Acces to ArcGIS Online Resources in Emergency Situations

[deleted-user-t3dSviijg-m9]

Hello... I am quite familiar with the majority of ESRI's software, but now am venturing into a somewhat unfamiliar territory that is Emergency Operations. My biggest question I suppose is, how are other municipalities that utilize ArcGIS Online and Emergency Response Solutions accessing the resources provided by ESRI during a major natural disaster, such as a hurricane. 

We are in Florida, and hurricanes are unfortunately a regular occurrence between July-October. If we lose internet capabilities, our internal network will be fine and operational; But if we are utilizing some of the solutions provided, we rely on access to ArcGIS Online, as well as the Javascript API that the applications are constructed upon, which is hosted by ESRI. If we go "black" so to speak, and are disconnected from the outside world, wouldn't that render a lot of these solutions useless, unless you have a contingency plan such as cellular data or possible satellite data as a back-up mode of communication to ESRI's servers?

I know you can host your ArcGIS Online apps locally, but those HTML/Javascript/and CSS3 files will still be referencing ArcGIS Online web maps, and the Javascript API's used to construct those apps. Does anyone have any suggestions or remarks on how their organization handles this situation?

Thanks!

[DavidDenham]

We use a similar strategy here.  We have backup servers set up in case one or more gets damaged, but I still maintain local backups in various locations. It may not be as impressive as the applications that we can make now, but worst case scenario we can still perform analysis and print hard copies. 

[ChristopherMcClain]

If you are worried about dependence on Esri's online basemaps for your apps you could always look at their Data Appliance for ArcGIS it lets you bring Esri's data on premises.  Most of the mobile apps do have offline capabilities that let you work disconnected so maybe a good idea to download key data and application to disconnect mode prior to impending storm.  I would also think given emergency responders need to communicate and utilize mobile equipment data that the re[air or establishment of temporary cellular networks will be high priority and as long as your organization is considered provide vital services you should be given access to these even if the public is not. 

[deleted-user-t3dSviijg-m9]

Yes, we actually server up our own basemaps as image services on our ArcGIS Server so i'm not to concerned about basemaps, as I am the underlying Javascript and HTML files created when you make a "web-app". The whole driving factor behind those files that create the application is ESRI's Javascript API, which is hosted on ESRI Servers. So I was wondering if you use portal. Although the services are local, the web map is local, the web app is local, I think the underlying files that make that app and web map still referencing external sources (ESRI's API).

[ChristopherMcClain]

I am pretty sure everything you need is on the appliance, the concept is you can put everything onsite and behind your firewall and need no external connection.  It was developed for 3 letter government agencies who cannot be connected to external networks.

[deleted-user-t3dSviijg-m9]

If that is the case, I might launch a Portal specifically for our EOC environment. I'm going to do some digging, and may even call ESRI for confirmation, because if that is true, that eliminates a lot of my concern. I'll get back to you after I've done some more digging to confirm. Thanks