PROBLEM

Web mapping services are unavailable outside of the local network

Last Published: April 25, 2020

Description

Web mapping services and applications are available inside a local network; however, services can be connected to but cannot be seen or used from outside the network by way of an external URL.

Cause

The ArcGIS Output, Jobs, and Cache virtual directories are set to use an internal URL, instead of an externally available URL.

Solution or Workaround

Modify the Server Directory properties using either ArcGIS Server Manager or ArcCatalog.

1. In ArcGIS Server Manager: Log into ArcGIS Server Manager and click the 'GIS Server' Panel.

2. Click the 'Server Directories' link.

The directories and related virtual directories defined for use with ArcGIS Server are displayed:
[O-Image]
Note the drop-down box next to the word 'Show'. By default, only the Output Directories are displayed on this screen. Select 'Cache', 'Jobs', or 'Output' directories to see the settings associated with these directories.

3. First, examine the 'Output' directories. Verify that the URL defined in the Server Directories screen is set to use an external URL.

4. If the GIS Server machine's hostname is set here, instead of the external URL, click the check box next to the directory and click the pencil icon to edit the directory properties.

5. Change the Virtual Directory URL to point to the external URL:
[O-Image]
The same changes should be made to all of the ArcGIS Server directories: 'Output', 'Cache', and 'Jobs'.

This problem may also be addressed through an Admin connection from ArcCatalog to ArcGIS Server.

1. Establish an Admin connection to the ArcGIS Server from ArcCatalog. Stop the map service. Then right-click the server connection, and click 'Server Properties'.

2. Click the 'Directories' tab. Note the drop-down box next to the word 'Directory Type'. By default, only the Output Directories are displayed on this screen. Select 'Cache', 'Jobs', or 'Input' directories to see the settings associated with these directories.

3. In order to define these virtual directories by way of ArcCatalog, services that use the ArcGIS Server directories must first be stopped. Once the services are stopped, click the directory, and click 'Edit'.

4. As described above in Steps 4 and 5, edit the Virtual Directory path to reflect the external URL, and click 'OK'. Be sure to make the same changes for all ArcGIS Server directories: 'Output', 'Cache', and 'Jobs'.

Finally, for each map service that should be available externally, the Virtual Directory parameter should be changed to reference the externally facing URL.

Using ArcCatalog:
a. Stop the map service in question.
b. From an Admin connection to ArcGIS Server, right-click the service and click 'Service Properties'.
c. Click the 'Parameters' tab.
d. Use the drop-down list to select the appropriate physical and virtual directory combination.

Similarly, the above step can be achieved by modifying the map service properties in ArcGIS Server Manager.

Article ID: 000010826

Software:
  • ArcGIS Server

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