Cached map service without Server access to data?

[RyanKelso]

I want to publish a cached map service where the GIS server will not have, or will cease to have, access to the source data.  I have large collections of aerial photos on an external hard drive.  I want to create the cache tiles in ArcGIS Desktop on my workstation PC, publish a service, then copy the cache to the server.  I had this working, until the server loses its connection to the source data that I used to publish the service.  It has the cache, but the service stops displaying the data.

Any ideas, or perhaps a different workflow for this?  Thanks.

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Do you have the service set as a cache service (if dynamic, it will want access to the source).

It would help to know the version or Desktop, and ArcGIS Server.  I know that compact caches from 10.3.x are not readable by 10.2.x version of the software.  I'm know sure if this has changed in 10.4 yet.

[RyanKelso]

Hi Rebecca.  I am on version 10.3.1 on both desktop and server.  I have created my services as cached with the option to create the tiles manually (because I want to create the tiles on my desktop).

What I've done is:

Make source imagery accessible to the server by way of an external hdd.  Add the imagery to a map and publish it as a cached service with the option to create tiles manually later.  Create the cache on my desktop.  Copy it to the server.  At this point everything is happy and working properly.  But once I disconnect the hdd with the source imagery that was referenced in the mxd I published, the cache service stops working.  Even though the cache remains untouched on the server.

My most recent workaround is to publish an mxd with only a boundary polygon (a .shp located on the server) of the imagery in the map.  Then I complete the rest of the steps.

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP · Accepted solution]

Actually that sounds like a reasonable workaround, and similar to what I do, except  I do it thru Server only.  I create the service with the data, cache, then (after copying a backup of the mxd, just in case) I change the mxd to include the outline of the state  (or extent  boundary, if more appropriate).

Server still needs the mxd with some type of accessible data,

Also, make sure the boundary share is in a folder that is registered in the datastore, otherwise is will try to "copy the data to server".

[RyanKelso]

Great.  Thanks for letting me know how you go about it.  I'm fairly new to using cached services.  I didn't think of the workaround until moments after creating this thread (naturally).