A few bits of context to the problem: * The gp task is hosted on a vm server designed for internal use, but the server can access the rest endpoint of the esri basemapping at http://services.arcgisonline.com/ArcGIS/rest/services/World_Topo_Map/MapServer. * I can also make requests from the rest endpoint of the internal server to the esri basemapping service and can get the result back. * It works fine using a map with only internal services. * There is no security on the internal server and it is being tested using unsecured arcgis basemaps * I am calling the gp task using the standard print widget in flex, but the flex side doesn't seem to be a problem, because if i reconfigure the flex widget to use the sample print task at http://sampleserver6.arcgisonline.com/arcgis/rest/services/Utilities/PrintingTools/GPServer/Export%2... it works fine.
I know it sounds like something to do with permissions or firewall settings etc but the server seems to be able to make requests to the external acrgis service without any trouble so it is quite perplexing.
Problem sorted now - the arcgis server user was set up as a local user with insufficient permissions to access the basemapping (which was an external web service).
