The document summarizes a session from the 2011 Esri European User Conference in Madrid on data management and data exchange using geodatabases and interoperability. The session covered an overview of Esri geodatabases, geodatabase workflows and editing, database administration, and approaches for data storage and connection. Geodatabase concepts discussed included features, feature classes, relationships, and complex data types. Versioning, replication, and conflict resolution in a multi-user editing environment were also summarized.

1. esri European User Conference
Madrid 2011
Data managing and Data
Exchange: Geodatabases
and Interoperability
Jaime Nieves
Isaac Medel
Esri Spain

2. Session highlights
• An Overview of the Esri Geodatabase
- The basics about databases in ArcGIS
- Data model and object types
• Geodatabase Workflows & Editing
- Geodatabase levels
- Versioning, replication and historics
• Database Administration
- Database creation and managing
• Data storage and connection
- Connection approaches: Clients and databases
- Spatial types and interoperability

3. Geodatabase basic concepts

4. Geodatabase
• Geographic Data Store
- Scalable, multi-user
• Core ArcGIS Data model Networks
Survey
Addresses
Vectors Annotations
• Transactional model for 3D Objects Attributes
GIS workflows
Dimensions
Topology
• COM Components for Terrain
Parcels
data accesibility
CAD
Cartography
Raster

5. Data management approach
• Geodatabase built on a table structure
- Spatial Data Types & SQL
- Relational Integrity
- Scalability, Reliability, Flexibility
- Support for continous, large datasets
• Based on the simple feature model
- Points, Lines, Polygons
- Open Access

6. Data on Geodatabases
• Esri System Tables
- Advanced Business Logic
System Tables
User Data
• Consolidated at 10.0 in 6 single tables.
- Improved stability & fast data access
- Uses XML columns
- Same structure for all GDBs
SQL
XML
type
• Sharing of data model
- Schema & Data to XML

7. Features and Feature Classes
• Builds on the Relational Model
• A feature is a spatial object
• A feature is an instance of a feature class
• Extended the relational model
- Geometry attribute types
A feature class is a table of rows, where each row
has a geographic column

8. Geodatabase Elements
Tables
Feature dataset Feature Classes
Spatial reference
Raster Datasets
Polygon Route Additional geodatabase elements
Line Dimension Parcel fabrics Terrain datasets
Point Annotation Representations Locators
Relationship classes Toolboxes
Tool Model Script
Geometric networks
Topology
Behavior
Attribute defaults Connectivity rules
Network datasets Attribute domains Relationship rules
Split/merge policy Topology rules

9. Complex data in the Geodatabase
• Multi-part features
- Many parts, one record in the table
• 3D Objects
- Vertical lines
1 3/8"
- Multipatches
Placerville
• Measurements Sacramento
- M-Coordinate Topanga Canyon
- Dimensions
• Cartographic representations
• Geodatabase attachments

10. Complex data in the Geodatabase
• Elevation data
- Dynamic TINs (Terrain Datasets).
- LiDAR datasets
• Raster data
- Imagery and continuous data
- Mosaic Datasets
- Image processing & filtering
- Raster catalogs
- Raster files inside a table field

11. Complex behavior in the Geodatabase
• Validation Rules
- Attribute, connectivity and
relationships
• Domains
- Ranged or coded values
• Subtypes
- Defined as the class level
• Relationship classes
- Association between objects
on different classes

12. Complex behavior in the Geodatabase
• Geometric Networks
- Connectivity rules
• Network datasets
- Multi-modal networks
- Turns, restrictions, costs
• Topology
- Set of rules that define spatial behavior
- Ensure data integrity
• Parcel fabrics

13. Behavior: Summary
• You can:
- Control the default value and acceptable values for any attribute
(Domains)
- Partition the objects into like groups (Subtypes)
- Instantiate classes with predefined behavior (Dimensions and
Annotation)
- Control the general and network relationships in which an object can
participate (Relationship Classes)
• Out of the Box in ArcGIS!
- Configurable, no programming required

14. Geodatabase workflows
Geodatabase editing

15. Geodatabase levels
ArcGIS Server
ArcSDE
ArcGIS Desktop
Enterprise
Workgroup
Desktop
Personal File
Capacity
Number of Users
- Storage Microsoft Access Files RDBMS
- Capacity 2 GB 1 to 256 TB per table Variable
- Platform Windows Multi-platform Variable
- Users editing Single User Single User Multi-user

16. Geographic data management
ArcGIS Server
ArcSDE
Enterprise
Workgroup
Desktop
Capacity
Number of users
Esri technology for managing and accessing
geographic data on Relational Database Systems

17. Geographic data management
ArcGIS Server
ArcSDE
Enterprise
Workgroup
Desktop
Capacity
Number of users
DB2, Informix, Netezza
Oracle, PostgreSQL &
RDBMS SQL Server Express SQL Server Express SQL Server
Capacity 10 Gb Max 10 Gb Max Unlimited
Platorm Windows Windows Multi-platform
Users/Editing 4/1 10 / 10 Unlimited

18. Editing Geodatabases
• ArcGIS datasets in the geodatabase are editable
- Modify building footprints in parcel management
- Add water mains to a water network
- Update land owners information stored in a table
- Etc…
• Transaction model for editing in ArcGIS
- Edits are performed in an edit session
- Open session – edit – save edits / don’t save edits
- A series of edit operations constitutes a transaction
- The transaction is either committed or rolled back

19. Editing Geodatabases…
• Personal Geodatabases
- Mainly single user editing on small datasets
- Multiple readers
- Editing locks at geodatabase level
- Two editors cannot edit within the same geodatabase at same time
• File Geodatabase
- Mainly single user editing small to very large datasets
- Multiple readers
- Editing locks at the dataset level
- Multiple editors cannot edit the same table or
stand-alone feature class at the same time
- Multiple editors cannot edit feature classes in
the same feature dataset at the same time

20. Editing Geodatabases…
• Enterprise Geodatabases
- Extend the transaction model with Versions
- Multiuser editing without locking
- Unique isolated view of the geodatabase
• Benefits of versioned editing
- Multiple editors, editing over long periods of time
- Undo / Redo
- Archiving
- Replication

21. Versioning
• Technology that allows multiple users to edit and view
data at the same time
- Appears to users as if they have their own copy of a table
- Does not apply locks or duplicate data
Default
Readers
Version1 Version2
Editor 1 Editor 2

22. Workflow in a multi-user editing environment
Version creation
Connect to the version
Editing
Reconcile: ¿conflicts?
Conflict resolution
Post
Remove & Compress

23. Replicas
ArcSDE GDB
• Geodatabase replication extends the DFLT
concept of versioning to multiple
Parent VR1 VR2
databases. Child
check out
check in
DFLT
ArcSDE GDB
V1 V2 File GDB
DFLT
Parent
Child ArcSDE GDB
VR1 VR2
Two One
way way - Versions in parent and child geodatabases are
used as replica versions.
File GDB
DFLT
DFLT
- Changes in this replica versions are transferred
during synchronization
V1 V2
ArcSDE GDB
ArcSDE GDB

24. Replication types
• Checkout/Check-in replication: One time
- Edits in child replica can be syncronized one single time with Parent Child
parent replica.
SDE
- Uses: Disconected editing; File GDB as a requisite. SDE PGDB
FGDB
• One-way Replication:
- Allows data changes to be sent multiple times in a single
direction (parent-to-child or child-to-parent) Development Production
- Data in origin GDB are editable; data in destination GDB are Persist
read-only. Edit Read
- Changes in destination GDB are overwritten during
syncronization if edits in origin GDB exist. SDE (child-to-parent)
SDE PGDB
- Uses: development-staging-production models; data publishing FGDB
• Two-way replication:
Office A Office B
- Allows data changes to be sent multiple times, both ways.
Persist
- If the same row is edited in both replica geodatabases, it is
detected as a conflict when the replicas are syncronized. Edit A Edit B
SDE Conflict SDE
resolution

25. New workflows
• New replication scenarios:
- File GDBs can be used as one-way and
SDE FGDB
check-in/check-out replicas.
- One-way child-to-parent replicas
- Multiple sendings from child to parent
- Editable data on child GDB; read-only on parent GDB.
- One-way replicas using archiving
- Improved performance and easier management
compared to versioning.

26. Resolving syncronization conflicts
• Conflict resolving using Replica Manager
- Enables user to decide the geometry and attributes to keep
in case of a conflict.
- Uses a visual environment
- Merge geometries if there is a conflict on different areas on the same Shape.

27. Historical versions
• Geodatabase archiving.
- Built on Geodatabase versions.
- Enables recording and accessing changes made to a subset of data.
- No need for storing snapshots for the entire database.
- Archiving lives as long as the Version is alive.
- Introduces a historical version.
- Creation of historical markers possible.

28. Geodatabase compress
• Maintain database performance and health.
- Delete all states that do not participate within a version's lineage.
- Collapse any candidate lineage of states into one state.
- Move rows from the delta tables into the business tables.
Before After
0 0
v2
v2
v1 DEFAULT
v1
v4
v4 DEFAULT

29. Database administration

30. Geodatabase Data Management
• Schema is defined in ArcCatalog
- Define feature classes, datasets, relationships, etc
- Catalog window in ArcMap @ 10
• Import and convert data from other formats
- Shapefile
- Coverage
- CAD
- Raster
• Copy and Paste
• ArcGIS.com
- Import basemaps and layers from galleries, groups…
• Use an esri Data Model or Downloadable Template
- Industry specific data models available
- Download a geodatabase template from the resource centers
http://resources.arcgis.com

31. Create an enterprise geodatabase
• Enabling the advanced capabilities of the geodatabase in:
- IBM DB2
- Informix
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Oracle
- PostgreSQL
• Enable Enterprise Geodatabase Tool.
- Adds the geodatabase to an existing
database and authorizes it
• Create Enterprise Geodatabase Tool.
- Creates database and geodatabase
in PostgreSQL and SQL Server
• Python script

32. Geodatabase administration in 10.1
• New Geodatabase administration dialog box
- Manage versions
- View and remove connections
- View and manage locks
- Block new connections
• For system tables:
- Rebuild indexes
- Update statistics

33. Managing data in ArcGIS 10.1
• View and manage privileges
• View locks on a version
or specific dataset
• Rebuild indexes on multiple datasets
• Update database statistics
on multiple datasets
• Enable editor tracking
• One-click spatial table registering

34. Database administration in 10.1
Isaac Medel

35. Database storage and
connection

36. ArcSDE ArcGIS Desktop
From Esri Geodatabases
To Esri Clients

37. Direct connect the database
• Client-DBMS connection with an SDE service in the way.
• Process load on the client side, not the server side
- Improved CPU & Memory usage on the server.
- Higher scalability.
- Backwards compatibility.
- No need for ArcSDE service Application Server Direct Connect
administrattion. (three-tier) (two-tier)
- Enables operating system authentication GIS GIS
for your ArcGIS Connections client client
in Oracle geodatabases. Direct
connect
driver
AppServer
Geodatabase

38. Database compatibility

39. Geodata
• Geodatabase access through a web connection.
• Exposes remote capabilities for:
- Replication.
- Copy (data extraction).
- Query.
Enterprise
GDB Enterprise
GDB
Geodata 2-way
Local
Service GDB
File GDB
LAN
SQL Server Internet
Express
SQL Server File GDB
Express

40. Forward compatibility in 10.1
• Updates in 10.1 datasets:
- Python scripting with annotation & dimensions
- Editor tracking in tables & feature classes
- Netwok datasets improvements
- Improved mosaic datasets
• Creation of new datasets in 10.0 geodatabases
- No upgrade required
- Still accesible by 10.0 clients.
- 10.0 SP2 recommended
10.0 10.1

41. Query Layers
• A layer or stand alone table defined by a SQL query
• Provides direct, read-only access to spatial data independent of
where it is stored
• Data does not need to be registered with the geodatabase
• Full power of SQL to create feature classes and Tables:
- Joins, Spatial Types, Aggregation, Field Derivation
• New tool in 10.1:
- Make Query Layer
SELECT Name, City, ShapePoint FROM Hospitals

42. Query Layers
Isaac Medel

43. Anywhere ArcGIS Desktop
From Any Database
To Esri client

44. Work with databases in ArcGIS 10.1
• Database connection from Desktop
- Work with databases without enterprise geodatabases
- Copy & paste between databases and geodatabases
- Create & query tables and features in a database
- Create views in a database
- Publish data to ArcGIS Server
• Database connection dialog box
simplified
- Less inputs required
- Sharing connection files
- Create database connection
geoprocessing tool

45. Connection to databases
Isaac Medel

46. Anywhere Anything
From Any Database
To Any Client

47. Feature Services
• Web access to feature geometry
• RESTful capabilities:
- Geometry & attribute query
- Database editing
- Access related records and non-spatial tables
Mobile
Feature Service
URL
Web
Desktop / Database ArcGIS Server Web
Desktop

48. Spatial Data Server (SDS)
• Low-memory web server.
• Exposes geometries, attributes, symbols and templates
from vector data in a database or geodatabase.
• Uses feature services to access spatial data.
• Available for IIS andJava
Spatial
Data
Server
Database

49. Spatial Data Server
Isaac Medel

50. ArcSDE Anything
From Esri Geodatabases
To Any client

51. Third-party clients concurrent editing
• Non-versioned Multi-user editing
- Table-to-table edition
SDE FGDB
- Short transactions
- Simple features
• Versioned and non-versioned editing
on the same data.
- “Move edits to base tables” option
- Edit from ArcGIS and third-party
applications concurrently.
- DEFAULT version stores changes in base tables.

52. Database accessing from third-party clients
GDB APIs
C#
Java
ArcSDE GDB Client

53. GDB developing environments
• Geodatabase ArcObjects:
- Application-level logic.
- Geometry behavior and integrity.
- Programming: C++, Java, .Net (C#, Java), Python
• ArcSDE SDK:
- A set of independent libraries for database accessing
from third-party clients.
- Programming: C, Java
• Features:
- Connections and transactions.
- Geometry operations
- Table management.
- Raster management.
- Change or create the Schema.
- SQL access to Esri’s spatial type.
- Versioning.
- XML storage and search.

54. File Geodatabase API
• No ArcObjects (no licence).
• Access to File GDB from third-party clients.
• C++ API which enables developers to:
- Create, access and delete FGDBs.
- Read FGDB Schema
- Create Schemas for simple objects.
- Read/write data.
- Perform alphanumeric and spatial queries
- Navigate through relationships.
- Work with geodatabase attachments.
http://resources.arcgis.com/content/geodatabases/10.0/file-gdb-api

55. Database accessing from third-party clients
GDB APIs
C#
Java
ArcSDE GDB Client
ST_GEOMETRY
SQL
SFS (OGC)
ISO 19125

56. About ST_Geometry
• UDT available for storage in all databases.
• OGC * and ISO** definition:
• SFS (Binary Geometry) 1.1, SFS (Types and Functions) 1.1
• Implemented as OGC Compliant in ArcGIS since 2006.
• Install the ST_Geometry storage type
in Oracle or PostgreSQL
• Create Spatial Type tool
* OpenGIS Implementation Specification for Geographic information - Simple feature access - Part 2: SQL option
** ISO/IEC 13249-3 SQL multimedia and application packages - Part 3: Spatial
ISO 19125-2:2004 Geographic information -- Simple feature access -- Part 2: SQL option

57. OGC and Standards
OGC
OGC
Client
Non-GIS Client

58. OGC support in ArcGIS
OGC
Category Standards
Map WMS 1.0, WMS 1.1.1, WMS 1.3.0,
WMtS 1.0.0, KML 2.1.0, KML 2.2.0,
GML 2.1.2, GML 3.0
Feature WFS 1.0.0, WFS 1.1.0, GMLsf 1.1.0,
WFS(T) 1.0.0
Metadata CAT CS/W 2.0.1, CAT 1.0, CAT 1.1.1,
CAT 2.0.2, GeoRSS 1.0.0, CAT2 AP
eRIM 1.0.0, CAT2 ISO AP 1.0.0, CAT2
ebRIM part2 1.0.0
SQL SFS(BG) 1.1, SFS(TF) 1.1
Raster WCS 1.0.0, WCS 1.1.0, WCS 1.1.1
Any
Symbology SLD 1.0
client
Processing WPS 1.0.0
Encoding Filter 1.0, Filter 1.1
http://www.esri.com/library/whitepapers/pdfs/supported-ogc-iso-standards.pdf

59. OGC support in ArcGIS

60. ArcGIS supports IT standards
OGC
Client
REST / HTTP XML
UNICODE
SQL
Javascript Android IPv6
Flash iOS
Silverlight WP7 C++
.Net (C#, VB)
Geocoding Network analysis
Java
Editing Image processing Python
Routing Spatial Analysis
WMWare Querying Spatial Statistics
Windows
MS Hyper-V UNIX
Amazon EC2 Linux
MS Azure

61. Data for everyone
Isaac Medel

62. Thank You