Waupaca County and Trempealeau County have both been running ArcGIS server (AGS) web mapping applications since late 2007. The two Counties worked together throughout the implementation process. They hope to share how to plan for an AGS implementation and potential pitfalls to avoid. The session is intended to be a starting point for users planning to implement AGS web mapping applications. Topics covered will be relevant to software versions 9.2 and 9.3.

1. Presented by
Ian Grasshoff: Waupaca County
Martin Goettl: Trempealeau County

2. Overview
History: Why ArcGIS (AGS) Server?
Configuring a Server: Platform, Sizing,
and Security
Map Caching
Tips/Tricks
Lessons Learned
Resources: Documents, Tools,
Websites etc.
Questions

3. History: Why ArcGIS Server?
Trempealeau County
Had ArcIMS and Third Party Vendor
Internet Mapping non-existent
Desire to maintain sites in-house without
outside assistance
AGS
○ Migrated ArcIMS to AGS
February, 2008 site becomes available to
public

4. History: Why ArcGIS Server?
Waupaca County
Map Objects site Created In-house
○ 2000-2001 site launched
○ Migrated to ArcIMS
No documentation for original site
ArcIMS issues
○ Memory leaks
○ Unable to upgrade versions – due to custom site
AGS
○ November, 2007 site becomes available to public

5. Configuring a Server:
Platform
Platform
32 Bit vs. 64 Bit
Linux, Unix or Windows?
○ Linux/Unix = Java
○ Windows = .NET framework/Java
.NET Framework Versus Java
○ C# seems to be most popular language
JavaScript API and Flex API
Sizing a Server
Buy your own or share?
Go big or go home!
Current Specs

6. Configuring a Server Continued: Specs
Trempealeau County - Purchased in 2007 Waupaca County – Purchased in 2006
HP ProLiant DL380 IBM X-Series 3500
Manufacturer/Model Manufacturer/Model
G5 (stand alone)
Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2003
Operating System Operating System
x32 bit: Enterprise x32 bit: Standard
1 – Intel Quad Core 2 – Intel Dual Core
Processor(s) Processor(s)
Xeon at 2.83 GHz Xeon’s at 3.00 GHz
16 GB - DDR2 667 4 GB - DDR2 800
Memory Memory
MHz MHz
1 – Gigabit Ethernet 2 – Gigabit Ethernet
Networking Networking
adapter adapters
6 – 750 GB SATA-150 2 – 36.4 GB SAS
7200 RPM 15,000 RPM RAID 1
Disk Drives
RAID 5 (striped disks (Mirrored)
Disk Drives
w/parity) 2- 136 GB SAS
15,000 RPM RAID 1
RAID Controller Smart Array P400 (Mirrored)
IBM ServeRAID
RAID Controller
controller
Hardware Cost $8,682.30
Hardware Cost $5,138.98
ArcGIS Server: Standard Workgroup
ArcGIS Server: Standard Enterprise

7. Configuring a Server Continued: Security
Windows 2003 Servers
Run security hardening tools
To FTP or not to FTP
Firewalls
All Traffic on HTTP port 80
DMZ
ESRI recommended
Tricky to configure
○ DCOM issues

8. Configuring a Server Continued: Security
ESRI recommended
Configuration (Ideal)
(D
MZ
)
Communication on
HTTP port 80
Communication on port unknown
to web client
Image source:
http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisserver/9.3/java/index.htm#implement_security.htm

9. Map Caching
Caching basics
Static data versus dynamic
Fixed Scales
Fused/Multilayer
Setting up a map
Dynamic cache
Updating/Building
Processor/Storage Intensive
Is it worth it?
Takes planning
Tangible benefits – Speed!

10. Map Caching Continued: Built
Service Type:
Map Service
18 inch Black and White orthos – tif images in a raster catalog
Cache Type: Fused
jpeg images, 80% compression quality
Scales – Waupaca County, 765 Sq. Miles
1:240,000
1:64,000
1:32,000
1:16,000
1:8,000
1:4,000
1:2,000
1:1,000
1:600

11. Map Caching Continued: Built
Size
610,000 jpeg images
23 GB
Time To Build
6 hours to complete!
5 dedicated SOC instances to build
Slows down other SOC instances

12. Tips and Tricks
Tip 1: READ AGS install help before
you setup server!
Tip 2: Unexpected errors will occur, buy
a headset and make friends with
support!
Tip 3: Beware of migrating between
versions (Martin’s story)!
Tip 4: ArcIMS users don’t always adjust
well!

13. Tips and Tricks cont.
Tip 5: If you want custom tools and you’re
not a programmer, you will need their
services (ArcObjects experience)!
Tip 6: See AGS help for installing on Vista
or Windows Server 2008!
Tip 7: Beware of adding additional data to
maps, it changes layer indexes which
affects tasks!
Tip 8: PNG images don’t display with
Internet Explorer 6.0! The default map
output image type is PNG!

14. Lessons Learned
Dedicated server with full control (if
possible)
Learn Object Orientated Programming
(OOP) to create custom tools
Internal testing
Learn the software before you go live!
Document your sites
Write custom help documentation for users
Expect the unexpected

15. Resources
ESRI Developer Network (EDN)
All object libraries
Diagrams
Code
AGS Development Blogs
http://blogs.esri.com/Dev/blogs/arcgisserver/Default.aspx
ESRI Resource Center for AGS
http://resources.esri.com/arcgisserver/
Community Tab: Blog, Code Gallery, Forums, and Knowledge Base

16. QUESTIONS?