topic Re: Manage Sql Server Express in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Manage Sql Server Express

ModyBuchbinder — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 08:23:37 GMT

In ArcMap you have a "Database servers" connection where you can manage Sql Server Express, Create new geodatabase, manage users etc.

Do you have anything like this in Pro?

Thanks

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

DanPatterson_Retired — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 11:13:50 GMT

it is supported then there is this huge list of links in the left pane, including this one...which has no meaning to me, but hopefully to you

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

ModyBuchbinder — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:10:07 GMT

Hi Dan

Pro have similar functionality to "Database connections" in ArcMap. "Database Servers" is similar name but very different functionality... Could not find it in Pro, It might be by design?

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

JoshuaBixby — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 14:43:01 GMT

Looking for a moment at the ArcMap documentation on What are ArcGIS database servers?

Within ArcGIS software, the term database servers refers to instances of Microsoft SQL Server Express that have been enabled to store desktop or workgroup geodatabases.
You create geodatabases and perform other administrative tasks for database servers through the Database Servers node in the Catalog window or ArcCatalog. Performing the administration of the database server and its geodatabases through ArcGIS Desktop means there is no extra software or database administration expertise required for you to create and use these types of geodatabases.

The "database servers" connections are for creating and administering database servers, or really just SQL Server Express, that contain desktop or workgroup geodatabases. I think the larger question is, how does or even does ArcGIS Pro allow for creating and administering desktop or workgroup geodatabases? The answer is, not really.

A search on ArcMap documentation for "database servers" returns 62 results, and the same search for Pro returns 0 results. At a minimum, it indicates that desktop and workgroup geodatabases are not managed through "database servers" in ArcGIS Pro, at least not yet.

Searching on "desktop geodatabase", "desktop geodatabases", "workgroup geodatabase", and "workgroup geodatabases" yield similar results. A look at An overview of creating geodatabases in ArcGIS Pro shows two subsections, one for a file geodatabase and one for an enterprise geodatabase. It is clear the initial focus of ArcGIS Pro is on file and enterprise geodatabases.

So, where does that leave desktop and workgroup geodatabases in ArcGIS Pro? Great question, and one that I have no idea in terms of an answer.

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

ManviLather1 — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 23:37:05 GMT

In ArcGIS Pro, We can create a new database connection to the SQL Server Express instance and access the workgroup geodatabase.

In ArcGIS Pro, there is no option like "Add database server " as it is in ArcGIS for Desktop. However, the workgroup geodatabase is supported in ArcGIS Pro.

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

ChristopherThomas — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 21:30:22 GMT

As of now with ArcGIS Pro 1.4, there is not currently a way to manage or create workgroup geodatabases, but as Manvi mentioned we can create connections to them and use the data in Pro. I use workgroup and Sql Server express in several of the classes that I teach. Currently the workaround is to continue use ArcMap and Database Servers to create and manage workgroup geodatabases, but maybe that will be added in a future release. I didn't see anything on the ideas website yet.

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

AlessandroValra — Mon, 18 Jun 2018 11:27:55 GMT

Have there been changes to this as we are at 2.1????

I just noticed that after installing a plain SQL Server Express with the ESRI setup, I am not able to making the connection to it from Pro because there's only the default db which is not accessible. Am I supposed to still rely on ArcMap to manage my SQL geodatabase Workgroup?

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

MalcolmMeyer2 — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 12:09:42 GMT

Is there any update to this question? I cannot connect to SQL Server Express in Pro and am wondering if this is even possible. These are not workgroup or enterprise databases, just the database you can create in ArcMap with no server license using "Database Connections" and "ArcSDE Personal Server". - Just found this tidbit from another post -

...SQL Server Express "desktop" geodatabase, or a personal "mdb" geodatabase. Both of these are not supported any more with pro...

can anyone from Esri confirm this is the case in regards to the "desktop" geodatabase support in Pro?

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

DanSmith5 — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 19:52:21 GMT

I also have this question- we own a workgroups license of Enterprise - how do we manage those databases through Pro?

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

AZendel — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 21:30:22 GMT

Any updates? While I can connect to and edit a "Personal ArcSDE" geodatabase (one rung down from a "Workgroup" database) that I created in ArcCatalog, I cannot create new databases via Pro. I'm on the most current version: 2.4.3.

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

MalcolmMeyer2 — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 12:33:59 GMT

Here's my update. I got frustrated with performance and connection issues with SQL Express (no Enterprise so limited to three connections), so I have spun up Postgres/PostGIS (11, 3.0), migrated all my data over, and switched most of my editing to QGIS. ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Desktop are still used for view-only users and this works quite well. Performance is night and day compared to SQL Express. Of course it would also be possible to enable editing in Arc* if we purchased Enterprise, but that is not on the radar at the moment.

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

ZacharyHart — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 13:29:04 GMT

I honestly feel like Esri is just ignoring this. How is it I need to have ArcMap just to create a GDB in SQL Express?

Re: Manage Sql Server Express

KaseyCox — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:02:38 GMT

Hello, is it still the case that we need to go back to ArcCatalog to connect to a database server so that we can create a database? This is the hold up for several of my users making the change to Pro and i really need to them make the change so that I can upgrade my servers!!!