We have a raster dataset, which is a mosaic of our orthophoto state coverage. We want to serve this via ArcGIS Server, as a base layer for viewing. I can use the Tile Cache toolset, specifically the Manage Tile Cache tool to create a tile cache: Manage Tile Cache (Data Management) http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#/Manage_Tile_Cache/001700000189000000/ The question then is, how is this best served via ArcGIS Server? I can serve the tile cache as an image service. If I do this, and want it to be really fast, then I could generate an image server cache from the tile cache. But it does not seem logical to generate a cache of a cache, and it doubles the amount of data we have. I can place the tile cache in a map document as a raster data source, and then serve the map document. But again, to make it fast, I can generate a map server cache. But again, I have a cache of a cache and it double the amount of data we have. With a bit to stuffing around, I can create an image service, with an image server cache. I can then replace that image service, where the data source reference the actual cache. The source of the image service becomes the image server cache.
I can do a similar thing with respect to a map service, where the data source in the map document, is the actual map services own cache.
I am still left with the question of should I do this, and also, should I do it with a map service or an image service?
The data source has to be a raster, so that I can have the WMS capability. Cheers, Mark