ArcGIS Server Log Error.. "Unable to read the service '<servicename>.MapS' from the configuration store. Illegal group reference"

[DamianoMontrasio]

Hi...

anyone can give me some more information about this error?

"Unable to read the service '<servicename>.MapS' from the configuration store. Illegal group reference"

It comes from a Arcgis Server 10.3 that does not show more services but are present in the folder "configuration store".

I tried to reconfigure the site and restart the machine but without success.

Thanks in advance...

Damiano

[ToddBlanchette]

Hi Damiano,

Can you provide more info as to how this error started happening?  Did you have a working service and now it doesn't work anymore?  Did you move your store locations around or migrate to a new storage area?  All of these could cause issues with the server no longer seeing all the proper files to run the service.

[DamianoMontrasio]

Hi Todd,

services have literally disappeared from Catalog and Manager, after a server restart, apparently without a reason and not for all services.

I temporarily solved in this way:

• Cutting the folder for the service in the config store and pasted on the desktop (as backup).
• New publication of the service with the same name.

> Did you move your store locations around or migrate to a new storage area?

No.

I I suggested a problem of an insufficient amount of RAM, I did increase.

I am now monitoring the performance...

Is strange that i didn't found documentation on "Illegal group reference" error...

Thanks for your message...

Damiano

[ToddBlanchette]

Thanks for the info Damiano!

I too researched the "Illegal group reference" error, but no luck matching it to any existing ArcGIS/ESRI issues.  The closest thing I get is errors with the $ character in java.

That being said, the most probable issue here, in my opinion, is that the server restart caused some form of issue or corruption of the data store/config store or the directory links.

My first step would be to go into the ArcGIS for Server Manager, and try to modify the directories links and see if it might recreate a corrected path for the server.  If that doesn't work, is there a recent backup of the physical location of the data store/config store/directories list and can you retrieve a known good copy from there?  Other than these options, I can't think of anything else that might restore your services.

[DamianoMontrasio]

Hi Todd,

I compared the JSON files that describe the Map service (in Unit:\arcgisserver\config-store\services) and the only difference I found between the working and non-working version was this:

"cacheDir": "${arcgiscache}"  (in not Working)

"cacheDir": \\\\aspdsnetapp01\\na01_arcgis$\\ArcGis\\Cache (real ok Path ...in working)

In fact the "$" char was present ...!!!

I hope this will be useful for other users...

Thanks...

Damiano

[SusmitaDuncan]

I'm having the same issue with endless "Illegal group reference" errors in the ArcGIS Server logs. These are fresh installs and the illegal group reference errors are for all the services in the System server. I have 3 machines in the Site and default cluster, and the error shows up on machines 2 and 3. The arcgisserver directory is on machine 1, and I've eliminated the $ from any directory share I've been trying to use as the config store and data store. (Originally had those directories on a NAS, but NAS shares have $ built in), but removed and recreated the Site to use a local SAN shared drive to test this out. This is happening consistently on different 10.3.1 ArcGIS Serve Sites I've been installing.