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Using REST to Access Esri Business Analyst Server

Introduction

Web services provide a standard way of exposing objects and methods over the Internet. Representational State Transfer, or REST as it is commonly referred to, is a style of software architecture mainly used in the World Wide Web. REST is a Web services architectural style that accomplishes this simply and effectively by leveraging the same technology that makes the Web browser a useful tool.

Esri Business Analyst Server REST API provides a simple, standards-based, and platform-independent Web interface to services hosted by Esri Business Analyst Server. This offers businesses, organizations, and agencies the opportunity to leverage Business Analyst Server's valuable data and powerful analyses in their own network-accessible applications. All services exposed by the Business Analyst Server REST API are accessible through a set of endpoints for each published service.

Business Analyst Server REST API tasks may be executed through the use of HTTP requests. Client HTTP requests, at its most fundamental level, involve constructing and submitting Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) requests through a Web browser, command line, or some other client application/system.

Accessing Business Analyst Server REST Endpoints

When accessing a REST API, a typical starting point is called a well-known endpoint. In the case of the Business Analyst Server REST API, it consists of the following base URL:

http://{Business Analyst Server host name}/{ArcGIS instance}/baserver/REST/services/{Map service with Business Analyst capability}/BAServer/{Endpoint name}/execute?{parameters}

Example:

http://localhost/ArcGIS/baserver/REST/services/DefaultMap/BAServer/DriveTime/execute?...

All REST endpoints are organized in a hierarchical view with the root accessed with the following URL:

http://{Business Analyst Server host name}/{ArcGIS instance}/baserver/REST/Login.aspx

Example:

http://localhost/ArcGIS/baserver/REST/Login.aspx

Using Secured Business Analyst Server Web Service

Business Analyst Server REST API can be secured. It employs token-based authentication to secure and validate REST requests. A simple understanding of this security model is necessary to submit REST requests to a secured instance of the Business Analyst Server. See Using Secured Business Analyst Server Web Services for more information.

Learning More About the REST API

For more details about understanding the ArcGIS REST API, see Getting Started with the ArcGIS Server REST API.