So, as we all know, if you change names of feature classes in SDE that means you have to re-point layers in MXDs, and for MXDs in published services, etc.
Idea - why not allow for aliases. Sort of like mail forwarding. So if I change the name of Parks to Parks_Greenspace, or TRAN_Streets to TRAN_Roads, it still works. Leverage the underlying SQL database. But make it transparent to users. So it has the new name in Catalog in SDE. (perhaps with a button to 'reveal' all the old names or reveal the old name on hover) And no reason not to allow infinite levels of aliasing (i.e. Inception for feature class names). On a modern database that shouldn't be too hard or too bad on performance. This would make GIS administrator's lives so much easier. This is the kind of "plumbing" in the platform that consumes half my time. I know Python can automate re-pointing MXDs, but there are many end users out in the field in disparate locations and there will always be edge and 'corner' cases I think this would help.
Thoughts?
