Utility Network without Portal

[RobbHodges]

Will it ever be possible to use the utility network without installing and maintaining Portal? Initially, the idea was to bring the geometric network to Pro...that didn't work, so the utility network was created. Then I was told that it would be released to Portal first, with the plan of being available via AGOL at a later date. Now, I'm hearing that it will never be fully integrated with AGOL. Is that true?

If so, does that mean that in order to have that network connectivity that a geometric network allows, all utilities will have to install and maintain Portal? What does that do to small utilities that don't have the infrastructure for that? I really wouldn't mind using Pro more often, but it seems like for those of us in the utility field, outside of using portal, we've kind of been left behind. At some point, arcmap will be a thing of the past. That day worries me quite a bit.

[LarryYoung]

Hi Robb,

Thanks for your post.  We are actually in the process of deciding how best to address the needs of smaller utilities as well as other non-utility users of the geometric network.  Options such as providing AGOL support of the utility network are still a possibility, but a more timely solution for customers such as yourself will likely be single user network support through ArcGIS Pro.

Apologies for not having a clear road map for all geometric network users sooner.  The ArcMap solution for geometric networks is still a very viable approach, but we realize many users are anxious to move forward with ArcGIS Pro.  Our focus has been on providing support for larger utilities that needed a more scalable solution with additional detailed modeling capabilities.  We will continue this work, but will also add some focus to supporting smaller utilities and the non-utility user.

More to come.

Thanks,

Larry Young

Utility Network Program Manager

[RobbHodges]

We're running somewhat of a hybrid system with ArcGIS Server and AGOL right now. So right now, we have a couple of folks editing our geometric network. Some of our data is stored in AGOL. I'm not sure that the single user network support through Pro would suffice. We literally only have 2 users editing features in the geometric network (although I'd love the ability for multiuser editing of related tables within the geometric network), so I really don't want to mess with installing and maintaining Portal, just for 2 users.

It's a bit worrisome that there isn't a defined plan in place for those of us in this situation. In order to plan long term, I hope that there will be a clearer road map for us in the near future. There seems to be quite the push to move folks to Pro. I'm curious as to what the adoption rate of the utility network is within the utility field is. We could be in the minority when it comes to this, but I've spoken with others in the same boat as us. I really hope that at the very least, as ArcMap is phased out, we have a comparable system with Pro as we do now. Thanks.

[AsensionTorres]

We just went live with portal and barely have a toe into it. How big is your team, organization, and infrastructure type? We had your concerns as well but after attending the recent FEDGIS conference I feel much better about the power of Pro and it's benefits. Are you collecting new feature data through back office methods or are you doing field work. While you might only have 2 editors right now, your workflow might benefit from distributing out that production to more people, especially the ones who have their hands on the assets. We have a team of 2 also and are trying to plot out a better workflow that only seems possible now that we are moving to a Pro setup. We're still figuring it too.arcgispro 2.3. portal##utility networks

[RobbHodges]

We have lots of editors editing inspection data, leak survey data, break data, etc. We do this all with a combination of AGOL and ArcGIS Server. We only have 2 editors editing the network data (sewer mains, gas mains, water mains, etc.). For the very far foreseeable future, that will will be it as far as editing that data. We really don't want anyone else getting into editing the assets. The method we have now works great. I prefer working with AGOL vs Portal. We already have our 55 users on that. I like that ESRI maintains the upgrades for that. I already have to upgrade enough software. I'm not interested in adding anything else to that. 

Don't get me wrong. I'd love to move forward with Pro. I use it as much as I can now. However, if in a few years, or whenever that day ArcMap dies, I'd like to be able to move forward without installing and maintaining an entire additional set of software. 

[AdelaideZumwalt1]

Has there been an update to this question from Esri? We are also a small utility and use ArcGIS Enterprise. The only reason we would implement Portal is the utility network, but maintaining a Portal is daunting due to our limited resources. Is the utility network without Portal in Esri's plan?

[NickHarvey]

From:  What's new in ArcGIS Pro 2.5: 

Utility networks

• Utility networks are now supported in a file geodatabase. Learn more about the single-user model.

[MilanJekic]

I would like to find more about the reference to "single-user model", the link above only directed me to the vocabulary, I am more interested in how to implement a file geodatabase -based utility network (say, water distribution utility network), it is even better if there is a work flow setup, together with the sample data.

[PaulLeBlanc1]

The implementation for file geodatabase is very similar to enterprise. You can follow most of the steps in Create a water utility network—Get Started | ArcGIS Solutions for Water . Instead of creating an enterprise geodatabase and user, you would just create an empty file geodatabase.

We do have sample data (and maps!) for water, see Water Distribution Utility Network Foundation | ArcGIS Solutions for Water 

[SrinivasaRao1]

We have gone through it but still we are unable to get the solution from the steps as there may be some internal steps missed out which may be required to add.