Server account for the folder.

2. Grant at least read file permissions to the ArcGIS Server account for the folder.

If your data is accessed through an enterprise geodatabase, you need to 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 for 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, you should 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 for 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 for 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 applications that you create with the ArcGIS web APIs, or preconstructed web applications such as ArcGIS Explorer Online, the ArcGIS.com map viewer, or the ArcGIS viewers for Flex and Silverlight. Alternatively, you can view services in desktop-based applications, such as ArcGIS Explorer, ArcMap, or ArcGlobe. Mobile devices, such as the iPhone, Android-based devices, and Windows Phone, can also use your GIS services.