Make route algorithms versioned

[RiccardoKlinger]

We are currently offering route analysis for the past five years and are offeirng network datasets every 6 weeks. We strongly rely on the underlying network analysis extension and the build in algorithms. Once we use a new ArcGIS Server Version with a new network dataset we need to offer this specific combination for five years. 

This strategy is in conflict with our idea going into ArcGIS Enterprise on Kubernetes as the Network Analyst will be upgrade every once in a while and a route that was once calculated might be different if it will be recalculated 9months afterwards as the underlying algroithms have changed.

IDEA: Make the network analyst versioned inside the platform so that a user can define whether to use the logic from release x or y.

[MattCrowder]

Thank you for your idea. I agree that there is currently no guarantee that you will get the exact same results if you upgrade to a later version of ArcGIS unless to stay on the exact same version of the software and data.

Both software changes and data changes can slightly change the results. If your requirement is for the results to remain consistent, I would suggest you deploy your solution on a long-term release of Enterprise, so you do not need to update the software.

We are constantly improving our algorithms to fix bugs, improve our heuristics, and improve performance. For simple improvements we make them apply to all users by default. When we make significant algorithmic changes, we attempt to do so in a way that existing users have to opt-in to the new behavior so existing workflows can remain the same without changes. It would be unusual for there to be a dramatic change in the default behavior between releases. It would only be introduced if it was an important fix that we wanted to be fixed for all users by default. I can't think of the last time this occurred.

Can you provide an example of where upgrading to a more recent version of the software was problematic for you in the past? This may help us understand how we can improve the process.

We do not have any plans on our roadmap to version or release the Network Analyst solvers outside the normal ArcGIS Enterprise system. But we will keep this in mind if their are significant changes that may make this possible or a compelling reason to do so.