Service capabilities when using raster data

There are several ArcGIS services: map, image, geocoding, geoprocessing, geodata, and globe. They have varying capabilities that may include network analysis and mobile access, and they have associated ArcGIS services such as geoprocessing and geodata. They all have Web connections depending on the service type (using open standards and protocols) such as WMS, WCS, and WFS (Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. [OGC], Web Feature Service).

Raster data can be served as a layer in many of these services or an image service with its own capabilities.

The table below outlines all the service capabilities and how raster data can be used within them.

Capability	What it does	Required GIS resource	Use with raster data
Geocoding	Provides access to an address locator. This capability is always enabled when you publish a geocode service.	Address locator file (.loc), ArcView 3 locator (.mxs), ArcSDE locator, personal geodatabase locator, file geodatabase locator	N/A
Geodata	Provides access to the contents of a geodatabase for data query, extraction, and replication. This capability is always enabled when you publish a geodata service.	SDE connection file (.sde), personal geodatabase, file geodatabase, or a map document with a layer from a geodatabase	SDE can contain a raster dataset or a raster catalog. The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, or raster catalog layer.
Geodata access	Allows an end user to perform replication and data extraction in ArcMap. Enabling this capability while publishing a map document creates an associated geodata service.	Map document (.mxd) with a layer from a geodatabase	The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, raster catalog, or image service layer as a background image.
Geoprocessing	Provides access to geoprocessing models from either a toolbox or a tool layer. A tool layer represents a model that has been dragged from ArcToolbox into a map document's table of contents. Enabling this capability while publishing a map document creates an associated geoprocessing service. This capability is always enabled when you publish a geoprocessing service.	Toolbox (.tbx), ArcSDE toolbox, or a map document with a tool layer	N/A
Globe	Provides access to the contents of a globe document. This capability is always enabled when you publish a globe service.	Globe document (.3dd)	The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, raster catalog, or image service layer.
Image service	Provides access to raster data.	Raster dataset, raster dataset layer, mosaic dataset, or mosaic dataset layer	The service can contain a raster dataset, raster dataset layer, mosaic dataset, or mosaic dataset layer.
KML (or KMZ)	Uses a map document to create Keyhole Markup Language (KML) features.	Map document, raster dataset, raster dataset layer, mosaic dataset, or mosaic dataset layer	The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, raster catalog, or image service layer. The KMZ is accessible for an image service by viewing ArcGIS Services Directory.
Mapping	Provides access to the contents of a map document. This capability is always enabled when you publish a map service.	Map document (.mxd), optimized map document (.msd) or published map document (.pmf)	The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, raster catalog, or image service layer.
Mobile data access	Allows extraction of data from a map document to a mobile device.	Map document (.mxd)	The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, raster catalog, or image service layer.
Network analysis	Solves transportation network analysis problems using the ArcGIS Network Analyst extension.	Map document (.mxd) with a network analysis layer built on top of a network dataset or a map document with a network analysis layer referencing a network dataset	The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, raster catalog, or image service layer as a background image. Raster data cannot be used in actual network analysis.
WCS	Provides access to raster data. This service can be used as raster input to a geoprocessing tool.	Raster dataset, raster dataset layer, mosaic dataset, or mosaic dataset layer, map document (.mxd), or geodatabase containing raster datasets	The map document can contain a raster dataset, raster dataset layer, mosaic dataset, or mosaic dataset layer.
WMS	Provides a service compliant with OGC's Web Map Service (WMS) specification.	Map document (.mxd), raster dataset, raster dataset layer, mosaic dataset, or mosaic dataset layer	The map document can contain a raster dataset, mosaic dataset, raster catalog, or image service layer. When using an image service, this capability does not require the map document.

Service capabilities with raster data