ArcGIS Notebook Server is an ArcGIS Server role that is licensed and configured for the purpose of hosting notebooks. The server role uses containers to host and run ArcGIS Notebooks and provides a separate and secure environment for the notebooks without interfering with the host operating system.
If your ArcGIS Notebook Server site has already been set up, refer to the software user guide or administrator guide.
Starting at 10.7.1, multiple machines can be joined in an ArcGIS Notebook Server site, allowing you to expand your machine resources for hosting and executing notebooks. If you want to deploy a multiple-machine site, some additional steps are required, as detailed in Join additional machines to an ArcGIS Notebook Server site.
Use this guide to install and configure the software. The installation process for ArcGIS Notebook Server is different than for other ArcGIS Server roles. Read the installation guide carefully, and complete the installation steps in the order they are presented.
Prerequisites and constraints for Windows systems
If you deploy ArcGIS Notebook Server on Windows machines, there are a number of prerequisites and constraints to consider. These do not apply when deploying ArcGIS Notebook Server on Linux machines.
- ArcGIS Notebook Server uses Docker, a third-party component, to manage containers. When you deploy ArcGIS Notebook Server on Windows machines, you must use the Docker Desktop Community edition of Docker. This edition does not include support or maintenance from Docker, but is considered feature-complete.
- It's recommended you use Windows Server 2019 machines in a production environment of ArcGIS Notebook Server. Windows 10 machines are only supported for development environments.
- If you deploy ArcGIS Notebook Server on Windows Server 2019, you can use the current stable release of Docker Desktop Community. Note that the Docker documentation for the current version does not mention Windows Server 2019 in its system requirements.
- If you deploy ArcGIS Notebook Server on Windows Server 2016, you must use version 2.0.0.3 or earlier of Docker Desktop Community, and will not be able to upgrade Docker in the future. Newer versions of Docker Desktop Community are incompatible with Windows Server 2016.
- ArcGIS Notebook Server uses Linux containers in its Docker component. On Windows machines, the containers in an ArcGIS Notebook Server site are managed within a Linux emulator called MobyLinuxVM, which is contained within the Hyper-V environment.
- ArcGIS Notebook Server requires the Hyper-V role to already be installed on Windows Server and Windows 10.
- Certain virtualization environments do not allow Hyper-V to be enabled and operated in Windows. As a result, ArcGIS Notebook Server cannot be installed and operated in such environments.
- Starting at 10.7.1, ArcGIS Notebook Server supports multiple-machine sites. In Windows systems, Docker does not support mounting shared drives on containers, so the workspace directory must remain local on each machine. Because users can launch containers and open notebooks on each machine in a multiple-machine site, it's necessary that the content in the workspace directory be synchronized across machines. The steps to configure one method of replication are given in Configure DFS replication for ArcGIS Notebook Server.
Software installation
An overview of the steps to install ArcGIS Notebook Server is below. Complete each step in order, and review all sections of the installation guide documentation as you go.
- Read the following introductory material in this guide to become familiar with the software:
- Complete your ArcGIS Enterprise base deployment. Whether you are upgrading from an earlier version or installing a new deployment, you should have all software components—the ArcGIS Enterprise portal, an ArcGIS Server site designated as the hosting server, and an instance of ArcGIS Data Store—installed and running the 10.8 software.
- Review the system requirements and make any necessary adjustments to the machine you'll be using. Read the entire system requirements topic.
- Set up Docker on your machine. Download the appropriate software from the Docker Hub store, install it on your machine, and configure the various settings required for ArcGIS Notebook Server to use.
- Obtain your materials from the My Esri website: the software installer, the container images corresponding to your license level, and a postinstallation software utility.
- Install the ArcGIS Notebook Server software on your machine. You can do this using the provided installer, or install silently. There are separate help topics for these two options.
- Configure your ArcGIS Notebook Server site. The three primary steps are as follows:
- Create a site for your ArcGIS Notebook Server machine.
- Add your OS account to a Docker group.
- Run the postinstallation utility to configure Docker with ArcGIS Notebook Server.
- Join any additional machines to your new site. This help topic also explains other requisites for multiple-machine site setup.
- If you're setting up a multiple-machine site, you'll need to configure a replication method for the workspace directory. An explanation of this process and steps for a particular replication method are given in Configure DFS replication for ArcGIS Notebook Server.
- Install and configure an instance of ArcGIS Web Adaptor with your ArcGIS Notebook Server site. If you want to use a reverse proxy server with the site, there are instructions to do so as well.
- Configure your site with your ArcGIS Enterprise portal. Federate the server site with the portal, and designate it as the portal's notebook server. This allows you to create ArcGIS Notebooks that run in your ArcGIS Notebook Server site. Lastly, create one or more custom portal member roles to grant your notebook authors the necessary privileges.