named users ArcGIS Online for Collector?

[AlexP_]

Hello,

I read documentation from Do you use Collector for ArcGIS | Questions & Answers . I am not clear about named users ArcGIS Online hosted feature service AND ArcGIS Server from SDE geodatabase. I am planning to create tree inventory with possibly attachments for inspectors. Do you recommend ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Server? If using ArcGIS Server, how do I connect insecptors for track editors since they are non- GIS users? If using ArcGIS Online hosted feature services, can it connect to SDE geodatabase directly? Please advise. Thank you.

[DerekLaw · Accepted solution]

Hi Alex,

> Do you recommend ArcGIS Online or ArcGIS Server?

I think a more accurate comparison would be: should you use ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS? The former is an Esri hosted cloud-based solution, and the latter is an on-premises solution that your organization would host (either on physical machines or your own private cloud). Some reasons why you would select one over the other:

> If using ArcGIS Server, how do I connect inspectors for track editors since they are non- GIS users?

Not 100% sure what you're asking here. You can have your data in an enterprise (i.e., ArcSDE) geodatabase, share the data out as feature services via ArcGIS Server, then use Portal for ArcGIS as a front end for your Collector for ArcGIS app to connect to and access - to support your editing workflows. The inspectors would need to be named users who can sign into your Portal for ArcGIS instance.

> If using ArcGIS Online hosted feature services, can it connect to SDE geodatabase directly?

Yes, this workflow is possible. You can have your data in an enterprise (i.e., ArcSDE) geodatabase, share the data out as feature services via ArcGIS Server, then register these feature services with ArcGIS Online. Collector for ArcGIS can connect to and access your ArcGIS Online organization, then edit the feature services. Again, the inspectors would need to be named users in your ArcGIS Online organization.

FYI for more background please review the contents of this whitepaper,
https://community.esri.com/groups/mobile-gis/blog/2017/10/25/arcgis-secure-mobile-implementation-pat... 

Specifically section 5 which discusses some of the pros/cons of different mobile deployment patterns and the security considerations.

Hope this helps,

[AlexP_]

Derek,

Thank you for your time to reply my questions. I reviewed the documentation you provided. 

I don't have Portal for ArcGIS. Is it possible to use ArcGIS Online instead? I noticed public accounts are not supported. How do I create named users under ArcGIS Online organization? I already have main account as admin for ArcGIS Online Organization. Is this correct documentatin for this part? Configure website—ArcGIS Online Help | ArcGIS  Please advise. Thanks.

[DerekLaw]

Hi Alex,

> I don't have Portal for ArcGIS

FYI, since the 10.3 release Portal for ArcGIS is included with ArcGIS Enterprise (formerly called ArcGIS for Server). Do you have ArcGIS Server 10.3 or later?

> Is it possible to use ArcGIS Online instead?

Yes, you could implement a hybrid deployment:

- store your data in an enterprise geodatabase, publish this data out as feature services via ArcGIS Server

- in ArcGIS Online, create and save a web map containing the feature services

- use Collector for ArcGIS and connect to your ArcGIS Online organization to do field collection.

See figure 17 in the whitepaper I referenced in my earlier post for more details.

Or, if you don't have ArcGIS Server, then you could upload the data in the enterprise geodatabase into ArcGIS Online by publishing them as hosted feature services in ArcGIS Online.

> How do I create named users under ArcGIS Online organization?

These accounts must be licensed - please contact your local Esri account manager/Distributor to enable more accounts.

Hope this helps,

[AlexP_]

Thank you for information, Derek. 

[deleted-user-AyQ-Iok8btBJ]

Hi Derek. Is it possible to store the ArcGIS Online named user in the attribute table when a point is collected? We are running a hybrid setup here. I just posted a question with more details: https://community.esri.com/thread/239852-collector-editor-tracking-from-sde-populate-arcgis-online-u... 

Thanks!