ArcGIS for Server (hereafter known as Server) installation is a challenging task; use a parameter that does not fit your requirements, hardware, or operating system, and you will end up with a buggy launch, unexpected errors, and an unstable setup. This will eventually force you to waste precious time and resources reinstalling and reconfiguring the product. If you are an ArcGIS user, you will know the pain of having that one small problem which can only be fixed by completely reinstalling the product. Therefore, having the right configuration will help you save a lot of time later and result in a much healthier setup.

In this chapter, we will define the Server site, which holds all configurations, including web servers, GIS servers, logfiles, and data stores. Then, we will thoroughly explain the different installation tracks that you can select for ArcGIS for Server.