Connect to ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online using SAML logins in FME/Data Interoperability

Summary

Data Interoperability/FME Readers for ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise use different authentication models to connect to your ArcGIS Environment. The most common methods are Generate Token and Web Service Connection. When using Generate Token you must type in your username and password, and that works fine with built-in users in Portal or ArcGIS Online. To leverage the enterprise logins in your GIS environment, or it you don't want to enter user credentials every time you add a new reader, the solution is to use Web Services option. This web connection can then be used to read and write data in any number of workspaces, while maintaining your credentials secure.

Procedure

To set up a Web Services connection in FME follow the steps below:

1. Sign in to Portal or ArcGIS Online with an admin account.
2. Create and register an App in ArcGIS Online. Navigate to Content > Add Item, select An Application.
3. In the Add an application dialog, and click Add Item. These steps are shown in the images below.

The app is created and directed to the item details page.

4. Click the Settings tab, scroll down to the App Registration section and click Registered Info, as shown in the following image

This displays the App Registration details needed to create the web connection:

5. Click Show Secret to expose the authentication key, as shown in the screenshot above.
6. Open FME workbench. If you are using Data interoperability, open the Workbench application through ArcGIS Pro Analysis ribbon.
7. In FME workbench, navigate to Tools > FME Options > Web Connections, and click Manage Services.

8. In the Manage Web Services dialog, click the Add Web Services button at the bottom of the page, select the Create From option, and choose Esri ArcGIS Portal (Template) or Esri ArcGIS Online. This is shown in the following image. 

9. This creates a template that is needed to fill in the form with your registered app information: App ID and App Secret.
10. Under Authorization Parameters and Retrieve Token parameters, replace the URL with your Portal or ArcGIS Online URL.
    For example:

http://arcgis.citymap.com.au/portal/

11. Click Test to go to the ArcGIS authentication page with your SAML/Enterprise login. Authenticate your connection and add a web connection. Close the Manage Web Services windows to go back to the FME Options window.

12. In the FME Options page, right-click in the blank space of the Web Connections section. This opens the Edit Web Connection page, Select the web service you just created from the drop-down list. Click Authenticate and add your credentials. The connection is now added to your connections list.

The Web Service connection is now available in your feature reader. This is shown in the image of the Esri ArcGIS Portal Feature Service Parameters dialog below.