To facilitate collaboration between two teams of GIS analysts located in different offices, each requiring a copy of the data in their own enterprise geodatabase with the ability to edit the same feature classes and synchronize changes nightly, geodatabase replication is the appropriate solution.
Understanding Geodatabase Replication:
Geodatabase replication is a data distribution method in ArcGIS that allows you to create copies of data across two or more geodatabases. This enables multiple users to work with the same datasets in different locations, with the ability to synchronize changes to ensure consistency.
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Types of Geodatabase Replication:
There are three types of geodatabase replication:
One-Way Replication: Changes are sent in a single direction—from the parent to the child replica.
Two-Way Replication: Changes are synchronized in both directions between the parent and child replicas. This is suitable when multiple editors need to update the same datasets in different locations.
Checkout/Check-in Replication: Data is checked out to a child replica for editing and then checked back in to the parent replica.
In this scenario, two-way replication is ideal, as it allows both teams to edit the same feature classes and synchronize changes nightly, ensuring that both geodatabases remain consistent.
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Alternative Options:
Database Replication: This refers to replicating entire databases at the DBMS level. While it can synchronize data, it doesn't account for the geodatabase-specific behaviors, rules, and relationships managed by ArcGIS. Therefore, it may not be suitable for scenarios requiring synchronization of geodatabase-specific functionalities.
Distributed Collaboration: This is a framework in ArcGIS Enterprise that allows sharing of content, such as maps, layers, and apps, across multiple ArcGIS Enterprise deployments or between ArcGIS Enterpriseand ArcGIS Online. However, it doesn't provide the fine-grained control over data editing and synchronization required in this scenario.
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Therefore, to meet the requirements of both teams being able to edit the same feature classes in their respective enterprise geodatabases and synchronize changes nightly, geodatabase replication is the most appropriate solution.