Which is better sql server 2012 or data store?

[JordanMiller4]

Our company recently purchased a new server to replace our older one that had all the GIS and sql server 2012 software loaded on. After talking with a esri rep it's to my understanding that data store can essentially replace sql server. So since we've been given the opportunity should we migrate our data from sql server 2012 to data store? How will the performance using the esri products increase?

Note:

We've always had performance issues since we started using ArcMap with sql server 2012 and we decided to buy a new server and split the resource hog sql server 2012 and the GIS software to there own separate servers. 

This post is in relation to an earlier post I made a few months back. We're still settings up the new server so I won't be able to see if our issues improve.

Slow ArcGIS Server Environment Issues 

[JoeBorgione]

You've used SQL Server 2012 as the backend to your Enterprise Geodatabase, correct?  And you are asking if you should use the database provided in the data store as a replacement, correct?  I believe the data store uses Postgres as the the database.  If your Postgres eGDB is on the same machine as your ArcGIS Server do you expect to realize a noticeable increase in performance?  

Your earlier post you provide the link to discusses separating SQL from ArcGIS server which is what I have done in the past and what my current employer does; pretty much everyone I know does that.  I'm not familiar enough with Postgres to say one is better than the other; perhaps others on the forum with a better grasp can respond...

[JonathanQuinn · Accepted solution]

I don't think anyone would, or even should, claim that an enterprise geodatabase is better or worse than the ArcGIS Data Store, they simply serve different purposes and both have a place within your organizations deployment pattern. For example, an enterprise geodatabase plays into the "system of record" approach, where you have QA processes, versions, archiving, direct access to the database for editing, creating separate views, etc, things that aren't available with the ArcGIS Data Store. This is where your "traditional" authoritative data can be stored. The ArcGIS Data Store does give you some benefits that aren't available with an enterprise geodatabase, such as lightweight feature services, (ones that don't use system resources), and functionality such as running analysis in the Portal.

https://community.esri.com/community/gis/enterprise-gis/arcgis-enterprise/blog/2018/06/13/esri-white... 

Above is a white paper that discusses "user managed" data, (data that resides in an enterprise geodatabase or file system) and "ArcGIS Managed", (data that is copied to the ArcGIS Data Store). It may help understand the differences between the two approaches and how they can be used together within your deployment.

[JordanMiller4]

Thanks for the reply, Jonathan. I just finished reading the article and you're correct. These are completely separate

workflows and each workflow cannot be compared to which is more effective than the other since they serve completely different objectives. For us it would be in our best interest to stay with the current workflow with the enterprise geodatabase using sql server and hosted features through the server.  Our only problem is the performance. Currently the sql server 2012 R2 is still being hosted on the old server but we removed all the GIS software and the performance is really bad. Bad enough that we can't edit in child versions where the ArcMap session immediately crashes.

Do you think it would be in our best interest to create another VM on the new server and host the sql server 2012 R2? Our server should have the resources and processor power to handle it. 

Joe Borgione‌ - Is this the workflow you're talking about when they isolate the different component to there own virtual machine?

*Edit - I talked with our IT admin this morning and it appears that they move the sql server virtual machine to the new server last week. I guess this puts us at square one for resolving this issue. If it's a network related issue I wonder if there is a way to troubleshoot it without having to spend thousands of dollars to possibly solve the issue.

New Server:

      VM - 1 

               ArcGIS Server  / Portal / web adapters

      VM - 2 

            ArcGIS Data Store - Likely to not be used.

      VM - 3 - proposed VM

            Host SQL Server 2012 R2