The following list defines some of the terms used when discussing geodatabase administration:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
ArcSDE service | An ArcSDE service, also known as an ArcSDE application server or three-tiered architecture, conveys spatial data between GIS applications and an enterprise geodatabase. ArcSDE services are no longer available beginning with ArcGIS 10.3. However, ArcGIS 10.3.x clients can still connect to 10, 10.1, or 10.2.x geodatabases using an ArcSDE service. |
compact | The compact operation cleans up file and personal geodatabase file storage on disk, reorders records, and eliminates unused space. |
compress | When referring to file geodatabase vector data, a compress operation condenses the data. As a result, it takes up less disk space. Compressed file geodatabase data cannot be edited; you must decompress it to edit. When referring to versioned data in an enterprise, workgroup, or desktop geodatabase, a compress operation removes unreferenced states and their associated delta table rows and moves delta table entries that are common to all versions into the base tables. This reduces the amount of data the database must search through for each version query, thereby improving query performance and system response time. |
database authentication | Database authentication is one method of validating the credentials of a user attempting to connect to the database; in this case, the user provides the name and password of a database user and the database authorizes or denies authorization of the user's connection. |
desktop geodatabases | Geodatabases on a database server that are licensed through ArcGIS for Desktop are referred to as desktop geodatabases. Desktop geodatabases can be accessed by a few users and edited by one user at a time |
direct connection (or direct connect) | A direct connection to a geodatabase is one that is made using the database management system's connection methods and direct-connect drivers in the client application. The connection is made directly from the client to the database without the use of an ArcSDE service. Direct connections are also known as two-tiered connection Only direct connections are supported to ArcGIS 10.3 and later release enterprise geodatabases. |
enterprise geodatabase | An enterprise geodatabase is a multiuser geodatabase stored in a database management system and licensed through ArcGIS for Server Enterprise. |
geodatabase administrator | The geodatabase administrator is the login account used to administer an enterprise geodatabase. Administration tasks include geodatabase creation, compress operations, upgrades, lock and user connection administration, and system table maintenance. The system objects of the geodatabase are owned by or stored in the schema of the geodatabase administrator. |
geodatabase repository | The geodatabase repository comprises the minimum components needed to make a geodatabase; these include system tables, stored procedures, functions, and types. |
geodatabase versioning | Geodatabase versioning is the method by which multiple users can edit the same data without overwriting each other's edits or blocking others from reading or editing the data; this is accomplished by using separate tables for each versioned dataset to track edits as well as system tables to track different states of the data. |
operating system authentication | Operating system authentication is one method of validating the credentials of a user attempting to connect to the database; in this case, the user's login information is read from the operating system of the connecting client computer. The database uses this information to authorize the connection. The user or application making the connection does not have to provide a separate user name and password. |
spatial views | Spatial views are database views that contain one spatial field from a feature class in addition to other attribute fields. |
upgrade | In the context of geodatabases, an upgrade operation updates the system tables, stored procedures, functions, and types to provide new functionality or bug fixes. You use either the Upgrade Geodatabase geoprocessing tool or a Python script to upgrade a geodatabase. When upgrading a geodatabase, you must run these from a computer on which either ArcGIS for Desktop (Standard or Advanced), ArcGIS Engine Runtime with the Geodatabase Update extension, or ArcGIS for Server Standard or Advanced are installed. You must make a direct connection from the tool or script to the geodatabase, and the login you use to connect must have sufficient privileges to run the upgrade. When upgrading a file or personal geodatabase, you can also run the geoprocessing tool or Python script from a computer on which ArcGIS for Desktop (Basic) is installed. |
versioned views | A versioned view incorporates a database view, stored procedures, triggers, and functions to allow you to read or edit versioned data in a geodatabase table or feature class using Structured Query Language (SQL). When you query a versioned view, you can see the data in the base (business) table and the edits that are stored in the delta tables. The triggers used by the versioned views update the delta tables when you edit the versioned view using SQL. |
workgroup geodatabases | Geodatabases on a database server that are licensed through ArcGIS for Server Workgroup are referred to as workgroup geodatabases. Workgroup geodatabases can be accessed by up to 10 users at a time, all of whom can be editing concurrently. You can also use web services and applications to access data in workgroup geodatabases. |