Part 2: Configuring custom domains and managing SSL certificates in ArcGIS Hub
Custom domains are often the first interaction your users have with your Hub sites. They help establish brand identity, simplify access, and provide a consistent experience across your organization.
Configuring custom domains in ArcGIS Hub
Plan your domain structure
Ensure your domain strategy aligns with your organization’s governance and branding plans before configuring anything in the Domain Name System (DNS).
Use a CNAME record
What’s a CNAME? A CNAME record, short for Canonical Name record, is a type of DNS record that maps one domain name (an alias) to another (the canonical name), allowing multiple domains to point to the same destination. A DNS translates human-readable domain names (like example.com) into IP addresses that computers use in order to locate each other on the internet.
Your CNAME record setup should:
- Point your custom domain (e.g., data.city.gov) to: hub.arcgis.com
- Avoid using Address Records (also known as A Records, as they can lead to issues down the line and are not officially supported. An A Record is a type of DNS record that maps a domain name to a specific IP address (IPv4), directing web traffic to the correct server.
Be strategic about subdomain use
When planning your domain assignments, it’s important to ensure that each Hub site has a unique, clearly distinguishable domain. Overlapping or similar-looking names within an organization can lead to misrouted traffic, user confusion, or DNS conflicts—especially when multiple teams are managing their own content.
Examples to avoid
- climate.city.gov
- climatechange.city.gov
- climate-data.city.gov
At a glance, these domains might seem fine, but they’re too similar and may cause confusion for users trying to ascertain or remember which one is which—or result in multiple teams accidentally claiming similar names.
Examples to follow
- climateaction.city.gov – City’s sustainability initiatives
- environmentaldata.city.gov – Raw environmental datasets
- climateresilience.city.gov – Emergency preparation and adaptation planning
By assigning more purposeful and distinct subdomains, you can reduce the risk of overlap and make navigation clearer for your site visitors. And this ultimately supports sharing your data, your message, and so on.
Configure your Hub site or sites
- Navigate to your Hub site and login
- Open your Hub site’s layout editor
- Go to Settings on the side panel and select Domain Settings
- Select Modify domain settings and choose Custom domain
- Enter the desired domain or subdomain
- Save your changes.
Do not forget that your CNAME record must be configured first! If you are not sure of how to do this, speak with your IT team or the individual who manages your organization's network. Every DNS configuration will be different. When a CNAME record is initially configured, it can take a few minutes before the entire internet knows. Occasionally this can take as long as 24 hours.
For more information, refer to the Hub web help.
Maintain a domain inventory
Track all configured custom domains, their associated Hub sites, and contact owners in a shared reference document. Make sure to back up this file and keep it updated.
Managing SSL certificates across domains
Security is non-negotiable for modern web platforms. In Hub, every custom domain must use HTTPS, and SSL certificates are what enable that secure connection. Fortunately, Hub takes care of much of the heavy lifting—but it’s still important to understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
What ArcGIS Hub handles for you
- Automatic SSL Provisioning via Let’s Encrypt
- As soon as a domain is verified, Hub requests and installs an SSL certificate for it—no manual intervention is needed.
- Auto-Renewals
- Certificates are renewed automatically if your domain remains properly configured and verified in the DNS.
Your role in SSL management
- Monitor Certificate Health
- Use public tools to check for misconfigurations, expiration issues, or browser warnings.
- For example, you can use SSL Labs for this purpose.
- Re-verify DNS if Changes Occur
- If you switch DNS providers, update records, or make other changes, you may need to contact your IT or network team to to keep SSL working smoothly.
Conclusion: Building user trust through technical setup
When configured correctly, custom domains and SSL certificates create a polished, professional, and secure environment for your Hub users. These elements aren’t just technical niceties. They directly impact user trust, site performance, and even how search engines treat your content.
In the next post, we’ll look at how to boost SEO and discoverability across multiple domains, ensuring your valuable content gets in front of the right audience - without getting buried or duplicated.
Roadmap to success
Here’s what's coming next:
- Part 3: Ensuring SEO & discoverability across multiple domains
