[Geoserver-users] Migration from ArcGIS server/SDE to FOSSGIS

GeoServer GeoServer User
1

Hi,
It´s been a while since I last wrote in the forum. During this time I have changed my employer and therefore my mapping environment. In my last post I built my own GDI myselft consisting of 100% opensource server applications -Linux Ubuntu/Tomcat6/PostgreSQL8.4/PostGIS1.5/Geoserver2.2. My new employer now uses 100% ESRI ArcGIS Server their Extensions. It is a strange feeling being locked into a proprietry world after feeling so free. The other thing that astonishes me is how easy geoserver is in a linux environment and how unlogical everything is in a windows server environment with ArcGIS Server.
It is however still early days, and I´m sure that in 6 months after I have learned the ins and outs or Windows Server and ArcGIS Server I may say the opposite.
I would like to know if anyone has also experienced this, and whether they actually changed their ESRI System to a FOSS System with Geoserver. Also, has anyone had experience integrating ArcGIS Server with OpenSource Mapping Software?

I would love to get rid of my ESRI Stack and start a new FOSS GDI, but the initial set-up costs of the ESRI Infrastructure would make it rather hard to explain.

Thanks for any replies,

Rob

2

I would like to know if anyone has also experienced this, and whether they actually changed their ESRI System to a FOSS System with >Geoserver. Also, has anyone had experience integrating ArcGIS Server with OpenSource Mapping Software?

We changed (or are changing) because found arcserver slow, had minimal support for WMS/WFS (eg no DWITHIN) and because OL + Geoserver delivered far more power.

Now we cant dump SDE - with arcMap in heavy use, I dont see an open GIS product able to replace it. SDE is needed to provide corporate data store. For webmapping though, postGIS works better so replicate with OGR2OGR scripts.

For authoring - well argisserver is as easy as publish a mxd but real pain if you want to go a step further. We purchased Bridge Geocat which significantly speeds up the process of publishing from mxd to geoserver.

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3

Hi Phil,

Now we cant dump SDE - with arcMap in heavy use,

In ArcGIS 10.1, its possible to connect directly to a database with ArcMap and not need to go through ArcSDE.
Assuming your data isn’t in a GeoDatabase format/structure (and maybe even if it is), this way you can possibly get rid of your ArcSDE. It’s what we’re aiming for.

There’s a section about it on the ESRI online help somewhere, but its evading me right now.

Jonathan

On 27 January 2013 21:00, Phil Scadden <p.scadden@anonymised.com> wrote:

I would like to know if anyone has also experienced this, and whether they actually changed their ESRI System to a FOSS System with >Geoserver. Also, has anyone had experience integrating ArcGIS Server with OpenSource Mapping Software?

We changed (or are changing) because found arcserver slow, had minimal support for WMS/WFS (eg no DWITHIN) and because OL + Geoserver delivered far more power.

Now we cant dump SDE - with arcMap in heavy use, I dont see an open GIS product able to replace it. SDE is needed to provide corporate data store. For webmapping though, postGIS works better so replicate with OGR2OGR scripts.

For authoring - well argisserver is as easy as publish a mxd but real pain if you want to go a step further. We purchased Bridge Geocat which significantly speeds up the process of publishing from mxd to geoserver.

Notice: This email and any attachments are confidential. If received in error please destroy and immediately notify us. Do not copy or disclose the contents.

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4

In ArcGIS 10.1, its possible to connect directly to a database with
ArcMap and not need to go through ArcSDE.
Assuming your data isn't in a GeoDatabase format/structure (and maybe
even if it is), this way you can possibly get rid of your ArcSDE. It's
what we're aiming for.

What SDE provides us is replication (using oracle replication) between
sites; transactional authoring, integration of the arc feature database
with other corporate data tables in oracle, views, and security. Now we
could theoretically get much of same functionality in PostGIS but arcmap
integration is decidedly a new feature with limitations for authoring.

"data isnt in a geodatabase". What format/structure do you have in mind?
Shapefile is unworkable (very limited database functionality for
filtering etc) so geodatabase is what we use.

Notice: This email and any attachments are confidential. If received in error please destroy and immediately notify us. Do not copy or disclose the contents.

5

Ah ok, so you’re using the more advanced features of ArcSDE.

My reference to GeoDatabase was the ArcSDE specific stuff (not the file format) where it puts all the data in a certain relational structure etc in the Oracle database and you have to use ArcSDE to read it etc. Because we have lots of different GIS systems reading our Oracle database we can’t do that so have a flat database structure.

Doesn’t sound like getting rid of ArcSDE would be as easy for you.

On 28 January 2013 22:02, Phil Scadden <p.scadden@anonymised.com> wrote:

In ArcGIS 10.1, its possible to connect directly to a database with
ArcMap and not need to go through ArcSDE.
Assuming your data isn’t in a GeoDatabase format/structure (and maybe
even if it is), this way you can possibly get rid of your ArcSDE. It’s
what we’re aiming for.

What SDE provides us is replication (using oracle replication) between
sites; transactional authoring, integration of the arc feature database
with other corporate data tables in oracle, views, and security. Now we
could theoretically get much of same functionality in PostGIS but arcmap
integration is decidedly a new feature with limitations for authoring.

“data isnt in a geodatabase”. What format/structure do you have in mind?
Shapefile is unworkable (very limited database functionality for
filtering etc) so geodatabase is what we use.

Notice: This email and any attachments are confidential. If received in error please destroy and immediately notify us. Do not copy or disclose the contents.

This transmission is intended for the named addressee(s) only and may contain sensitive or protectively marked material up to RESTRICTED and should be handled accordingly. Unless you are the named addressee (or authorised to receive it for the addressee) you may not copy or use it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you have received this transmission in error please notify the sender immediately. All email traffic sent to or from us, including without limitation all GCSX traffic, may be subject to recording and/or monitoring in accordance with relevant legislation.