mobile device storage/RAM for referenced vs hosted Enterprise data

Question

Is there any difference in impact on mobile device storage/RAM if the data being viewed and/or edited in Field Maps is coming from a referenced vs a hosted ArcGIS Enterprise dataset? Does this differ on whether data is being referenced online or offline in Field Maps?

(This question is specifically for datasets with many hundreds of features.)

ChristopherCounsell · Answer

I would be looking at a huge range of factors ahead of hosted vs reference like:

* How many features are trying to render in the map
* How complex is their geometry? Like does a straight line have lots of vertices? Geometry errors?
* Are any transformations or projections occurring between the database, service and map?
* Are layers editable?
* Is symbology complex? Can you basic, non-expression driving symbols, and lighter icons?
* Service types e.g. can you use vector tiles, map services, anything but feature (if you don't need the interactivity)
* Reduce number of features and apply filters at a service level, not on the map. Don't use relative filters like date is within a week.
* Remove unnecessary fields.
* Turn layers off by default, if not immediately required
* Use a vector tile basemap over imagery
* Turn off download of attachments on some layers

There could be some merit to one layer causing individual problems so you could explore that by:

* Testing one layer at a time in a new map
* Testing removing one layer at a time in an existing map
* Watch the network traffic in a desktop browser developer console. Which layers take the longest to display? Which ones are the largest? Should be same in browser as field maps.

You can look at specific services more deeply when you know if there are some in particular.

For field maps you can:

* If going offline, turn on airplane mode if you are drifting in/out of connectivity.
* Turn off auto sync

Watch some Esri UC videos, read blogs e.g.

https://mediaspace.esri.com/media/t/1_tnz29jc6

https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/arcgis-online/sharing-collaboration/best-practices-for-high-demand-viral-apps/

https://mediaspace.esri.com/media/t/1_y2v320tn

It will be difficult for support to troubleshoot something like this particularly if you're pushing the thresholds of data in a map. Likewise a bit difficult for us to be specific unless you can narrow it down to a particular service or layer...

IngridHogle · Answer

We bring a lot of data out in the field with us and our current devices are struggling to keep up. Field Maps crashes often, online and offline (though moreso online). We are exploring all options to improve performance. Thank you for your list of factors to consider! I have been focusing on the first two, as well as our mobile device resources. I should probably also look into the last three factors you list. Thank you!

We just closed out an Esri Support ticket about this. I believe the analyst told me that referenced data consumes more mobile device resources than hosted data does when using Field Maps. We were referred to this documentation (Spot the Difference: Comparing Web Services - Esri Community), which explains that referenced uses more server resources than hosted...which makes total sense to me. Given my limited understanding of how Field Maps works, I am having a hard time understanding how referenced data would be harder for Field Maps to process than hosted data, on the mobile device. So I decided to ask this community.

ChristopherCounsell · Answer

I think fundamentally no, or maybe to an extent, but you might see other factors contributing to performance such as: * Server resources * Service configuration (pooling) * Transformations and projections (map <>service<>database) * Database performance * The service configuration (filters, querying, allowing for caching etc) Hosted layers are system managed vs user manage referenced services. There's more opportunity in non hosted services for user driven variables or environments to expose the client to poor performance. Is this question coming from somewhere / do you have more context to share?