Connect to a GIS server

Connecting to a GIS server gives you access to resources and capabilities that are delivered as online services. You can connect to ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Online ready-to-use services, and Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC) servers.

When you connect to an ArcGIS Server site, options allow you to use services, publish services, or administer the server. If the server is an ArcGIS Enterprise federated server, ArcGIS AllSource only supports connections that allow you to use services. If the server is a stand-alone ArcGIS Server site, you may be able to publish services as well as use them: the connection with the most privileges allowed for your credentials is created. Once you have a publisher connection, you can upgrade the connection to the administrator level if your credentials allow it.

Note:

Publisher and administrator connections are supported with stand-alone ArcGIS Server sites at version 10.6 or later. With earlier versions, you can only create connections that allow you to use services. For example, if you add an older server connection that was created in ArcMap to a project, a new server connection file (.ags) with user-level privileges is created in the project's home folder. If you use an older connection by browsing to it from a folder, the connection in the project is automatically downgraded to a user-level connection; however, this change is not saved to the connection file.

Note:

You may need to refresh the server connection if the contents of the server are changed outside the current ArcGIS AllSource session. You may also need to repair the connection if it becomes invalid.

Access a server in a folder

You can browse to a GIS server and access its contents from a folder connection. This may be useful if you create files using data in the server and store them in the same folder location as the server connection file.

1. Connect to a folder containing the server you want to use.
2. In the Catalog pane, the Contents pane of a catalog view, or a catalog view window, browse to the folder that contains the server, and browse to the server to use its contents.

Add an existing GIS server to a project

If you have an existing server connection file—created in a separate ArcGIS AllSource project, in AllSource, or in ArcMap—you can add it to the catalog Servers container .

Server connection files created in ArcGIS AllSource are stored by default in the home folder of the project in which they are created. Files created in ArcMap are stored by default in your C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Esri\Desktop<release#>\ArcCatalog folder.

Server connection files have the following extensions:

• ArcGIS Server (.ags)
• OGC API Server (.ogc)
• WCS Server (.wcs)
• WFS Server (.wfs)
• WMS Server (.wms)
• WMTS Server (.wmts)

1. On the ribbon, click the Data tab.
2. In the Import group, click Connections , point to Server, and click Add Server .
3. Open the Select Existing Server Connection File browse dialog box.
4. Browse to and select one or more server connection files on your local computer or a network computer.
5. Click OK.

   The server appears in the Servers container in the Catalog pane and the Contents pane of a catalog view.

6. Browse to the server to use its contents.
7. Alternatively, use one of the following methods to add an existing GIS server to a project:

   In the Catalog pane	Browse to a server connection, right-click it, and click Add To Project . Browse to a server connection, select it, and drag it to the Servers container , if present, in the Catalog pane. If there is no Servers container, drag the item to empty space in the pane.
   In File Explorer	Browse to a server connection file, select it, and drag it to the Catalog pane. It appears in the Servers container .

Create an ArcGIS Server connection

When you connect to an ArcGIS Server site, you see a list of items you have permission to access. If you provide a username and password, you may have permission to see additional items available to specific users.

Connect to an ArcGIS Server site

If you connect to an ArcGIS Enterprise federated server, you must sign in to the Enterprise portal. The server connection uses your portal credentials to access content on the server.

If you connect to a stand-alone ArcGIS Server site, the server connection determines your level of access from your username and password. If you have sufficient privileges, you can publish services.

1. Open an ArcGIS Server connection browse dialog box by doing either of the following:

   On the ribbon	Click the Data tab. In the Import group, click Connections , point to Server, and click New ArcGIS Server .
   In the Catalog pane	On the Project tab, right-click empty space at the bottom of the pane and click New ArcGIS Server Connection .

2. In the Server URL box, provide the URL of the ArcGIS Server site.

   You must specify the server URL according to the site requirements.

3. Provide your username and password, if applicable, and choose how your credentials will be stored.
   • Save Username/Password to Windows Credential Manager—Your credentials are stored in the computer's operating system. You are not prompted for your credentials again unless you use the connection file to access the server from another computer. This is the default option.
   • Save Username/Password to connection file—Your credentials are stored in the connection file. Anyone can access the server without being prompted to sign in if they have access to this file.
4. Click OK.

   If you provided credentials and chose the Save Username/Password to connection file option, a warning message appears.

5. Click Yes to continue and save your credentials in the connection file.

   Note:

   If you try to connect to a federated server without being signed in to the Enterprise portal, the ArcGIS Sign In dialog box appears. Provide your portal credentials and click Sign In.

An ArcGIS Server connection file (.ags) is created and saved in the project's home folder. The new server connection appears in the Servers container in the Catalog pane and the Contents pane of a catalog view.

To determine your level of access to the server's contents, review the server connection properties. The highest level of access that is granted when a connection is created is the publisher level. If your credentials support it, you can upgrade to the administrator access level after the connection is created.

Connect to ArcGIS Online ready-to-use services

You can connect to specific servers associated with ArcGIS Online to access ready-to-use services. Ready-to-use services allow you to analyze data and use data curated by Esri.

You can connect to ready-to-use services regardless of whether ArcGIS Online is your active portal. If ArcGIS Online is your active portal and you are not signed in, you are prompted to sign in when you connect.

1. Open an ArcGIS Server connection browse dialog box by doing either of the following:

   On the ribbon	Click the Data tab. In the Import group, click Connections , point to Server, and click New ArcGIS Server .
   In the Catalog pane	On the Project tab, right-click empty space at the bottom of the pane and click New ArcGIS Server Connection .

2. In the Server URL text box, provide the URL of one of the following ArcGIS Online servers:

   • https://elevation.arcgis.com/arcgis—Calculate viewsheds, elevation profiles, and elevation summaries.
   • https://hydro.arcgis.com/arcgis—Create watersheds and trace point locations downstream.
   • https://traffic.arcgis.com/arcgis—Visualize traffic incidents as well as live and typical traffic conditions.
   • https://logistics.arcgis.com/arcgis—Perform routing, fleet routing, and other analyses on roads and walkways.
   • https://geocode.arcgis.com/arcgis—Transform descriptions of locations, such as coordinate pairs, addresses, or place names, to locations on the earth's surface. (It's not usually necessary to add this service from the URL because the ArcGIS World Geocoding Service is added to a project automatically when you are signed in to ArcGIS Online.)

3. Click OK.

   Caution:

   Some ready-to-use services use service credits from your ArcGIS Online account.

An ArcGIS Server connection file (.ags) is created and saved in the project's home folder. The server connection appears in the Servers container in the Catalog pane and the Contents pane of catalog views.

Create an OGC service connection

You can connect to the following types of OGC services and add individual service layers or the entire service to a map:

• OGC API
• WCS
• WFS
• WMS
• WMTS

1. Open a server connection browse dialog box by doing either of the following:

   On the ribbon	Click the Data tab. In the Import group, click Connections , point to Server, and click the appropriate server type.
   In the Catalog pane	If a Servers container is present, right-click it and click the appropriate server type. If there are no server connections in the project, this method is not available.

2. In the server connection dialog box, provide the URL of the server to which you want to connect.
3. To communicate with the service using a specific version of the service specification, click the Version drop-down arrow and choose the appropriate version number. Otherwise, the default version of the service is used.
4. Optionally, if you are creating an OGC API, WFS, WMS, or WMTS connection, click the Custom request parameters heading and specify any custom request parameters to use.
5. If applicable, provide your username and password, and choose how to store the credentials:
   • Save Username/Password to Windows Credential Manager—Your credentials are stored in the computer's operating system. You are not prompted for your credentials again unless you use the file to access the server from another computer. This is the default option.
   • Save Username/Password to connection file—Your credentials are stored in the connection file. Anyone can access the server without being prompted to sign in if they have access to this file.
6. Click OK.

   If you provided credentials and chose the Save Username / Password to connection file option, a warning message appears.

7. Click Yes to continue.

   Note:

   If the OGC service is associated with a service in an Enterprise portal, you may be prompted to sign in to the portal.

A server connection file is created and stored in the project's home folder. The server connection appears in the Servers container in the Catalog pane. The connection file has one of the following extensions, depending on the server type: .ogc, .wcs, .wfs, .wms, or .wmts.

Add a server to your project favorites

If you connect to the same GIS server in many projects, you can make it a favorite. A favorite can be added to a project from the Favorites tab of the Catalog pane. When you make a server connection a favorite, its connection properties are stored and you don't need to provide them again when you add the favorite to a new project. A copy of the connection file is saved to the Favorites folder in your roaming profile.

You can create server connections that are automatically made favorites. The connection files are stored by default in the Favorites folder in your roaming profile and are potentially available on every computer you use.

Tip:

You can make a server connection a favorite by dragging it from its catalog folder location, the catalog Servers container , or File Explorer to the Favorites tab in the Catalog pane.

Copy a server to another project

You can copy a server connection from one open project to another using the Copy and Paste commands or by dragging the connection.

Modify server connection properties

You can view and modify the connection properties of a server in a project. You can change the capabilities that are available with the connection if your credentials allow it. For example, if your credentials provide access to administrator-level capabilities on the site, you can upgrade a publisher connection to the administrator level. Similarly, you can downgrade a publisher connection to the user level.

1. In the Catalog pane or a catalog view window, right-click a server connection and click Properties.

   The server's Properties dialog box appears. For ArcGIS Server connections only, the Type drop-down list shows the connection level.

2. If the Type option is available, you can change the level of access as appropriate.
   • User Connection—Use services on the server. Map and feature services are listed, along with other items accessible with your credentials. This is the only option if you're connected to a federated server.
   • Publisher Connection—Publish services except geoprocessing services to a stand-alone ArcGIS Server site. Items accessible with your credentials are listed; however, feature services are not included in the list.
   • Administrator Connection—Publish all services to a stand-alone ArcGIS Server site with this connection. Items available with your credentials are listed; however, feature services are not included in the list.
3. In the Server URL box, change the URL of the server as appropriate.
4. For OGC servers only, in the Version drop-down list, change the version of the service specification as appropriate.
5. For OGC API, WFS, WMS, or WMTS servers only, click the Custom request parameters heading and change the custom parameter values as appropriate.
6. Under Authentication, change your username, password, and credential storage setting as appropriate. If you are connected to a federated server, you don't provide credentials; you sign in to the portal.
   • Save Username/Password to Windows Credential Manager—Your credentials are stored in the computer's operating system. You are not prompted for your credentials again unless you use the file to access the server from another computer. This is the default option when you create a server connection.
   • Save Username/Password to connection file—Your credentials are stored in the connection file. Anyone can access the server without being prompted to sign in if they have access to this file.
7. Click OK.

   If you provided credentials and chose the Save Username/Password to connection file option, a warning message appears.

8. Click Yes to continue and save your credentials to the connection file.

Remove a connection

You can remove an item connection in the Catalog pane or catalog view if you no longer need to work with the item or if its contents become unavailable. When you remove an item connection, the item and its contents are no longer directly accessible from your project. However, they are not deleted from their computer, network, or cloud location.

You cannot remove item connections to items required by the project, such as the home folder, default toolbox, and default geodatabase.

1. In the Catalog pane, browse to the item connection.

   Alternatively, with the catalog view active, browse to the item connection in the Contents pane or the catalog view.

2. Click the item connection to select it.
3. Right-click the item and click Remove From Project .

   When the catalog view is active, you can also use the ribbon to remove an item connection. On the ribbon, click the Catalog tab. In the Organize group, click Remove .