Esri offers a number of tools you can use for your deployment of ArcGIS Enterprise. Each tool has advantages and intended uses, which are described below.
ArcGIS Enterprise Builder
ArcGIS Enterprise Builder is an installation and configuration wizard that sets up a base ArcGIS Enterprise deployment on a single machine.
The primary advantage of ArcGIS Enterprise Builder is its ease of deployment. The builder prepares a base deployment on your machine within an hour.
However, ArcGIS Enterprise Builder is intended for specific use cases, such as a testing environment or to preview a new release of ArcGIS Enterprise. The builder does not support multiple-machine environments or additional capabilities such as ArcGIS Server licensing roles.
Cloud deployment tools
ArcGIS Enterprise supports deployment on cloud platforms, which allow you to adapt and scale the deployment to your organization’s GIS. Deployment tools are available for two public cloud platforms: Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. These tools make cloud deployment quick and simplify future upgrades or expansions. Although Esri provides cloud-specific deployment tools for only AWS and Azure, you can also deploy ArcGIS Enterprise on other cloud platforms or on a private cloud using script-based deployment tools.
ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder for AWS
ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder for Amazon Web Services includes an app and a set of command line tools that you install on your local Windows machine. The Cloud Builder app guides you through the creation of ArcGIS Enterprise deployments and ArcGIS Server sites on AWS. The command line tools allow you to script deployment creation.
AWS CloudFormation templates
AWS CloudFormation is an infrastructure-as-code service that helps you define architectures on Amazon Web Services (AWS). You can use the AWS CloudFormation templates provided to create a base ArcGIS Enterprise deployment and add ArcGIS Server roles and registered databases to it.
These AWS CloudFormation templates allow you to deploy ArcGIS Enterprise on AWS machines quickly using a premade machine image. See AWS CloudFormation and ArcGIS for information on AWS CloudFormation templates provided by Esri.
ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder for Microsoft Azure
ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder for Microsoft Azure is an app you install on your local Windows machine. The app helps you deploy ArcGIS Enterprise and stand-alone ArcGIS Server sites on Azure to manage postdeployment operations such as expanding your deployment and upgrading to future versions of ArcGIS Enterprise.
The app is suitable for those who are new to deploying ArcGIS Enterprise on Azure. It can be used to deploy the following configurations on Azure infrastructure:
- Single machine all-in-one deployment
- Highly available deployment with two ArcGIS Enterprise portal machines, two ArcGIS Server sites, and two ArcGIS Data Store machines
- Base deployment with an additional ArcGIS Server site with an ArcGIS Image Server, ArcGIS GeoEvent Server, ArcGIS GeoAnalytics Server, or ArcGIS Notebook Server license
- A stand-alone ArcGIS GIS Server site
- A cloud database service offering to be registered with your ArcGIS Enterprise deployment
Learn more about ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder for Microsoft Azure
Azure Resource Manager templates
Azure Resource Manager is an infrastructure-as-a-service solution that allows you to create the resources you need for your deployments in the Microsoft Azure cloud. You can use the templates and helper script provided in an automation environment such as Azure Cloud Shell to create ArcGIS Enterprise deployments and the infrastructure they require.
The Azure Resource Manager templates are useful when you need to repeatedly deploy ArcGIS Enterprise to the Azure cloud. Proficiency in editing JSON code is recommended.
Learn more about Azure Resource Manager templates for ArcGIS Enterprise
Script-based deployment tools
Esri provides toolkits for experienced information technology (IT) administrators to automate their ArcGIS Enterprise deployments. These resources allow administrators to remotely execute repeatable deployments, including complex architecture across multiple machines.
Chef cookbooks for ArcGIS
Chef is an open source IT automation framework you can use to automate the creation and maintenance of IT infrastructure. Chef cookbooks are the scripting language of Chef. They provide a repeatable and flexible mechanism to deploy software and hardware.
Esri provides Chef cookbooks to automate ArcGIS Enterprise installation and configuration. You can use them to install ArcGIS Enterprise software components, including other ArcGIS Server sites, and configure them to work with each other. When you run an ArcGIS cookbook, provide configuration information that meets your specific requirements.
ArcGIS cookbooks can help you quickly recover your ArcGIS Enterprise deployment or set up an identical deployment.
Once you deploy ArcGIS Enterprise, you can continue automating your GIS workflows using ArcGIS API for Python.
PowerShell DSC for ArcGIS
Esri offers tools to automate your ArcGIS Enterprise deployment using Microsoft PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC). You can use the PowerShell DSC for ArcGIS module to automate the installation, uninstallation, and upgrade of an ArcGIS Enterprise deployment, as well as incremental software additions to an existing deployment using the module.
PowerShell DSC for ArcGIS contains sample JSON files to which you add your specific information and parameters before running in the PowerShell console. Learn more and get started at the PowerShell DSC for ArcGIS repository on GitHub.