Multi-User Versioned Workgroup GDB License

[HaniDraidi]

I’ve installed ArcGIS Desktop, Microsoft SQL Server Express, and  database server WITHOUT installing ArcGIS Server. Then, I connected to the database server in ArcMap, and created a new geodatabase (a .mdf workgroup geodatabase) and created a feature class in it, registered it as versioned, and created some versions. I tested the whole versioning workflow, and it worked perfectly; all the versions were working well, and the reconcile/post process also went well.

Actually, I got confused about licensing this process, since according to ArcGIS Server functionality matrix, this process (multi user editing using versioned workgroup geodatabase) requires a basic-workgroup or standard-workgroup or advanced-workgroup license. My question is: if I just want to edit my data with my workgroup using a workgroup geodatabase WITHOUT publishing them via ArcGIS Server, should I purchase an ArcGIS Server license (for example the lightest one: Basic-Workgroup)? Or can I perform this with the desktop license only and the free SQL Server Express?

Any help is highly appreciated!

Kind Regards,

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

I'll add some of the ESRI folks knowledgeable about Enterprise Geodatabases here in case they have input:

Asrujit SenGupta

Jake Skinner

Vince Angelo

Chris Donohue, GISP

[JakeSkinner · Accepted solution]

Hi Hani,

See the following link:

What are ArcGIS database servers?—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop

With ArcGIS for Desktop (Standard and Advanced) and ArcGIS Engine with the Geodatabase Update extension, you can set up a database server and create geodatabases that can be accessed by a few users and edited by one user at a time.

With ArcGIS for Server Workgroup, you can set up a database server and create geodatabases from within ArcGIS for Desktop that can be accessed by up to 10 users at a time, all of whom can be editing concurrently. When using the database servers licensed through ArcGIS for Server Workgroup, you can also connect to the geodatabases using web applications, for which there is no connection limit.

You will need to make your decision on how many concurrent users and editors you need for your geodatabase.