Tutorial: Publishing an image service

Complexity: Beginner Data Requirement: Use your own data

This tutorial gives you the steps for publishing image services using ArcGIS Server Manager from a single raster dataset and a mosaic dataset. If you've just installed ArcGIS Server, you need to complete some preparatory steps before you can log in to Manager or publish services. You can find these steps in the Getting started after installation topic of this help system.

Before you create an image service, you need to be sure your image data resides in a shared location visible to all server object container (SOC) machines in your GIS server. The SOC account you created during the post-installation must also have permissions to read the raster data.

To publish a raster dataset or raster layer as an image service you do not need an extension. To publish a mosaic dataset, or a document containing a mosaic dataset, you require the Image Extension.

Creating a mosaic dataset

You can serve individual raster datasets as an image service; however, if you have a collection of raster datasets, you might want to serve them together as one image service. You can do this by creating a mosaic dataset.

Learn about mosaic datasets

Steps:

1. Create an empty mosaic dataset using the Create Mosaic Dataset tool.

   A mosaic dataset is created in a geodatabase, which you may have to create if you don't already have one. You can create a file geodatabase using the Create File GDB tool.

2. Add your raster data to the mosaic dataset using the Add Rasters To Mosaic Dataset tool.

   You can choose to build overviews for your mosaic dataset when you run this tool or at another time; however, it is recommended you build overviews. You can build them at a later time using the Build Overviews tool.

3. Preview your mosaic dataset to verify that your data is being handled correctly. You may want to modify some of the properties for this mosaic dataset, such as the mosaic methods, a default transmission compression setting, or whether the raster data can be downloaded. To learn more, see Mosaic dataset properties.

Publishing the single raster dataset as an image service

You can publish a single raster dataset or a raster dataset layer as an image service using the following steps:

Steps:

1. Start ArcGIS Server Manager and log in.

   For additional help with this step, see Logging in to Manager.

2. Click the Services tab.
3. Click Publish a GIS Resource.
4. Click the Resources browse button and navigate to the raster dataset that you want to publish.
5. Type a name for the service in the Name text box.

   The name cannot be more than 120 characters long and may contain only alphanumeric characters and underscores.

6. Accept the default folder level by clicking Next.
7. Click Next again to accept the default imaging capability.
8. Review the information about the service you are about to create and click Finish to create the service.

Publishing the mosaic dataset as an image service

You can publish a mosaic dataset as an image service using the following steps:

Steps:

1. Click the Services tab.
2. Click Add New Service.
3. Type a name for the service in the Name text box.
4. Click the Type drop-down arrow and click Image Service.
5. Click Next.
6. Click the image Data Source browse button and navigate to the mosaic dataset that you want to publish.
7. Optionally, modify the Image, Catalog, Download, and Output properties.
8. Click Next.
9. Optionally, check WCS and WMS to enable those capabilities.
10. Optionally, check or uncheck the options in the Operations allowed list.
11. Click Next through the panels and click Finish.