ArcGIS Notebook Server supports multiple-machine sites starting at 10.7.1. In a multiple-machine site, each machine is configured the same, with identical Docker setups, and each can run ArcGIS Notebooks.
Note:
If you have a few notebook users who require more machine resources, you might evaluate modifying your site's resource limits as a limited alternative to adding machines.
To set up a multiple-machine ArcGIS Notebook Server site, you must first create a new site from one machine. Then, you can join your additional machines to the site. All machines must have the ArcGIS Notebook Server software installed at the same version, using the same license file and Docker container images. You can expand an ArcGIS Notebook Server 10.7.1 site from one to multiple machines at any time.
When your notebook users reference portal items in their notebooks, all analysis and processing of those items uses the portal's hosting server. If there are many notebooks in your site, or many concurrent notebooks that reference portal items, and the hosting server site does not have adequate processing resources for them, notebook performance can decrease. When you expand your ArcGIS Notebook Server site from one to multiple machines, you should accordingly consider expanding the machine resources available in the ArcGIS Server site that's registered as the hosting server.
If you are upgrading a single-machine site from 10.7 to 10.7.1 and want to expand the site with additional machines, first upgrade the site and then follow the steps to join the additional machines to the site.
Follow the steps in the ArcGIS Notebook Server installation guide to set up a multiple-machine site. The guide will indicate when additional steps are needed for multiple-machine sites.
Server directories and replication
In multiple-machine ArcGIS Notebook Server sites, most server directories and the site configuration store are hosted on shared locations accessible to each machine. The exception is the workspace directory, which is mounted to each user's Docker containers. In Windows systems, Docker does not support mounting shared drives on containers, so the workspace directory must remain local on each machine. Because users can launch containers and open notebooks on each machine in a multiple-machine site, it's necessary that the content in the workspace directory be synchronized across machines.
DFS replication is not the only possible way to synchronize the contents of your ArcGIS Notebook Server site's workspace directory. But because it is a frequently used method native to Windows, the ArcGIS Notebook Server installation guide gives the steps to configure DFS replication. You can discuss with your IT administrator whether DFS or another replication system is best for your organization.