ArcGIS Server

ArcGIS Server is a Geographic Information System (GIS) software package made by ESRI to provide Web-oriented spatial data services. Since version 9.2 the product ArcGIS Server includes also the spatial data management software (formerly known as ArcSDE).

ArcGIS Server supports software development on the .NET Framework and the Java (programming language). ArcGIS Server services can be consumed by web browsers, mobile devices and desktop systems. ArcGIS Server supports interoperability standards such as OGC and W3C. Several service like mapping services, geocoding services, geodata management services, geoprocessing services, virtual globe services and network analysis services are available via a SOAP API.

ArcGIS Server is typically used by organizations that want to distribute their own GIS data. ArcWeb Services, another ESRI product, is typically used by organizations that want to use provided GIS data.

ArcGIS Server is part of a general trend in GIS development to abstract data delivery mechanisms from physical storage formats. In the services paradigm, services are consumed by applications through a specified interface.

The Open Geospatial Consortium has specified geographic services standards similar to those offered by ArcGIS Server such as the Web Service Common standards.

External links

* [http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcgisserver/index.html ESRI webpage]
* [http://www.opengeospatial.org/ OGC webpage]

Testing the performance of ArcGIS Server, performance reports, hints for optimization: [http://www.alta4.com/beta/beta_agspt.php AGS Performance Tool for ArcGIS Server Java Edition ]