topic Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question) in ArcGIS Enterprise Questions

Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

AdrianWelsh — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:11:53 GMT

I cannot find a good list that tells me what I am looking for. My company currently has ArcGIS for Server Workgroup, Standard license. Does this mean that I can only use Microsoft SQL Server Express as my Enterprise Geodatabase?

If I was presented with a PostgreSQL database, would I not be able to connect to this database due to the type of license that I have?

All of the documentation I have found tells me that I need to download the installation files from My Esri. (http://desktop.arcgis.com/en/arcmap/10.3/manage-data/gdbs-in-postgresql/get-started-gdb-in-postgresql.htm) If there are no installation files, is it safe to assume that I cannot use this type of database?

I believe I heard Derek Law mention the database limitations in one of his talks at the UC, but I cannot find that in his presentation slides.

Thanks in advance!

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

VinceAngelo — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:32:28 GMT

While it's theoretically possible to use SQL Server Express as an enterprise geodatabase (if you're willing to sacrifice performance to a down-throttled RDBMS), you have a Workgroup license, which only works with Express (and has storage, RAM, and user limitations).

You can access a PostgreSQL database using Direct Connect without an Enterprise Server license (which is necessary to create or enable a enterprise geodatabase), but you'll only be able to access Query Layers (PostGIS storage)

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Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

Anonymous User — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:35:30 GMT

"ArcGIS for Server Workgroup level only supports Microsoft SQL Server Express." , page 18 at http://www.esri.com/library/brochures/pdfs/arcgis-server-functionality-matrix.pdf

Regards

Jesús de Diego

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

AdrianWelsh — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:41:46 GMT

There's the one-line that I have been looking for. Thanks for digging that up.

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

PanagiotisPapadopoulos — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:43:09 GMT

Information about that you can find here

http://www.esri.com/library/brochures/pdfs/arcgis-server-functionality-matrix.pdf

pages 7, 17 & 18

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

JoshuaBixby — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:43:11 GMT

Short answer, yes, only Microsoft SQL Server Express. This is a licensing issue, not a technical one. Sometimes it is good to review the Licensing Terms of Use. For ArcGIS 10.4 and several of the versions before, ArcGIS for Server Workgroup has the following term of use applied:

29. Software can only be used with a supported version of SQL Server Express. Supported versions are listed with the system requirements for the product on the Esri website.

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

AdrianWelsh — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:44:24 GMT

Vince,

I appreciate the feedback. I currently do not have an example PostgreSQL database that I can play with to test things (unfortunately). When you say that you are only able to access query layers, what is this limiting me to? What can I not access with the licensing that I have?

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

PanagiotisPapadopoulos — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:48:07 GMT

Commercial databases support simple spatial features.

Geodatabases build on this framework and extend the capabilities of your database to ensure that you can enrich your GIS data models and satisfy the most demanding GIS workflows such as the following:

 Long transactions and conflict resolution (versioning)

 Modeling of utility, water, and transportation networks (geometric networks and network datasets)

 Data validation including topological, attribute, and connectivity rules (topologies)

 Tracking of historic transactions (archiving)

 Complex features: annotations (text), dimensions, parcel fabrics, etc.

 Advanced symbology (cartographic representations)

 Replication across multiple commercial databases in connected and disconnected environments (geodata services)

ArcGIS for Server Enterprise level supports multiuser geodatabases on the following relational database management systems (RDBMS):

 Amazon RDS for PostgreSQL  Amazon RDS for Microsoft SQL Server  IBM DB2  IBM Informix Dynamic Server  Microsoft SQL Server  Oracle  PostgreSQL ArcGIS for Server Workgroup level only supports Microsoft SQL Server Express. ArcGIS for Desktop Standard or Advanced includes tools to create a multiuser geodatabase.

http://www.esri.com/library/brochures/pdfs/arcgis-server-functionality-matrix.pdf pages 17 & 18

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

VinceAngelo — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:57:37 GMT

PostgreSQL is free software. It has a small footprint and is easy to install (I don't have a copy installed on my toaster oven, but it is running on the microwave).

Without an enterprise geodatabase license, you don't have enterprise geodatabase functionality (I'm not going to paste scores of pages of documentation into this thread).. Query Layers are nice, but they're just tables with geometry columns, which is a pale shadow of what is possible in a versioned geodatabase.

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Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

AdrianWelsh — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:18:50 GMT

Thanks Joshua. So, in short, there is not much that can be done with Workgroup Server software....

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

AdrianWelsh — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:21:17 GMT

Vince,

Do you know of any sample PostgreSql databases that I can connect to in order to explore a little bit? Can query tables be viewed, more-or-less, like feature classes can be viewed (with seeing points, lines, and polygons)? Or is it only like a table table that will say things about the geometry (like size and shape)?

Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

VinceAngelo — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:38:12 GMT

Databases aren't generally things that people leave open to allow anyone connection rights. In fact. most DBAs spend a great deal of effort to prevent that from happening (aided by the built-in firewall of the PostgreSQL server).

PostGIS geometries are real geometries, just like the native geometry types of other databases. There are tons of tutorials out on the interwebs; I recommend you just dive in to get your feet wet.

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Re: Help me understand which enterprise geodatabase (mainly PostgreSQL question)

AdrianWelsh — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:51:42 GMT

Thanks Vince. I understand that most relational databases will be secured. I will look for tutorials and such to hopefully get some learning in.