If you're upgrading from ArcGIS Server 10.0, you need to be aware of architecture changes introduced at 10.1 that require some adjustments to how you work with the server. See the sections below for a quick overview of the major differences. If you're upgrading any later version to ArcGIS Server 10.8, the following migration guidelines do not apply to you. Instead, see Existing ArcGIS Server users to review a list of common upgrade questions and links to topics that provide full upgrade instructions.
Other topics in this help section provide more detail on how to upgrade ArcGIS Server 10.0 to 10.8:
The installation experience
ArcGIS 10.1 for Server introduced major changes to the server architecture. Beginning at 10.1, the SOM-SOC model of distributing components was abandoned, making for a more streamlined installation experience.
When installing, you'll notice that ArcGIS Server does not need to be installed on the root account; you can designate any account for installing the product. The account you choose runs the ArcGIS Server service and is known as the ArcGIS Server account. The setup installs an ArcGIS Server machine, and if you want another ArcGIS Server machine to add to your site, you just run the setup again on another machine. All machines must use a 64-bit operating system. After installing ArcGIS Server, you can get started right away with publishing services.
In many cases, you should also install ArcGIS Web Adaptor. This component allows you to integrate your enterprise web server with your ArcGIS Server site.
ArcGIS Web Adaptor allows you control over your site URL if you don't want users to see the default port 6443 or the default site name arcgis. Using ArcGIS Web Adaptor, you can restrict outside users from accessing ArcGIS Server Manager or the ArcGIS Server Administrator Directory. With ArcGIS Web Adaptor in your site, you can perform authentication at the web tier. Finally, by associating your site to an enterprise web server, you can host web applications that use your services.
Logging in to Manager and setting up your site
A deployment of one or more ArcGIS Server machines is known as a site. After installing ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Server Manager opens. The first time you log in to Manager, you'll be asked if you want to create a site or join a site. If you're just getting started with ArcGIS Server, you'll choose Create Site. On subsequent machines that you add to your site, you'll choose Join Site. Manager does the work of connecting the machines for you.
Publishing services
If you're upgrading from 10.0 or earlier versions, your services are not migrated automatically. The migration path for services is to re-create them using the new publishing pattern used in 10.1 and later versions.
The general workflow for publishing is the same: you create your GIS resource (for example, a map document or model) in ArcGIS Desktop and then publish it as a service to ArcGIS Server. However, the publishing action is now always started in ArcGIS Desktop, typically by opening the resource and clicking File > Share As > Service.
Items you attempt to publish are put through a rigorous analysis process to make sure they are ready to be exposed on the server. In previous releases, you were required to analyze map documents using the Map Service Publishing toolbar. Now, there is a generic Service Editor dialog box that helps you analyze all prospective services before publishing.
All map services now use the fast-drawing engine that was associated with MSDs in 10.0 and earlier versions. Thus, there is no distinction between MXD- and MSD-based map services. You just open your map document in ArcMap, analyze it for performance bottlenecks, and publish it as a map service to ArcGIS Server.
In 10.0 and earlier versions, any changes made to the GIS resource referenced by a service could be made available to clients by restarting the service. To reflect changes to a GIS resource or its source data, a service overwrite is necessary in the following scenarios beginning at 10.1:
- If you update settings in the map document or other GIS resource underlying your service
- If your source data (such as a feature class displayed in your map document) was automatically copied to the server at publish time and you subsequently make changes to the source data that you want to see reflected on the server
The ArcGIS Server site relies on a list of data folders and geodatabases that you have registered with your server. Therefore, if you move from 10.0 to 10.8, you need to register the set of data locations that you've verified that ArcGIS Server can access. This helps the ArcGIS Server machine 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.
Creating web applications
There is no longer an out-of-the-box wizard for creating web applications in Manager. You're encouraged to use ArcGIS Online, the ArcGIS Enterprise portal, or ArcGIS API for JavaScript to begin making your web applications.
Managing your site
You can maintain your ArcGIS Server site using Manager. At 10.1, Manager was given an improved look and feel, and a more intuitive user interface. It allows the same administrative functions of your site that you experienced in previous releases.
The 10.1 release also introduced an ArcGIS Server Administrator API that is built on REST and allows you to script the administration of your server using the language of your choice.
Similarities and differences between ArcGIS Server 10.0 and later versions
| What's the same | What's different |
|---|---|
You author GIS resources such as maps, tools, and locators and publish them to ArcGIS Server. | The publishing of services can be invoked directly from ArcMap or ArcGlobe using File > Share As > Service. You can publish to a cloud-based server and have the source data copied to the server as part of the publishing action. |
You analyze a map document to find performance bottlenecks before publishing. | You can analyze other types of GIS resources, such as globes and toolboxes, before publishing. There is no longer the need to explicitly save an MSD file to use the fast-drawing ArcGIS Server engine; it is always used. |
ArcGIS Server maintains logs and configuration files on disk, describing what's happening on the server. | You view logs and adjust server configuration information through Manager or ArcGIS Desktop. Logs should be read through Manager, not directly from disk. |
You use a web server to control access to your site. | For development or testing, you don't need a dedicated web server: ArcGIS Server exposes web services out of the box. For production sites, you use ArcGIS Web Adaptor to connect your web server to the site. |