Best Automation Solution for Installing and Configuring ArcGIS Server on Existing VMs

[formergeologist]

We have a team that will be in charge of standing up EC2 instances in AWS to support ArcGIS Server. My team handles the GIS software and will be in charge of installing and configuring ArcGIS Server on those EC2 instances.

What is the best solution for us to automate installing and configuring ArcGIS Server on existing EC2 instances? 

I've looked up ArcGIS Cloud Builder but it seems like it must create the EC2 instance from scratch. Would solutions like CloudFormation or Chef be more customizable for our use case? Would we be able use these solutions to add multiple ArcGIS Server machines to a single site as well?

[MikeSchonlau]

I'd recommend CloudFormation. It may also be helpful to have your IT team create an AMI for you to reference in your CF template. For example, we build a Windows AMI that includes peripheral software (Notepad++, ArcGIS Pro, Firefox, etc) we want to use. You can then reference that AMI ID when you deploy your CF template. Also make sure you are within ESRI's password guidelines - advice: don't use @ symbols and stay under 29 characters. Those have both caused us heartburn in the past.

You'll need to figure out your VPC + subnet(s), IAM user/role, custom domain+elastic IP (if needed), and load balancer (if needed) ahead of time. You'll also need an SSL .pfx ready to go, along with your ArcGIS Server license file. You can set up an S3 bucket for those. 

[MarceloMarques]

Deploy using AWS CloudFormation templates from the AWS Management Console—ArcGIS Enterprise in the c...

[HenryLindemann]

Hi @formergeologist,

form our side for windows we usually use Home · Esri/arcgis-powershell-dsc Wiki · GitHub the PowerShell DSC they are fairly easy to use.

Regards

Henry

[formergeologist]

Would PowerShell DSC work with autoscaling group? If EC2 autoscaling is automatically spinning up new instances as existing ones reach capacity, would the CloudFormation templates for the EC2 instances be able to invoke PowerShell DSC to install ArcGIS Server on the new instances? 

[MarceloMarques]

@formergeologist - AWS Cloud Formation Templates for ArcGIS Enterprise and PowerShell DSC are completely different tools to deploy ArcGIS Enterprise in AWS and Powershell DSC does not call AWS Cloud Formation Templates.

If you are interested to setup ArcGIS Server with the AWS EC2 instances auto-scaling group then look the AWS Cloud Formation Template below.

• Multiple machine ArcGIS Server site for high availability
  
  

Other high availability templates

• ArcGIS Enterprise base components duplicated on two machines for high availability
• Portal for ArcGIS on two machines for high availability
• ArcGIS Data Store in primary-standby mode (relational or tile cache data store)
• ArcGIS Data Store in cluster mode (tile cache or spatiotemporal big data store)

About PowerShell DSC

Automation solutions for your portal—Portal for ArcGIS | Documentation for ArcGIS Enterprise

About ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder - another tool to deploy ArcGIS Enterprise

ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder for Amazon Web Services—ArcGIS Enterprise in the cloud | Documentati...

NOTES:

• AWS Cloud Formation Templates offer more advanced options to deploy ArcGIS Enterprise, especially related to high availability.
• Hence, it might be just easier to use the Cloud Formation Templates, depending on the deployment that you are trying to do, than trying to deploy with Powershell DSC or Cloud Builder.
• Each tool has its own learning curve, and each tool is unique, but the Cloud Formation Templates offer a lot more options and flexibility.
• You need to pick the tool that is most convenient for you.

I hope this clarifies.