topic Re: ARCGIS for server 10.1 basic Enterprise - Feature Service in ArcGIS Enterprise Questions

ARCGIS for server 10.1 basic Enterprise - Feature Service

MiraHindawi — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:22:23 GMT

Hello everybody. I was reviewing the functionality matrix and licensing of ARCGIS 10.1 packages and noticed that the ARCGIS for server basic license now supports read-only feature services. I have a GIS web application that consumes dynamic map services hosted on my local ARCGIS server, where the application performs find tasks, query tasks, buffer tasks and several other functions using the geometry service too. These services use map documents that I originally created in ArcMap, linked to an SDE database, with customized symbology and deployed to the server using ARCGIS manager. I am kindly asking in such scenario:
- Can the basic license support creating map documents linked to SDE database and deploying it as feature service, where all the tasks mentioned above would still work? In other words, can I use ARCGIS 10.1 basic license in the described scenario above?
- What are the limitations of using a feature service instead of dynamic map service?

Re: ARCGIS for server 10.1 basic Enterprise - Feature Service

NelsonDe_Miranda — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:15:53 GMT

Hey Mira,

According to:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#/ArcGIS_Server_editions/0154000003sn000000/

Basic�??With the Basic edition, you get geodatabase management (ArcSDE) and the ability to publish feature services for map visualization and query (no editing). You also get the geometry service and the ability to publish geodata services.

- This means yes! You can publish services using data that is being stored in SDE.

Your second question is a little confusing.

A feature access is capability that exists within map services (could be dynamic or cached).

Feature services allow you to serve features over the Internet and provide the symbology to use when displaying the features. Clients can execute queries to get features and perform edits that can be applied to the server. Feature services provide templates that can be used for an enhanced editing experience on the client. Data from relationship classes and nonspatial tables can also be queried and edited using feature services.

Since editing isn't allowed with the basic license you do not need to use feature access and will not gain or lose any performance.

Re: ARCGIS for server 10.1 basic Enterprise - Feature Service

MiraHindawi — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:54:29 GMT

Thanks NelsonDM1 for your reply. Now the issue that I am not getting here is that if both feature service and dynamic service can render data,

1 - Why is the feature service supported as read-only in the basic license? Is the read-only feature service identical to dynamic service?
2- In other words, what is a read-only feature service used for? and what is the exact difference between feature service and dynamic service?
3- Can i create a read-only feature service under a basic license, where the map contains many layers and complex geometries, and consume it from a Flex app?

I know I am asking a lot of questions, but I am kind of lost here... Thanks in advance for your responses...

Re: ARCGIS for server 10.1 basic Enterprise - Feature Service

NelsonDe_Miranda — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:55:33 GMT

1 - Why is the feature service supported as read-only in the basic license?
This is something that is controlled by esri to make different levels of server accessible to users that may not need all the functionality at the higher license levels (standard / advanced)

2- Is the read-only feature service identical to dynamic service?
No. A feature service is used mainly for editing. It also allows users to query and view the data in the feature service. Unlike with map services, which have an ExportMap function to draw the map, visualization of feature services works completely from queries. The server returns the queried features to the client, then the client does the work of drawing the features.

http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#/Editor_permissions_for_feature_services/015400000393000000/

3- In other words, what is a read-only feature service used for?

I think this was answered in the previous question.

4- Can i create a read-only feature service under a basic license, where the map contains many layers and complex geometries, and consume it from a Flex app?

Yes!

Re: ARCGIS for server 10.1 basic Enterprise - Feature Service

MiraHindawi — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 07:06:49 GMT

Thanks Nelson. You've been of great help!! I will try to create and publish a feature service with complex geometries and consume it from flex under the basic license.

Re: ARCGIS for server 10.1 basic Enterprise - Feature Service

MiraHindawi — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:20:14 GMT

Before launching into building the web application, allow me to restate one additional time my concern. If I am to build a GIS flex web-based application to a certain new project/client:

1- What ARCGIS for Server license and what related map services would I choose for the project and why? (Dynamic map services, feature map services with standard licensing or read-only feature map services with the basic licensing or any combination of?)
- Case 1: The main functionalities are regualr mapping capabilities (view, search, retrieve map data in addition to identifying map features), without editing map features.
- Case 2: The main functionalities are regualr mapping capabilities (view, search, retrieve map data in addition to identifying map features), with editing map features enabled.

2- Would you advise of any literature/documentation that can help clarify the above?

In other words, would I recommend ARCGIS for Server basic to my client and build a web-based flex application consuming read-only feature map services (Noting that no web editing functionality is required)? Or would it be better to recommend ARCGIS for Server standard and have the web based flex application consume the dynamic map services?

Also, if web editing funcitonality is required (accordingly we would need ARCGIS for server standard), would I drop the use of dynamic map services totally and rely on feature map services for display as well as for editing in the web application? Or should they be mashed up, the dynamic map services for the display and the feature map services for the editing?