To reduce storage requirements, you can compress vector file geodatabase feature classes and tables to a read-only format. Files can reduce to as little as 1/4 their original size. Once compressed, a dataset looks the same in ArcCatalog and ArcMap as when it was uncompressed. Also, apart from editing, you work with it the same way. The compressed data is a direct access format, so you do not have to uncompress it each time you access it: ArcGIS and ArcReader read it directly.
You can also create file geodatabases that can only be viewed by installing a license.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
Rearranges how a file geodatabase or personal geodatabase is stored on disk, often reducing its size and improving performance. | |
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Compresses all the contents in a geodatabase, all the contents in a feature dataset, or an individual stand-alone feature class or table. | |
Generates a license file (.sdlic) for displaying the contents in a licensed file geodatabase created by the Generate Licensed File Geodatabase tool. The license file must be installed using ArcGIS Administrator. | |
Generates a license definition file (.licdef) that defines and restricts the display of contents in a file geodatabase. The contents of the licensed file geodatabase can be viewed by creating a license file (*.sdlic) and installing it with ArcGIS Administrator. The license file is created using the Generate File Geodatabase License tool. | |
Recovers data from a file geodatabase that has become corrupt. | |
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Uncompresses all the contents in a geodatabase, all the contents in a feature dataset, or an individual stand-alone feature class or table. |