When creating an enterprise GDB, is there a difference between converting an existing DB or creating a new one?

[DanCall1]

I am using SQL Server 2016 and have admin access to it (I also work with a DBA). I need to create a new enterprise GDB, and the Create Enterprise Geodatabase tool can be used either to convert an existing DB to an enterprise GDB, or it can create an enterprise GDB from scratch. Is there any advantage to doing it one way or the other? Are the resulting GDBs functionally the same? In my organization, we've always done this by having the DBA create the database, then converting it to a GDB, I'm just wondering if that's the "best" way.

[RyanUthoff]

We've done it both ways, and functionally, it's the same. It just depends on your use case and what is more convenient for you.

For example, if the GIS department solely manages the databases, it might be simpler for you to just use the Create Enterprise Geodatabase tool. However, if your DBA needs to be the person to create DBs, it might be easier for them to create it in SQL, and then you just use the Enable Geodatabase tool to convert it to an EGDB. But like I said, functionally, they are the same. It just depends on your use case. I don't necessarily think there is a "best" way of doing it.

Now, if your DBA is also creating the tables for you too, then I will admit it's probably going to be easier for you to create the DB/tables yourself directly in Esri. Because otherwise, you will have to run the Register with Geodatabase tool for every table you need to interact within Esri. It's not hard, it just takes a little more time. But at the end of the day, functionally, it's all the same.