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PD10
Level 2
May 22, 2025
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ECID tracking server values

  • May 22, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 680 views

What should be the value of tracking server and secure tracking server? whether it should be first party or third party?

Best answer by bjoern__koth

Hi @pd10 

 

trackingServer is something from the past when HTTPS was not really a standard security measure.

Nowadays, you will want to set them (if needed, see below) to the same values.

 

Adobe allows defining your own tracking-subdomain which gives you a first-party cookie (set in the tracking call's response) instead of using their standard tracking domains (default if you don't specify the tracking servers). This is also called "event cloaking", since an ad blocker may not be able to detect that your subdomain is actually forwarding an event to a third-party. This may lead to more tracking calls being not blocked by ad blockers, giving you more accurate data.

 

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/id-service/using/reference/analytics-reference/cname
Basically your sys admin create a CNAME entry for the subdomain and Adobe provides an https certificate. From there on you can use this different tracking domain.

Worth mentioning that nowadays modern browsers can figure out that the CNAME/subdomain is point to an external host and may limit the cookie lifetime (Safari's ITP does that for insance).

4 replies

bjoern__koth
Community Advisor and Adobe Champion
bjoern__kothCommunity Advisor and Adobe ChampionAccepted solution
Community Advisor and Adobe Champion
May 23, 2025

Hi @pd10 

 

trackingServer is something from the past when HTTPS was not really a standard security measure.

Nowadays, you will want to set them (if needed, see below) to the same values.

 

Adobe allows defining your own tracking-subdomain which gives you a first-party cookie (set in the tracking call's response) instead of using their standard tracking domains (default if you don't specify the tracking servers). This is also called "event cloaking", since an ad blocker may not be able to detect that your subdomain is actually forwarding an event to a third-party. This may lead to more tracking calls being not blocked by ad blockers, giving you more accurate data.

 

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/id-service/using/reference/analytics-reference/cname
Basically your sys admin create a CNAME entry for the subdomain and Adobe provides an https certificate. From there on you can use this different tracking domain.

Worth mentioning that nowadays modern browsers can figure out that the CNAME/subdomain is point to an external host and may limit the cookie lifetime (Safari's ITP does that for insance).

Cheers from Switzerland!
    purnimajena
    purnimajena
    Level 3
    May 23, 2025

    Hi @pd10 ,


    The values for the trackingServer and trackingServerSecure variables in Adobe Analytics should typically reflect your first-party tracking domain to ensure accurate data collection and reliable visitor identification.
    Example for first Party :s.trackingServer = "data.example.com";
    For third party :s.trackingServer = "example.data.adobedc.net";
    Both should point to the same first-party CNAME domain, configured to route requests to Adobe’s data collection servers.
    You can go through below links for tracking server configuration
    https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/analytics/implementation/vars/config-vars/trackingserver
    https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/analytics-learn/tutorials/implementation/implementation-basics/how-to-identify-your-analytics-tracking-server-and-report-suites

    First Party Tracking mostly recommended because it stores visitor ID cookies on your own domain, preserving user tracking across sessions.Data reliability is more here.

    Hope It helps !

      harishkumar
      harishkumar
      Level 2
      May 23, 2025

      @pd10  if your company has setup First party tracking server for adobe analytics, then you need to add the same. Generally First party tracking server has syntax like  metrics.domainname.xx . for secure server, it will be like smetrics.domainname.xx

       

      However, if your company has not setup first party tracking server, you can use third party tracking server. Refer the below link for details syntax for third party tracking server. https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/analytics/implementation/vars/config-vars/trackingserver

       

        Jennifer_Dungan
        Community Advisor and Adobe Champion
        Jennifer_DunganCommunity Advisor and Adobe Champion
        Community Advisor and Adobe Champion
        May 24, 2025

        I think the others covered this quite well, but I just wanted to add, the values in the ECID extension should be the same as the tracking server you set in your Analytics Extension.

         

        I am assuming this is not a new implementation, but possibly you are adding ECID for the first time? You should already have tracking server information configured in your analytics.

         

         

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