Error: Packaging succeeded, but publishing failed. ERROR: unable to connect to publishing tools service. Verify the service is up and running

Error Message

Publishing a service from ArcGIS for Desktop to ArcGIS for Server returns the following error:

"Packaging succeeded, but publishing failed. ERROR: unable to connect to publishing tools service. Verify the service is up and running".

Cause

The following are possible causes for this error.

The ArcGIS for Server PublishingTools are not started.
Permissions for a published service are set to 'Private, available only to selected users', and no users or roles are specified to have access to the service.
An incorrect account is used to administer publishing to ArcGIS for Server. This account does not have administrative access and is not part of the agsadmin or publisher groups.
The ArcGIS Server security configuration settings are incorrect and fail to authenticate the user account publishing the service. Authentication tier and authentication Mode are set to Web for an internal-facing domain.
ArcGIS for Server connection information is not up-to-date. This can happen when a new site is created or if the ArcGIS Server account permissions are updated.
ArcGIS for Server fails to authenticate the user account publishing the service. Web-tier authentication is used but Windows authentication is not enabled in Internet Information Services (IIS).

Solution or Workaround

The following are possible solutions for this issue.

Confirm the ArcGIS for Server PublishingTools service is started. Log in to ArcGIS Server Manager > Services > Publish Service > and click Start Service.
Modify permissions in ArcGIS Server Manager. The following document describes this in detail: Editing permissions in Manager.
The ArcGIS account must have the appropriate privileges to publish the service to ArcGIS for Server.
If the ArcGIS for Server machine is part of a domain, the ArcGIS account used to publish a service must be added to a domain group, which grants the appropriate access to publish a service. The following document describes this in detail: Microsoft TechNet: Assign a Windows User or Group to a Role.
For internal-facing sites, set the User Store and Role Store security settings to 'ArcGIS Server Built-in' in the Security Configuration Settings of ArcGIS Server Manager. To do this, follow the steps below:

Log in to ArcGIS Server Manager, Security > Configuration Settings.
Click the edit icon to open the Security Configuration Wizard.
Select Users and roles from ArcGIS Server’s built-in store, and click Next.
Review the configuration, and click Finish.

Note:
If Web-tier authentication is enabled, publishing must be done via the ArcGIS Web Adaptor URL and not the ArcGIS for Server URL.

Create a service definition (SD) in ArcMap and publish the map service using ArcGIS Server Manager. The following document describes this in detail: ArcGIS for Server: Creating a service definition in ArcGIS for Desktop
Update the ArcGIS for Server connections. Re-create the ArcGIS for Server connection in ArcCatalog and specify the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) and new login information for the site. The following document describes this in detail: Making an administrative connection to ArcGIS Server in ArcGIS for Desktop

Note:
Before enabling Windows authentication in IIS, confirm that administrative access is enabled on the ArcGIS Web Adaptor. The following document describes this in detail: Configuring ArcGIS Web Adaptor after installation.

Enable Windows authentication in IIS. The following document describes this in detail:Securing web services with Integrated Windows Authentication

Note:
With Web-tier security, authentication takes place with IIS, and services must be published through the Web Adaptor connection.

Related Information

Last Published: 10/13/2021

Article ID: 000013246

Software: ArcGIS GIS Server 10.3.1, 10.3, 10.2.2, 10.2.1, 10.2, 10.1 ArcGIS Server 10.4.1, 10.4, 10.3.1, 10.3, 10.2.2, 10.2.1, 10.2, 10.1, 10