Cannot Sign in to Portal

BrysonWebber · ‎01-23-2015

I've had Server for ArcGIS 10.2 installed and running for a while now along with a web adapter. I have finally got the chance to install Portal. Everything seems to go smooth with installing Portal and I connect my web adapter to it fine but when I go to my Portal site it will not let me sign in. I can create a new account but I can not sign in. I have tried looking at all of my settings to see if there is anything that would be preventing me from signing in but I don't see it.

I think it is something easy but I just can't seem to find out what.

BrysonWebber · ‎09-19-2016

Sorry for not responding sooner, I forgot about this issue as it was almost 2 years ago. There was some error in the install that caused the issue. I used a disk instead of the ISO and it fixed the problem.

View solution in original post

JenniferMcCall4 · ‎07-20-2016

Hi Bryson,

What version of Web Adaptor and Portal are you using? Both should be at the same version. Could this be part of the problem?

DerekLaw · ‎07-20-2016

Hi Bryson,

Did you install a second Web Adaptor instance to work with your Portal, and NOT use the same Web Adaptor that is already configured to work with your ArcGIS Server site? We recommend as a best practice to use separate Web Adaptors for a Server site and Portal for ArcGIS.

Hope this helps,

PaulDavidson1 · ‎07-20-2016

Derek;

Can you clarify your comment about Best Practice?

I thought it was required that if using a Web Adaptor (WA) with both Portal and ArcGIS Server (AGS) that you had to use two independent WAs. True?

You don't have to use a WA except in some settings, such as federation, reverse proxy, DMZ usage or NLB. True?

(Seems to me that not using a pair of WAs is just asking for a lot of headaches.)

Regarding your comment about best practice: does that mean you can run Portal and AGS on one WA but its not recommended or are you saying that you could run AGS on a WA and Portal with out a WA (or vice versa) but that the latter setup of only one server using a WA is not considered best practice?

I will always set it up with two independent WAs and just thought that was required if you want to use a WA. It's easy enough to install a second one and the overhead seems fairly minimal. Is that a fair statement?

I ask only for understanding and clarification. To me, the WebGIS world seems to be rapidly expanding and changing and what was a rule in one release is not necessarily a rule a newer release. I am not complaining.

The updates the WebGIS family is undergoing are fantastic.

DerekLaw · ‎07-20-2016

Hi Paul,

In the original post, Bryson said he is using Server 10.2, which would imply he is also using Portal 10.2. This was the first COTS release of Portal and in that release, our documentation said it was possible to use a single Web Adaptor for both Server and Portal. Since the 10.2 release, we've learned that it is not good to use a single Web Adaptor for both. So, in order to NOT contradict the 10.2 help documentation, I used the term "best practice".

> I thought it was required that if using a Web Adaptor (WA) with both Portal and ArcGIS Server (AGS) that you had to use two independent WAs. True?

Yes, you are correct. And in post 10.2 Server releases, the help doc says this.

> You don't have to use a WA except in some settings, such as federation, reverse proxy, DMZ usage or NLB. True?

The Web Adaptor is optional for ArcGIS Server (aka. GIS Server). The Web Adaptor is required for Portal for ArcGIS to work.

> Regarding your comment about best practice: does that mean you can run Portal and AGS on one WA but its not recommended ...

Incorrect. Please see my opening statements above - referring back to the 10.2 Server and Portal help documentation.

> ... or are you saying that you could run AGS on a WA and Portal with out a WA (or vice versa) but that the latter setup of only one server using a WA is not considered best practice?

The first statement is false and incorrect. The second option: Portal for ArcGIS with Web Adaptor + GIS Server without a Web Adaptor is a possible deployment option, it depends on your business requirements.

> I will always set it up with two independent WAs and just thought that was required if you want to use a WA. It's easy enough to install a second one and the overhead seems fairly minimal.

I always do the same. Keeps the Web GIS deployment "simple".

Hope this helps,
Derek

PaulDavidson1 · ‎08-02-2016

Derek:

Thanks for the replies and clarification.

Can you clarify two other things regarding Portal.

My memory from the 2015 UC, is that you said something to the effect of:

Use HTTPS only with Portal. We're moving to it as a requirement rather than calling it a Best Practice.

Is that true or is my memory wrong?

Personally, we've gone to https only on Portal and it seems to clear up certain issues.

Does Portal require a valid CA certificate or will it work with a self-signed certificate?

DerekLaw · ‎08-02-2016

Hi Paul,

> My memory from the 2015 UC, is that you said something to the effect of:

Use HTTPS only with Portal. We're moving to it as a requirement rather than calling it a Best Practice.

Is that true or is my memory wrong?

Your memory's incorrect. I made this statement in reference to the GIS Server. I said that starting with the 10.4 release, when you install an ArcGIS Server site, it will be set to HTTPS by default.

> Does Portal require a valid CA certificate or will it work with a self-signed certificate?

Technically Portal for ArcGIS can work with a self-signed certificate. In fact, Portal installs with a self-signed certificate by default. But this is not recommended for a production site. Why? Because client machines that connect to Portal will always get the "untrusted certificate error" in their web browsers - which makes for a lousy end user experience. It's better to use a domain or CA certificate, so client machines won't get this error.

Hope this helps,

PaulDavidson1 · ‎08-03-2016

Hi Derek:

Thanks for taking the time to respond!

JacobBoyle · ‎07-20-2016

Also, did you license Portal, you need to run the Software Authorization license tool.

PaulDavidson1 · ‎08-02-2016

Bryson, I'd add a few comments regarding setting up Portal.

My experience is:

Start with a CA certificate. Self-signed certs have seemed problematic to me. I've seen issues go away when I've installed a CA certificate and gone to https only on Portal.

If your licensing allows it, use Portal 10.4 or 10.4.1. The updates have added great functionality. Some of the updates coming in 10.5 look great. Portal is such an expanding product that it's worth the effort to update. I'd also plug the Chef Cookbooks, especially for creating a provisioned environment that makes updating much more painless. That's another topic...

The virtual world is the way to go if you can afford it. Especially true for standing up new servers, doing upgrades, etc... Just snapshot the current environment before you start an upgrade. If it the upgrade goes south, it's a quick reset. I cannot calculate how many hours (days!) I've spent rebuilding hardware boxes over the years either from scratch or off a tape or disk image. No comparison.

I've noticed on Geonet (and personally seen) a number of issues go away with an uninstall of Web Adaptor and then a reinstall. I always do a reboot with major installs/uninstalls/reinstalls. This of course assumes you have sufficient IT permissions to do such things.