Client and geodatabase compatibility

The geodatabases described in Types of geodatabases can be accessed by various ESRI client software. These include the following:

All these clients can use any type of geodatabase as source data except ArcIMS; ArcIMS uses file geodatabases and ArcSDE geodatabases licensed through ArcGIS Server Workgroup or ArcGIS Server Enterprise data sources.

Compatible releases

When new functionality is added to the geodatabase at a specific ArcGIS release, the geodatabase must be upgraded to take advantage of the new functionality. Upgrading the geodatabase may mean that older releases of the client application will not be able to connect to it. The following rules are used to govern how connections between different versions of ArcGIS clients and geodatabases operate:

The following table indicates which version of the client applications listed at the beginning of this topic can be used with which versions of the geodatabase.

Client release

Personal geodatabase release

File geodatabase release

ArcSDE geodatabase using a direct connection

ArcSDE geodatabase using an ArcSDE service connection

8.3

8.3

NA

8.3

8.3

9

9, 9.1

NA

9

9, 9.1

9.1

9, 9.1

NA

9.1

9, 9.1

9.2

9, 9.1, 9.2

9.2

9.2

9, 9.1, 9.2

9.2 SP5 or SP6

9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3

9.2, 9.3

9.2 (if the client has ArcGIS 9.3.1 or GDB Direct Connect for 9.2 Clients* installed, can connect to 9.3.x)

9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3

9.3

9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3

9.2, 9.3

9.3 (If client has pre-9.3 geodatabase direct-connect files** installed, can connect to 9, 9.1, and 9.2)

9, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3

10

9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 10

9.2, 9.3, 10

9.2, 9.3, 10

9.2, 9.3, 10

*ArcGIS 9.3.1 GDB Direct Connect for 9.2 Clients drivers are an optional separate installation that can be downloaded from the ESRI Resource Center.

**Pre-9.3 direct connect drivers are an optional separate installation available on the client installation media.

When you make a connection between releases—for example, if you make an ArcSDE service connection from ArcGIS Desktop 9.2 to an ArcSDE 9.1 geodatabase—the functionality available to you is limited by the lowest release number. In this example, you would not have access to functionality available in 9.2 since the geodatabase is still at the 9.1 release. Similarly, if you make a connection from a 9.2 SP5 client to a 9.3 geodatabase, you will not be able to open, edit, or create datasets containing new functionality available with ArcGIS 9.3.

For more information on client connections made to ArcSDE geodatabases, see the topic appropriate to your DBMS and connection type:

DB2

Direct-connect between clients and ArcSDE geodatabases in DB2

Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in DB2 when using an ArcSDE service

Informix

Direct-connect between clients and ArcSDE geodatabases in Informix

Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in Informix when using an ArcSDE service

Oracle

Direct-connect between clients and ArcSDE geodatabases in Oracle

Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in Oracle when using an ArcSDE service

PostgreSQL

Direct-connect between clients and ArcSDE geodatabases in PostgreSQL

Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in PostgreSQL when using an ArcSDE service

SQL Server

Direct-connect between clients and ArcSDE geodatabases in SQL Server

Compatibility between clients and geodatabases in SQL Server when using an ArcSDE service

When do you need to upgrade a geodatabase?

In many cases, upgrading the geodatabase is optional. You would want to upgrade, though, if either of the following is true:

To learn how to upgrade a file or personal geodatabase, see Upgrading file and personal geodatabases.

To learn how to upgrade an ArcSDE geodatabase in SQL Server Express, see Upgrading geodatabases on ArcSDE database servers.

For information on upgrading ArcSDE geodatabases licensed through ArcGIS Server Enterprise, see A quick tour of ArcSDE geodatabase upgrades. For specific upgrade instructions, consult the ArcSDE installation guide specific to the database management system implementation you are using.

Why wouldn't you upgrade a geodatabase?

There may be situations in which you are unable to upgrade your geodatabase. If your organization has clients who must remain at previous releases of ArcGIS, you will have to wait until the clients can be upgraded to a compatible release before you upgrade the geodatabase.

For example, before upgrading your geodatabase to 10, be sure that all clients are updated to ArcGIS 10 so they can connect to the geodatabase. If all clients cannot be upgraded, you need to decide whether it is the appropriate time to upgrade your geodatabase.

In the case of ArcSDE geodatabases, the release levels must be the same if you have ArcSDE installed on the same server as ArcIMS or the ArcGIS Server server object manager (SOM) or server object container (SOC) components. You will not be able to upgrade your ArcSDE geodatabase until you can also upgrade those other products or until you move those products to another server.

Related Topics


9/18/2012