We have an on-prem (traditionally) versioned db - what happens when Workgroup goes away?

SaraSiskavich

What is the best option for a shop like mine anticipating the retirement of Workgroup?  We have 3 editors doing edits and publishing out to AGOL from an Standard workgroup-licensed on-prem db.   Full-on enterprise/sql server licensing is overkill for us, cost-wise and administratively.  The ability to do versioned editing will remain crucial.   Who else is in the boat and what are you going to do?  Am I really looking at something like postgres to offset costs?  Feels very Y2K... 

MMBR

Some options.

Types of geodatabases—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

1. You can continue to use SQL Server Express (free) but you will need to acquire an ArcGIS Server Standard License to have access to the ArcSDE License, that is right ArcSDE License is not sold separate and you need to buy ArcGIS Server Standard, then you can create any number of ArcSDE Geodatabases in SQL Express that you want, you will need to learn more about SQL Server Express and SQL Server Management Studio and the ArcGIS Geoprocessing Tools to create ArcSDE Geodatabases.

2. Move to PostgreSQL (free), also you need to acquire the ArcGIS Server Standard License to get access to the ArcSDE License, then you will be able to create any number of ArcSDE Geodatabases in PostgreSQL that you need, you will have to learn PostgreSQL, psql, pgAdmin, and you can choose esri st_geometry for the spatial geometry type or you can use the PostGIS spatial geometry type to store your data. Therefore, your learning curve might take time, you will need to attend PostgreSQL training and also Esri Enterprise Geodatabase training to better manage ArcSDE Geodatabases, especially when Geodatabase Versioning is involved.

3. You can use Mobile Geodatabases in SQL Lite (free), but be aware that there are Geodatabase functionality limitations, read more in the documentation link below.

Mobile geodatabases—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

I would say the move to PostgreSQL is your best option, more scalable, and PostgreSQL Geodatabases support all the Geodatabase features and capabilities.

I hope this helps.