Creating a geodatabase in SQL Server

To create a geodatabase in a database on a Microsoft SQL Server instance, use the ArcSDE Post Installation wizard.

The Post Installation wizard takes you through the following steps:

• Creating a database on the SQL Server instance
• Choosing the owner of the geodatabase; either sde or dbo
• Creating the geodatabase system tables and stored procedures in the database
• Authorizing the geodatabase using your ArcGIS Server Enterprise license file
• Creating an ArcSDE service

Note:

You only need to create a service if there are users at your site who will connect to the geodatabase using an ArcSDE service.

Steps:

1. Launch the Post Installation wizard from the Start menu.

   Start > All Programs > ArcGIS > ArcSDE > ArcSDE for Microsoft SQL Server Post Installation

2. On the Welcome dialog box, choose whether you want to go through all the postinstallation steps or just some of them.
   • Choose Complete if you need to create the database, administration user, geodatabase, and service and authorize the geodatabase.
   • If there are any of these steps you do not need to do (for example, if you are not going to create a service), choose Custom.
Note:

These instructions cover the first two parts of the setup. If you use a custom setup, some of these steps may not apply to you.

3. Click Next.
4. If you choose a custom setup, the ArcSDE Setup Wizard Option dialog box opens. Uncheck any options you do not need.
5. Click Next.
6. Choose whether to store the geodatabase in the schema of the sde user or the dbo schema.
   Tip:

   See A comparison of geodatabase owners in SQL Server for more information.

7. Click Next.
8. Type the name of your SQL Server instance.
9. Choose how to connect to SQL Server to create a database.
   • If your Windows login is dbo in the SQL Server instance, you can choose Windows Authentication.
   • If you want to connect as a database user, click SQL Server Authentication and type the password for the sa or another sysadmin user in the sysadmin user password text box.
10. Click Next.
11. Provide the required information in the Create Spatial database dialog box.
    1. If you are creating a geodatabase in the sde user's schema, type a password for the sde user in the SDE user password text box.
    2. Type the name you want for the SQL Server database in the Database name text box.

       The database name must follow SQL Server's rules for creating database objects.

    3. Accept the default data and log file sizes, or type the sizes you want in the Data file size and Log file size text boxes.
    4. Accept the default locations in which to create the data file (.mdf) and log file (.ldf) or browse to a different location on the server in which to create these files.

    A data base is created on the SQL Server instance. If you are creating an sde-schema geodatabase, the sde user is added to the instance and the database and granted the permissions necessary to create a geodatabase.

12. Click Next.
13. If you have altered the contents of the giomgr.defs, dbinit.sde, or dbtune.sde files, you can choose to use the custom file or files by clicking Use custom file and browsing to the location of the file.
14. Click Next.
15. Make sure the SQL Server instance name and database name are correct on the Repository Setup dialog box.
16. Choose how to connect to the database to create a geodatabase.
    • If your Windows login is dbo (a member of the sysadmin fixed server role or the owner of the database), you can choose Windows Authentication.
    • If you want to connect as a database user, click SQL Server Authentication and type the user name and password for a sysadmin login.
17. Click Next.
You should receive a message indicating whether or not the geodatabase was created successfully.
18. Choose whether or not to view the log.
    • If you want to view the creation log, click Yes. You should do this if the geodatabase was not created.
    • If the geodatabase was created without error and you do not want to view the log, click No.

The geodatabase has been created.

Next, you must authorize the geodatabase. See Authorizing ArcSDE geodatabases in SQL Server. If you are creating a service, see Creating an ArcSDE service on Windows.