Upgrade an enterprise geodatabase in SQL Server

Available with Standard or Advanced license.

The goal of upgrading an enterprise geodatabase is to update the geodatabase system tables, stored procedures, types, and functions to take advantage of new functionality and bug fixes.

Install a new version of the ArcGIS client or apply a service pack, patch, or hot fix to an existing installation and upgrade the geodatabase.

Before you upgrade

When you upgrade any enterprise system, including a geodatabase, plan ahead. Test the new version on a development or test server to ensure that it works with all your client applications.

When you have determined that the new system works the way you expected, schedule the upgrade; be sure the necessary staff are available to perform the upgrade and that they have the permissions necessary to complete their assigned tasks.

Be aware of the following:

• The ArcSDE application server is not available for ArcGIS 10.3 and later releases. You must migrate all application server connections used in maps or services to connect directly to the database before you can upgrade your geodatabase.
• Upgrades from beta versions of the software are not supported.
• You can upgrade directly from a 10.1, 10.2.x, 10.3.x, 10.4.x, 10.5.x geodatabase if your database is at a supported release.
• If your geodatabase is at release 10 or earlier, you must first upgrade to a supported geodatabase release before you can upgrade to the current ArcGIS release.
• Once a geodatabase has been upgraded to the current release, ArcGIS 10 and older clients cannot connect to it.
• There is no formal mechanism to downgrade a geodatabase to a previous version. If after upgrading to a newer version you want to downgrade the geodatabase, you must restore the old database from a backup file.
• If you are upgrading a geodatabase in SQL Server that uses the multiple spatial database model, be sure to run the upgrade on the sde database. Be aware that, once upgraded, you cannot add a new database to a multiple spatial database model geodatabase.
• When you upgrade your geodatabase to the current ArcGIS release, the Upgrade Geodatabase tool sets the ALLOW_SNAPSHOT_ISOLATION and READ_COMMITTED_SNAPSHOT SQL Server database options to ON. This is required for 10.4, 1.2, and newer release geodatabases in SQL Server.

The following is a checklist of steps to complete before you upgrade your geodatabase:

1. Read Microsoft SQL Server database requirements for ArcGIS to confirm that Esri supports the SQL Server and ArcGIS version combination you want to use.
2. Check to see if your geodatabase can be upgraded. To do this, install the ArcGIS client version you want to move to onto one machine. If you install ArcGIS Desktop, you can connect to the geodatabase and open the Database Properties dialog box to see if a geodatabase upgrade is possible. If you install the ArcGIS GIS Server (enterprise edition) component or the ArcGIS Engine Geodatabase Update extension, you can use the ArcPy Describe function to determine if the geodatabase can be upgraded.

   # Open Python.
   cd /arcgis/server/tools
   ./python
   
   # Create a connection to the geodatabase.
   arcpy.CreateDatabaseConnection_management("/tmp/",
                                             "egdb_connection.sde",
                                             "SQL_SERVER",
                                             "prod9",
                                             "DATABASE_AUTH",
                                             "sde",
                                             "mysdepassword",
                                             "SAVE_USERNAME",
                                             "myssgdb")
   
   # Import ArcPy and check the geodatabase release.
   import arcpy
   
   isCurrent = arcpy.Describe('/tmp/egdb_connection.sde').currentRelease
   
   print isCurrent
   

   If False is returned, you can upgrade your geodatabase. If True is returned, you do not need to upgrade your geodatabase. Do not proceed with the subsequent steps.

3. Convert any application server connections used in existing maps or services to direct connections.
4. Create a backup of the database.
5. Remove any custom functionality you may have added to the geodatabase system tables outside ArcGIS, such as triggers, participation in SQL Server replication, or additional indexes. The upgrade procedure cannot accommodate customizations you make to the system tables. If such customizations prevent the alteration of a system table, the upgrade will fail.
6. Make sure the login you use to upgrade the geodatabase has the correct privileges.

   If the geodatabase is stored in the dbo schema, the geodatabase administrator (dbo) automatically has the privileges necessary to upgrade. For geodatabases stored in the sde schema, if it is a single spatial database model geodatabase and the database is not named sde, the login you use must either be a member of the sysadmin fixed server role or in the db_owner database-level role. If you are using a multispatial database model geodatabase (or a single spatial database named sde), you must log in as a member of the sysadmin fixed server role to upgrade.

   Note:

   Do not add the sde user to the sysadmin role.

7. Make sure there are no connections to the geodatabase you are upgrading.

   To see a list of who is currently connected to your geodatabase, go to the Geodatabase Administration dialog box in an ArcGIS Desktop client.

You can now upgrade your geodatabase.

Upgrade the geodatabase

You can use the Upgrade Geodatabase tool in ArcMap or ArcGIS Pro, or use a Python script run on the ArcGIS client computer to upgrade your geodatabase.

Use the Upgrade Geodatabase tool

You can open the Upgrade Geodatabase geoprocessing tool from

• The Geodatabase Administration toolset in the Data Management toolbox
• The Upgrade Geodatabase button on the General tab of the Database Properties dialog box in ArcMap or ArcCatalog
• The Run Upgrade button on the General tab of the Database Properties dialog box in ArcGIS Pro

If you open the tool from Database Properties, the Input geodatabase text box is prepopulated with the geodatabase connection information.

Esri recommends that you leave both the Pre-requisites check and Upgrade geodatabase options checked. That way, the tool checks to see if the prerequisites to upgrade have been met before continuing with the geodatabase upgrade.

The prerequisite check detects other active connections to the geodatabase, determines whether the connecting user has sufficient privileges to upgrade the geodatabase, ensures that the database can support XML columns, makes sure all datasets can be opened, and ascertains that the database and libraries are at the same release. If any prerequisites are not met, the tool terminates. You must correct any problems before you run the upgrade procedure again.

The results of this check are reported on the geoprocessing tool dialog box. If the check (or upgrade) fails, results are also written to the GDBUpgrade.log file, which can be found in c:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Local\ESRI\<ArcGIS product>.

If all checks are passed, the tool proceeds with the upgrade. The status for the prerequisites check and the upgrade are shown on the geoprocessing tool progress dialog box. If the upgrade fails, information is written to the GDBUpgrade.log file. Additional information is written to the sde_setup.log file, which can be found in the system TEMP directory.

Run a script

To upgrade the geodatabase, copy one of these example scripts into a text editor. Alter any variable values to match the information at your site.

• If you have an existing database connection file that uses a direct connection and connects as the sde user, copy the script that applies to your operating system, paste it into a text editor, alter it to use information specific to your site, save and close the file, then run it:

  # Name: upgradesdegdb_example.py
  # Description: Connect from a Windows computer 
  # with an existing database connection file 
  # and upgrade an enterprise geodatabase
  
  # Import arcpy module
  import arcpy
   
  # Local variables:
  Output_Workspace = "C:\\ArcGIS\connection_files\<Connection file>"
  Default_gdb = "C:\\ArcGIS\connection_files\<Connection file>"
  
  # Process: Upgrade Geodatabase
  arcpy.UpgradeGDB_management(Default_gdb, "PREREQUISITE_CHECK", "UPGRADE")
  

• If you do not have a database connection file on the computer from which you are scripting the upgrade, you can copy the following script and provide your site-specific information at the command line:

  """
  Name: upgrade_gdb.py
  Description: Provide connection information to an Enterprise geodatabase 
  and upgrade the geodatabase
  Type upgrade_gdb.py -h or upgrade_gdb.py --help for usage
  """
  
  # Import system modules
  import arcpy
  import os
  import optparse
  import sys
  
  
  # Define usage and version
  parser = optparse.OptionParser(usage = "usage: %prog [Options]", version="%prog 2.0; valid for 10.1 only")
  
  #Define help and options
  parser.add_option ("--DBMS", dest="Database_type", type="choice", choices=['SQLSERVER', 'ORACLE', 'POSTGRESQL', 'DB2','INFORMIX','DB2ZOS',''], default="", help="Type of enterprise DBMS:  SQLSERVER, ORACLE, or POSTGRESQL.")
  parser.add_option ("-i", dest="Instance", type="string", default="", help="DBMS instance name")
  parser.add_option ("--auth", dest="account_authentication", type ="choice", choices=['DATABASE_AUTH', 'OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH'], default='DATABASE_AUTH', help="Authentication type options (case-sensitive):  DATABASE_AUTH, OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH.  Default=DATABASE_AUTH")
  parser.add_option ("-u", dest="User", type="string", default="", help="Geodatabase administrator user name")
  parser.add_option ("-p", dest="Password", type="string", default="", help="Geodatabase administrator password")
  parser.add_option ("--upgrade", dest="Upgrade", type="choice", choices=['TRUE', 'FALSE'], default="FALSE", help="Upgrade Options (case-sensitive):  TRUE=Perform Pre-requisite check and upgrade geodatabase, FALSE=Perform Pre-requisite check only.  Default=FALSE")                   
  parser.add_option ("-D", dest="Database", type="string", default="none", help="Database name:  Not required for Oracle")
  
  
  # Check if value entered for option
  try:
  	(options, args) = parser.parse_args()
  
  	
  #Check if no system arguments (options) entered
  	if len(sys.argv) == 1:
  		print("%s: error: %s\n" % (sys.argv[0], "No command options given"))
  		parser.print_help()
  		sys.exit(3)
  
  	#Usage parameters for spatial database connection to upgrade
  	account_authentication = options.account_authentication.upper()
  	username = options.User.lower() 
  	password = options.Password	
  	do_upgrade = options.Upgrade
  	database = options.Database.lower()
  	database_type = options.Database_type.upper()
  	instance = options.Instance
  	
  	if (database_type == ""):
  		print("\nDatabase type must be specified!\n")
  		parser.print_help()
  		sys.exit(3)
  	
  	if (database_type == "SQLSERVER"):
  		database_type = "SQL_SERVER"
  	
  	# Get the current product license
  	product_license=arcpy.ProductInfo()
  	
  	# Checks required license level to upgrade
  	if product_license.upper() == "ARCVIEW" or product_license.upper() == 'ENGINE':
  		print("\n" + product_license + " license found!" + "  Enterprise geodatabase upgrade requires an ArcGIS Desktop Standard or Advanced, ArcGIS Engine with the Geodatabase Update extension, or ArcGIS Server license.")
  		sys.exit("Re-authorize ArcGIS before upgrading.")
  	else:
  		print("\n" + product_license + " license available!  Continuing to upgrade...")
  		arcpy.AddMessage("+++++++++")
  	
  	# Local variables
  	instance_temp = instance.replace("\\","_")
  	instance_temp = instance_temp.replace("/","_")
  	instance_temp = instance_temp.replace(":","_")
  	Conn_File_NameT = instance_temp + "_" + database + "_" + username     
  	
  	if os.environ.get("TEMP") == None:
  		temp = "c:\\temp"	
  	else:
  		temp = os.environ.get("TEMP")
  	
  	if os.environ.get("TMP") == None:
  		temp = "/usr/tmp"		
  	else:
  		temp = os.environ.get("TMP")  
  	
  	Connection_File_Name = Conn_File_NameT + ".sde"
  	Connection_File_Name_full_path = temp + os.sep + Conn_File_NameT + ".sde"
  	
  	# Check for the .sde file and delete it if present
  	arcpy.env.overwriteOutput=True
  	if os.path.exists(Connection_File_Name_full_path):
  		os.remove(Connection_File_Name_full_path)
  	
  	print("\nCreating Database Connection File...\n")
  	# Process: Create Database Connection File...
  	# Usage:  out_file_location, out_file_name, DBMS_TYPE, instnace, database, account_authentication, username, password, save_username_password(must be true)
  	arcpy.CreateDatabaseConnection_management(out_folder_path=temp, out_name=Connection_File_Name, database_platform=database_type, instance=instance, database=database, account_authentication=account_authentication, username=username, password=password, save_user_pass="TRUE")
          for i in range(arcpy.GetMessageCount()):
  		if "000565" in arcpy.GetMessage(i):   #Check if database connection was successful
  			arcpy.AddReturnMessage(i)
  			arcpy.AddMessage("\n+++++++++")
  			arcpy.AddMessage("Exiting!!")
  			arcpy.AddMessage("+++++++++\n")
  			sys.exit(3)            
  		else:
  			arcpy.AddReturnMessage(i)
  			arcpy.AddMessage("+++++++++\n")
  			
  	# Check whether geodatabase needs upgrade
  	isCurrent = arcpy.Describe(Connection_File_Name_full_path).currentRelease
  	
  	if isCurrent == True:
  		print("The geodatabase is already at the current release and cannot be upgraded!")
  		sys.exit("Upgrade did not run.")
  	
  	
  	# Process: Upgrade geodatabase...
  	try:
  		if do_upgrade.lower() == "true":
  			print("Upgrading Geodatabase...\n")
  			arcpy.UpgradeGDB_management(input_workspace=Connection_File_Name_full_path, input_prerequisite_check="PREREQUISITE_CHECK", input_upgradegdb_check="UPGRADE")
  			for i in range(arcpy.GetMessageCount()):
  				arcpy.AddReturnMessage(i)
  			arcpy.AddMessage("+++++++++\n")
  	
  		else:
  			print("Running Pre-Requisite Check...\n")
  			arcpy.UpgradeGDB_management(input_workspace=Connection_File_Name_full_path, input_prerequisite_check="PREREQUISITE_CHECK", input_upgradegdb_check="NO_UPGRADE")
  			for i in range(arcpy.GetMessageCount()):
  				arcpy.AddReturnMessage(i)
  			arcpy.AddMessage("+++++++++\n")
  		
  	        
  	except:
  		for i in range(arcpy.GetMessageCount()):
  			arcpy.AddReturnMessage(i)
  		
  	if os.path.exists(Connection_File_Name_full_path):
  		os.remove(Connection_File_Name_full_path)
  	
  #Check if no value entered for option	
  except SystemExit as e:
  	if e.code == 2:
  		parser.usage = ""
  		print("\n")
  		parser.print_help()
  		parser.exit(2)
  

  For example, if you saved the text file as gdbupgrade, your SQL Server instance is prod9, your database is myssgdb, and you are connecting with operating system authentication, type the following at a command prompt:

  gdbupgrade --DBMS SQL_SERVER -i prod9 --auth OPERATING_SYSTEM_AUTH --upgrade TRUE -D myssgdb