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Configure ArcGIS Enterprise to support Insights

Before users can access Insights in ArcGIS Enterprise, you must set up a base ArcGIS Enterprise deployment.

You also need to install Insights in ArcGIS Enterprise. For instructions, see Install ArcGIS Insights in ArcGIS Enterprise.

Required base ArcGIS Enterprise deployment

A base ArcGIS Enterprise deployment is required to support Insights in ArcGIS Enterprise, licensed with ArcGIS Server Standard, ArcGIS Server Advanced, ArcGIS Server Workgroup Standard, or ArcGIS Server Workgroup Advanced. For a tutorial on how to create a base deployment, see Tutorial: Set up a base ArcGIS Enterprise deployment.

Note:

If ArcGIS Web Adaptor for ArcGIS Server is not configured to enable administrative access, ArcGIS Server must be configured to use a CA-signed certificate to support creating database connections.

Some organizations may require a CA-signed SSL certificate for ArcGIS Data Store. For more information, see Replace ArcGIS Data Store SSL certificate.

After you build your deployment, you will also need to configure required portal settings (see below).

Required portal configuration settings

After you set up the base ArcGIS Enterprise deployment, ensure that users in your organization have the appropriate role, privileges, and user type to access and use Insights.

A user requires the following:

  • The default Publisher or Administrator role, or an equivalent custom role to add data, create visualizations, and use spatial analytics.
  • Insights Analyst, Creator, or GIS Professional user type.
  • An Insights license assigned to the user. The Insights Analyst user type has an Insights license included.

For more information, see Licensing.

Next, configure other settings to enable important services and features such as geocoding and routing (see below).

Important settings for ArcGIS Insights features

These configuration settings are not required, but they allow portal members to connect to data warehouses, geocode data, use maps (and extents) suitable for their region, and more.

Register relational data store types

To support database connections that allow users to add datasets from a business database, your portal's hosting server site must have the required relational data store types registered for use. Follow these steps to ensure Insights can work with your database.

  1. Upload the required vendor files to ArcGIS Server. This step is not required for PostgreSQL because the PostgreSQL JDBC driver is included in ArcGIS Server. If you are registering a PostgreSQL relational data store type, skip to step 2.
    1. Get the required vendor files for the database type you want to register (see Required vendor files to get the list).
    2. Package vendor files into a compressed folder (.zip) for a single database type.
      Note:

      When compressing the JDBC drivers for upload, .jar files should be located in the root of the archive. There should not be any folders in the .zip file.

    3. Using an administrator account, sign in to the ArcGIS Server Administrator Directory (http://server:port/arcgis/admin).
    4. Browse to Uploads.
    5. Click Choose File.
    6. Browse to the compressed folder containing the vendor files for the database to be registered.
    7. Select the compressed folder and click Open.
    8. Optionally add a description to the file to upload.
    9. Click Upload.
    10. Note the item ID of the uploaded file.
    11. Browse back to Home.
  2. Register the data store type on ArcGIS Server.
    1. Browse to Data in the ArcGIS Server Administrator Directory.
    2. Browse to relationalDatastoreTypes.
    3. Browse to Register.
    4. Select the compressed folder using the item ID from the Uploaded item ID drop-down list. This step is not required for PostgreSQL because a compressed folder was not created for step 1.
    5. Select the corresponding type from the Relational Datastore Type drop-down list.
    6. Click Register Item.
  3. Restart ArcGIS Server.
    1. After registering all required data store types following steps 1 and 2, you have to restart ArcGIS Server on each machine in your site. To do this, you need to restart the Windows service or use the stopserver and startserver scripts on Linux.
  4. Validate user database privileges.
    1. Make sure that Insights users have the required database privileges to create database connections and query data.
Tip:

Insights displays spatial data in the spatial reference system of your portal organization's default basemap. This is for display and query purposes only; the underlying data is not altered. If the two spatial reference systems' underlying geographic coordinate systems are incompatible, alignment and accuracy problems may be observed. To ensure fast performance and accurate display of spatial data, it is recommended that organizations use the same spatial reference system for their default basemap and their spatial data. You can change the default basemap of the portal or reproject your spatial data to match your organization's basemap.

Edit relational data store types

Edit a registered relational data store type to update its properties. Before proceeding with any edit, make a backup copy of the JSON properties. To edit the relational data store type, use the following steps:

  1. Edit the registered relational data store type on ArcGIS Server.
    1. Using an administrator account, sign in to the ArcGIS Server Administrator Directory (http://server:port/arcgis/admin).
    2. Browse to Data in the ArcGIS Server Administrator Directory.
    3. Browse to relationalDatastoreTypes.
    4. Click the registered relational data store type that needs to be edited.
    5. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click edit.
    6. Modify the properties and click update.
  2. Restart ArcGIS Server for the changes to take effect.

    After editing registered relational data store types, restart ArcGIS Server on each machine in your site. To do this, you need to restart the Windows service or use the stopserver and startserver scripts on Linux.

For more information, see Edit Relational Data Store Type.

Configure utility services

Configure utility services required to power specific functionality in your portal, such as performing analysis that depends on utility services. The table below lists each utility service and the Insights feature it supports.

OptionDescription

Geocoding

Allows users to add location to their datasets by specifying an address. For user instructions, see Enable location for your data.

Geometry

Enables the use of dissolved boundaries for Create Buffer/Drive Times.

Routing

Enables Find Nearest.

GeoEnrichment

Allows users to add demographic information to a location or area using Enrich Data.

Configure travel modes

Allows users to specify a means of transportation, such as walking time or trucking distance, for Create Buffer/Drive Times.

Note:
  • You can configure your portal to use utility services from ArcGIS Online. See Configure ArcGIS Online utility services for details.
  • If you are running Insights in a disconnected environment, you must configure the service from a federated or hosting server.

Configure boundary layers

Configure boundary layers to allow organization members to use feature layers containing boundary information for supported countries in their maps and analyses.

When you configure boundary layers, users can add these layers from the Boundaries tab of the Add to page window. Boundary layers are another way for users to add location to their data. For user instructions, see the following:

Configure Living Atlas content

Configure subscriber and premium content from ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World to make this ArcGIS Online collection available in your portal. Living Atlas content that does not require you to sign in to an ArcGIS Online account is available by default.

Batch geocoding

The geocoder in your organization must support batch geocoding to be used to enable location on multiple addresses. For more information on geocoders available for configuration, see Configure utility services.