SDE for Workgroup: Upgrade Status for Geodatabase info confusion between 10 and 10.1

[CarmenDurham]

Hello all,

We are testing the use of a SQL Express GDB (with SDE Workgroup 10.1) on our new 10.1 ArcGIS Server web server.  Only this one server has 10.1 ArcGIS Client installed.  Server using SQLExpress 2008 R2 and Server 2008 R2 OS.

FYI: Our current production environment is using 10.0 SDE Enterprise with SQL 2005, ArcGIS 10, ArcServer 10. SDE cannot be upgraded to 10.1 for several months.

I am exploring the differences between using SDE Workgroup within 10.0 and 10.1 ArcCatalog. I have noticed something that is confusing and I hope someone can explain why I am seeing this.

Within the same Database Server (Workgroup) connection...
1) I created a new GDB from 10.1 ArcCatalog. In viewing the properties of the GDB, the Upgrade status says "GDB matches the ArcGIS you are currently using".  Yes, that is expected.  But when I view the properties from ArcCatalog 10.0 - the Upgrade status says "This 10.0 database matches the ArcGIS release you are currently using".   Why would it say this?

2) I create a new GDB from 10.0 ArcCatalog and it will say the same thing as above in both properties (Upgrade Geodatabase button is also grayed out within 10.1).

Is there a reason for this that I haven't found in the documentation?  Or has anyone else noticed this?  It isn't a show stopper for us but I don't really know what version of the database I am using.

Database Server properties reported in Catalog: ArcSDE Workgroup  Server 10.50.1600.1 (would have thought it should say 10.1?)

We DID have to go through tech support for a bug workaround for not being able to create a GDB within Workgroup Database Server connection(NIM083155). We had to manually edit a registry for the Workgroup license.  But I double checked and it was for Workgroup 10.1.  I also double checked the installation download and it is 10.1. 

Thanks,
Carmen

[KimPeter]

Hi Carmen,

When connecting directly from an ArcGIS client application to the DBMS (which you always do for workgroup geodatabases), the version of the geodatabase is determined by the version of the client you used to create or upgrade it.  That means that if you have mixed client versions, you could have mixed versions of geodatabases on the same database server.

But when I view the properties from ArcCatalog 10.0 - the Upgrade status says "This 10.0 database matches the ArcGIS release you are currently using". Why would it say this?

Is the full message "This geodatabase matches the ArcGIS release you are currently using, however, database internals such as stored procedures can be upgraded.", with an active Upgrade Geodatabase button?  Or is the Upgrade Geodatabase button inactive in all cases?

Database Server properties reported in Catalog: ArcSDE Workgroup Server 10.50.1600.1 (would have thought it should say 10.1?)

That's the SQL Server version, not the ArcGIS version.

-Kim

[CarmenDurham]

Kim,

You asked...

Is the full message "This geodatabase matches the ArcGIS release you are currently using, however, database internals such as stored procedures can be upgraded.", with an active Upgrade Geodatabase button?  Or is the Upgrade Geodatabase button inactive in all cases?

No, the above is what I expected to see and would have understood what that meant.  the Upgrade GDB button is always inactive.

On a side note, if I view my Enterprise GDB 10 database in the 10.1 client, I DO receive the "database internals such as stored procedures can be upgraded" and the button is active.

Thanks for looking into this.

Carmen

[AsrujitSengupta]

Hi Carmen,

This geodatabase matches the ArcGIS release you are currently using

I am just guessing this from your initial post, but I think that you have created the geodatabase using ArcSDE Workgroup 10.1. So this message in ArcCatalog 10.1 is as we expect.

This 10.0 database matches the ArcGIS release you are currently using

Now my guess is, as the geodatabase was created using ArcSDE Workgroup 10.1, the ArcCatalog 10.0 cannot upgrade it any further as it is already on an above level. So it throws that message in the properties, somewhat misleading but true.


All this is assuming you had used ArcSDE Workgroup 10.1. So, correct me if I have got that part wrong.


Regards,
Asrujit

[CarmenDurham]

Asrujit,

Thank you for your reply.  Yes, we are using SDE for Workgroup 10.1

Yes, the information being supplied by the dialog is not clear.  I am unable to tell whether the GDB that was created has 10.1 capabilities or 10.0 capabilities (when I can determine this with our SDE Enterprise DB). 

Anyway this is important because I wanted to delegate management tasks of any databases on Workgroup to co-workers that currently don't have any DBA/SDE experience.  Since one can create a DB on a 10.1 Workgroup from a 10.0 client (which is everyone) as well as 10.1 client (exists only on 10.1 Server web server with 10.1 Workgroup), it would be nice to know from which client a DB may have been created!   Right now we are only in the testing phase, so good to know about this beforehand.

Thanks,
Carmen

[AsrujitSengupta · Accepted solution]

Hi Carmen,

You can verify the version of your sde geodatabase from the "SDE_version table" at the back-end. It is a system table containing the version information related to that geodatabase.

Here is a link for the various system tables in a SQL geodatabase:
http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.1/index.html#//002q00000080000000

I am unable to tell whether the GDB that was created has 10.1 capabilities or 10.0 capabilities (when I can determine this with our SDE Enterprise DB)

You cannot create a Enterprise GDB with a combination of sde 10.1 and ArcGIS Desktop 10.0., as sde 10.1 doesn't have post installation wizard and ArcCatalog 10.0 didn't have the capability of creating enterprise geodatabse. If you were indicating to your previously created sde gdbs, you can check that using the 'SDE_version table' as mentioned earlier.

Basically if all your users (client 10.0 or 10.1) are connecting to the SQL Server 2008 R2 Instance which was enabled using sde workgroup 10.1, and creating a sde gdb...all of them will have the sde 10.1 features and capabilities! The client in this scenario won't matter, the version of sde will.

Regards,
Asrujit

[CarmenDurham]

Asrujit,

Ahhhhhhhhh, Thank you, for the comment below. NOW I understand!  I can't really compare with an Enterprise SDE which is what I was trying to do (because that is what I know).

Basically if all your users (client 10.0 or 10.1) are connecting to the SQL Server 2008 R2 Instance which was enabled using sde workgroup 10.1, and creating a sde gdb...all of them will have the sde 10.1 features and capabilities! The client in this scenario won't matter, the version of sde will.

Also, thanks for the reminder about the SDE_version table.

[KimPeter]

One slight clarification:

It is the version of the client that is important. Datasets with 10.1 functionality, such as editor tracking or network datasets that support live traffic data, can be created in both 10 and 10.1 geodatabases but ONLY with a 10.1 client. Your 10 clients cannot create these nor can they use that functionality.

I'm not clear how you were able to tell the version of your enterprise geodatabase but not your workgroup geodatabase...the enterprise geodatabase version is not exposed through the UI either.  Unless you mean you are using an ArcSDE service for your enterprise geodatabase and are going by the version of the ArcSDE application server you have installed(?)

[CarmenDurham]

Kim,

Thank you for the clarification.

Sorry for the confusion -- I wasn't *literally* seeing the version of the enterprise DB when viewing the properties of the DB in ArcCatalog.  However, the message I received  (ie the "... however, database internals such as stored procedures can be upgraded" statement) looking at the properties on a 10 SDE Ent. database from a 10.1 client *implied*to me that it was not a 10.1 database.

Hope that makes sense.