Revise documentation for Upgrade Geodatabase GP tool when upgrading a SQL Server-based enterprise geodatabases to a version 11 geodatabase.

[JamiePetersen]

I recently upgraded a version 10.8.1 enterprise SQL Server geodatabase to version 11 using ArcGIS Pro 3.0 Upgrade Geodatabase GP tool.  Doing so, come to find out by design, altered the way the geodatabase items are named.  In v11 it no longer uses the [databasename].[schema].[tablename] format and is now only [schema].[tablename].  This change broke all of my enterprise paths in models and python scripts for things like feature class paths, field mapping paths, etc.  I wasn't expecting that, and it was a big chore to repair.  Please update the documentation to warn of that change when upgrading between geodatabase versions prior to v11.

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/manage-sql-server/upgrade-geodatabas...

[MarceloMarques]

This change in the SQL Server Geodatabase at 11.0.0.3.0 ( ArcGIS Pro 3.0 ) was announced.
See the links below for more details.

Restoring SQL Server databases with a new name (esri.com)

What's new in ArcGIS Pro 3.0—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

Enterprise geodatabases and databases
• Enterprise geodatabases in Microsoft SQL Server that you create or upgrade in ArcGIS Pro 3.0 allow you to restore the SQL Server database with a different name from the original name.
• Changes associated with this functionality mean that the following is true of 11.x geodatabases in SQL Server:
o ArcGIS Pro 2.2 and earlier versions cannot connect to them.
o ArcGIS 10.6.1 and earlier versions cannot connect to them.

o Table and feature class names no longer include the database name.
o For example, a table named productdata.dataowner.inventory in a 10.9.x geodatabase
is named dataowner.inventory starting with 11.x geodatabases.

The Pro 3.0 Online Help Documentation should have included this very important information as well.

Upgrade an enterprise geodatabase in SQL Server—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

I hope this clarifies.

Thanks.

[JamiePetersen]

Thank you for the reply.  I am aware that this is new, expected functionality.  However, it furthers my suggested idea.  The GP tool that performs this upgrade, in my opinion, should warn SQL Server users of this change in the documentation, as it affects every single enterprise SQL database prior to v11.  I do not think the release notes are in peoples minds as they are referencing this tool's help; they weren't in mind.  It is a major change, one worthy of a note in the documentation.  I think it will save other customers from facing major problems like I had.

[ChestonDobbins]

Hey Jaime, What is the chance that you could share one of the python scripts that was broken as a result of this issue? We tried to ensure that scripting wasnt affected, but there is certainly a chance we missed something. 

[JamiePetersen]

@ChestonDobbins the issue is about paths.  

Declared variables, field maps for appends, etc are all broken by this change.

Parcels = "\\\\files\\GIS\\Scripts\\Database Connections\\ParcelFabric.sde\\ParcelFabric.DBO.ParcelEditing\\ParcelFabric.DBO.ParcelFabric_Parcels"

arcpy.Append_management("Subdivisions", "Sub_FabricExport", "NO_TEST", "Sub_Name \"Sub_Name\" true true false 255 Text 0 0 ,First,#,\\\\files\\GIS\\Scripts\\Database Connections\\ParcelFabric.sde\\ParcelFabric.DBO.ParcelEditing\\ParcelFabric.DBO.ParcelFabric_Parcels"

[ChestonDobbins]

Thanks @JamiePetersen  I will investigate this further and we will also update the documentation.

[ChestonDobbins]

I quickly tried this arcpy script using ArcGIS Pro 3.0 and a 3.0 geodatabase and it works for me:

states_fc = "C:\\temp\\cdobbins1.sde\\testDB.MAP.USA\\testDB.MAP.states"
states_1_fc = "C:\\temp\\cdobbins1.sde\\testDB.MAP.USA\\testDB.MAP.states_1"

arcpy.management.Append(states_fc, states_1_fc, "NO_TEST", r'STATE_NAME "STATE_NAME" true true false 25 Text 0 0,First,#,states_fc,STATE_NAME,0,25;STATE_FIPS "STATE_FIPS" true true false 2 Text 0 0,First,#,states_fc,STATE_FIPS,0,2;SUB_REGION "SUB_REGION" true true false 7 Text 0 0,First,#,states_fc,SUB_REGION,0,7;STATE_ABBR "STATE_ABBR" true true false 2 Text 0 0,First,#,states_fc,STATE_ABBR,0,2;POP1990 "POP1990" true true false 8 Double 8 38,First,#,states_fc,POP1990,-1,-1;POP2000 "POP2000" true true false 8 Double 8 38,First,#,states_fc,POP2000,-1,-1;POP90_SQMI "POP90_SQMI" true true false 4 Long 0 10,First,#,states_fc,POP90_SQMI,-1,-1', '', '')

Based on your example I suspect you might be using ArcMap to run these scripts, can you confirm?

[JamiePetersen]

*Edited for correctness:

That's true.  Python 2.7 did eventually work, but only after repairing the paths.

[AngelaVanderpas1]

Has anyone upgraded sql separate from a complete upgrade of enterprise.  I am trying to determine if there is anything that needs to occur on the ESRI side.  We are at 10.9 and I would like to stay there but out SQL server is at 2012, so I can not create any new enterprise geodatabases.

My plan was to do a sql backup and a vm snapshot, then run the sql upgrades and restore.  It looks like I will need then "upgrade" the geodatabases, but I am unsure that I am interpreting the documentation correctly.

ESRI tech said they do not provide information / support for sql upgrades.  Which I understand, but I would like to  know if there are any gotchas on the ESRI side to be aware of.

[MarceloMarques]

@AngelaVanderpas1 - see the documentation links below.

ArcGIS 11.0 and ArcGIS Pro 3.0 requirements for Microsoft SQL Server—ArcGIS Enterprise | Documentati...

- yes, you can upgrade SQL Server from 2012 to 2019, then after this is done you can upgrade the Geodatabase Repository.

Client and geodatabase compatibility—ArcGIS Server | Documentation for ArcGIS Enterprise

- the best practice is to upgrade the Geodatabase Repository to the same version of the ArcGIS Enterprise deployment (Portal / ArcGIS Server) to keep things in sync.

[RandyKreuziger1]

@MarceloMarques 

When will SQL geodatabase upgrades stop being compatible with ArcGIS Desktop (ArcMap)?