Cannot start Publishing Tools service

Question

I have ArcGIS Server 10.1 installed on Windows Server 2008 and am using the "one machine" approach where the ArcGIS Server and the web server are on the same machine.  I have the Web Adapter installed.  I cannot start the Publishing Tools geoprocessing service and get this error: "Failed to start the server machine xyz.  Error while starting AppServer.  Required port '4,000' already in use.'

My understanding from the install documentation (http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/install-guides/arcgis-server/10.1/index.html#//01nm00000025000000) is that ports 4000-4003 only need to be open if you have multiple machines as GIS servers.  Is this correct or do I need to open these ports to publish a map service using a one machine setup?

StephanieSnider · Answer

When I had problems getting the Publishing Tools service to start, I stopped and started the Windows service ArcGIS Server (formerly known as the SOM/SOC in version 10.0).  Stopping the service stops the GIS server on the machine and shuts down any running GIS service instances.  When the service starts up, it choose a port(s) from the correct range.  I believe ArcGIS Server became corrupted during a failed attempt to publish a regular map service from ArcMap directly.  It has only happened one another time since then (also publishing from ArcMap but with a different map document), and restarting the Windows service ArcGIS Server worked for me.

SamirGambhir · Answer

ESRI tech support said that even if you have a one-machine setup, ports 4000-4003 still need to be open.  I thought clustering was for multiple machines, but you can have a cluster with just one machine.  ESRI's documentation makes it appears as if clustering is optional, but it is not.  Good to know.

Hi Stephanie,
I have a similar situation, but one day these services work fine but another day I get the error message and my services fail to start. Even if one-machine configuration needs these ports to be open, not sure why my services work fine some days without these ports open. Did you or anyone on this forum experience a similar behavior with your/their services too?
I am using ArcGIS Server with JavaScript API 3.2. I am running this application on my local machine and am not using a webadaptor.
Thanks
Samir

StephanieSnider · Answer

ESRI tech support said that even if you have a one-machine setup, ports 4000-4003 still need to be open.  I thought clustering was for multiple machines, but you can have a cluster with just one machine.  ESRI's documentation makes it appears as if clustering is optional, but it is not.  Good to know.