1. A synopsis of how the PACAF GeoBase enterprise system works
How GeoBase works
A synopsis of how the PACAF GeoBase enterprise system works

2. GeoBase is the Air Force Installation Geospatial Information and Services (IGI&S) program for geospatial information and was established to support the installation & environmental geospatial assets. The vision of the GeoBase program is to provide precise and reliable geospatial data that supports interoperability across the Air Force.
More precisely, GeoBase is the Air Force version of Google Maps. The USAF Geobase program focuses on real property, utilities infrastructure, and environmental data sets to develop and build its picture.
Garrison GeoBase IT capabilities usually include a work station(s), a database server (generally Oracle) and a web server.
Expeditionary GeoBase IT capabilities include a work station and limited web server capabilities provided through the Air Force Portal.
What is GeoBase?

3. Data Model Baseline Standards
Data models are essential to providing a baseline on where and how to store information.
The DoD has established a requirement for all branches to use SDSFIE, Spatial Data Standards for Facilities, Infrastructure and the Environment, but it is not a universal standard.
Other bases, MAJCOM’s and services may have additional feature classes and fields added to the current SDSFIE baseline.
JBER stores all local needs within FXSB.
If you have the opportunity, ask about feature classes and fields that do not meet the baseline standard prior to removing. They could be essential to that location.
Countries, Provinces, States, Counties, Municipalities, and Cities all can have different data models.
Keep up to date on SDSFIE by getting an account at
Data Model Baseline Standards

4. GeoBase Data Storage Flavors
Expeditionary: File Geodatabase or Personal File Geodatabase
It is HIGHLY recommended you always use a File Geodatabase
File Geodatabases most closely resemble the capabilities you would have under an Garrison, ie. loading imagery, file sizes, sharing etc.
Personal File Geodatabases are restricted to the rules established by MS Access and limit what you can do, even while editing in a multi-user environment.
Garrison: For most MAJCOM’s, you will see Enterprise Database servers.
The Air Force standard has been to run enterprise spatial databases on Oracle, a industry leader in enterprise database software.
You can also use Microsoft SQL, Postgre SQL, Informix, and DB2.
GeoBase Data Storage Flavors

5. A database stores data in schemas (containers), tables, rows (entries) and columns (attributes).
Each schema is considered a database.
Each schema will have tables to contain specific types of data.
Each table will contain rows & columns
Rows are entries
Columns are attributes
Data is requested/called through the use of SQL queries and interpreted by the target application’s environment.
Most new versions of database software contain the option to store spatial data.
ArcGIS may be able to connect to such databases, however it is constrained on what it can do within that database in terms of functionality similar to what you deal with when working with a non- native dataset (aka. CSV file, Excel, XML, KML, etc.)
Overcoming those limitations requires ESRI’s ArcSDE.
How Databases Work

6. Early in the development of Esri’s GIS offerings, it was recognized not everyone works in the same environment.
Some companies used Windows. Some used open source platforms based on the Linux kernel. Some companies like using Oracle for databases while others preferred MS SQL, etc…etc…
**A kernel is the most basic level or core of an operating system of a computer, responsible for resource allocation, file management, and security.
Open source operating systems such as Red Hat, Ubuntu, and CentOS are based on the core functionality and rules provided in the basic Linux kernel. As the kernel is available freely to all, these different flavors or versions of operating systems can use it to build their versions while keeping software offerings compatible between each other.
What is ArcSDE?

7. Esri made a decision early on to make sure its software would work in the MS Windows and open source environments. However a significant hurdle remained….
Database servers did not all communicate in the same version of the SQL language. As SQL is how any application be it computer, web, or mobile device based interacts with any database, Esri had to find some way to communicate with as many different databases as possible while maintaining a consistent look/feel within the ArcGIS applications it offered.
It also needed to be able to add granularity of control and security to those databases that were not available otherwise.
ie. Jimmy needs access to the feature data set structures to see information about buildings, but doesn’t need access to the demo feature class and read only to the existing facilities feature class.
What is ArcSDE?

8. What is ArcSDE? Esri created ArcSDE to overcome these issues.
SDE stands for Spatial Database Engine
ArcSDE interprets the requests for information your ArcGIS application sends, and converts it to the appropriate SQL language necessary to access the information you seek.
Every time your computer performs any function with a map, be it via the web viewer or ArcGIS, you are sending data requests through ArcSDE who interprets that data and translates it for the underlying database you are accessing.
Is then takes the data retrieved and re-interprets it for the Esri application that requested it.
This is primarily why you hear concern about making sure that as ESRI upgrades software versions, all applications get updated at the same time.
What is ArcSDE?

9. What ArcSDE Does For You
Aside from holding your data it….
Can store data only limited by the OS of the server.
Provides replication support (back-ups)
Provides archiving support (historical data)
Provides the capability of using a versioned environment
Supports the creation of views
Views are read only snapshots of data in time. When ArcSDE is compressed, the views are automatically updated with the latest information.
Views can also be used to show data in a permanent joined/related state.
In a versioned environment, it is better to use Versioned Views when you need faster updates rather than waiting for a compression to occur.
Views are typically used for map services (web applications) as they provide an easy way to maintain system security.
What ArcSDE Does For You

10. What Does a view look like?
Views are very easy to spot in ArcCatalog.
They look like feature classes, only their reside outside of a feature dataset.
Business tables are easy to identify too.
They look like a table of data.
RED: These are feature data sets (editable)
BLUE: These are business tables (editable)
GREEN: These are views (not editable)
Versioned views are also not editable, though editing the feature class from which they are derived will update the view with the latest change without having to compress the database.
What Does a view look like?

11. In a way, you already are every time you access ArcGIS, ArcCatalog, or ArcGIS Server (the map server).
Controlling ArcSDE is another matter entirely.
As ArcSDE is extremely powerful and essentially the linchpin that makes a GeoBase program operate, access to its basic core controls is highly controlled. Without SDE, nothing works. This is why you make backups!
ArcSDE is entirely command line based typically operated from the command prompt (MS-DOS prompt) or through self created .bat files also known as a batch file.
Performing regular maintenance is VITAL to its successful operation.
sdedbtune – Is a difficult task especially when working with large data sets where small changes can have dramatic (positive/negative) effects to the performance of the database.
sdegdbrepair – Used to identify and repair issues with data in the add/delete tables and versioning system tables of a versioned database.
sdeversion – Used to execute a compression to state 0…a good very too!
Do I use ArcSDE?

12. Versioning Important vocabulary to know…
Version: A version represents a snapshot in time of the entire geodatabase and contains all datasets in the geodatabase.
Versions are not separate copies of the geodatabase, instead they and the transactions that take place within them are tracked in system tables. This isolates a user’s work across multiple edit sessions, allowing users to edit without locking features in the production version of immediately impacting other users and without having to make copies of the data.
Reconcile: The reconcile process is part of the versioned editing workflow that compares the state lineage of your edit version and the target version to find conflicts between the two. Conflicts can arise when edits contradict edits made to the target version by another user. Reconciling prepares your data for merging with the parent version.
Post: Posting merges changes from your edit version to the target version. The post operation can only complete if the target version has not been modified since the reconcile operation was completed.
Versioning

13. Versioning Important vocabulary to know…
Version: A version represents a snapshot in time of the entire geodatabase and contains all datasets in the geodatabase.
Versions are not separate copies of the geodatabase, instead they and the transactions that take place within them are tracked in system tables. This isolates a user’s work across multiple edit sessions, allowing users to edit without locking features in the production version of immediately impacting other users and without having to make copies of the data.
Reconcile: The reconcile process is part of the versioned editing workflow that compares the state lineage of your edit version and the target version to find conflicts between the two. Conflicts can arise when edits contradict edits made to the target version by another user. Reconciling prepares your data for merging with the parent version.
Post: Posting merges changes from your edit version to the target version. The post operation can only complete if the target version has not been modified since the reconcile operation was completed.
Versioning

14. Versioning Scenario: Concurrent
Concurrent Editing of Published Database
In this scenario, many users edit the same version simultaneously and is the simplest way to support multi-user editing.
PROS:
This is appropriate when the units of work are fairly small or when persistent design alternatives are not required.
If there are no conflicts, saved edits are posted directly to the DEFAULT version.
CONS:
The default version is constantly changing and has potential for accidental modification.
Reconciling/Posting locks the entire database for all users until the action is complete.
Versioning Scenario: Concurrent
JBER Standard Op

15. Versioning Scenario: Multiple Projects
In a multi project environment, a more structured approach is needed. Projects requiring many edit sessions and spanning days, weeks, or months can be maintained without affecting the default version. Example: A work order arrives and a new version is created for that work order. The editors work on the version until the work order is completed. The administrator then reconciles the edits with the default version and posts it to the database. The project version is then deleted.
PROS:
Simple, each project is logically separated by version.
Batch reconcile/post processes are supported.
CONS:
The more versions you carry, the larger the potential impact on version query performance. Overhead can be managed if compressing regularly.
Versioning Scenario: Multiple Projects

16. Versioning Scenario: Multiple Projects w/ Subprojects
Complex projects require a more elaborate workflow structure than that provided by either the concurrent editing or the multiple project approach. These projects may further divide into multiple functional or geographic units from which a more complex versioning hierarchy will develop. For example, a project to design and construct a new shopping mall might have distinct construction phases subdivided into east and west sections.
PROS:
Supports complex projects.
Supports automated batch, reconcile, post processes.
CONS:
Must reconcile & post versions in order starting at the end working forward.
The more versions you carry, the larger the potential impact on version query performance.
Versioning Scenario: Multiple Projects w/ Subprojects

17. Versioning Scenario: Phased projects
Many projects evolve through a prescribed or regulated group of stages that require engineering, administrative, or legal approval before proceeding to the next stage. For example, within the utility domain, common project stages include working, proposed, accepted, construction, and as built.
PROS:
This method is suitable for projects that evolve through a series of stages, where each stage must be isolated as a distinct unit of work.
As with all other multiple-tier configurations, this workflow allows editors to develop proposals and design alternatives without affecting the production database.
Changes can be posted directly to DEFAULT, which eliminates the overhead of progressively posting changes up the version tree to the DEFAULT version.
CONS:
Not suitable for batch reconcile and post processes
Versioning Scenario: Phased projects

18. Versioning Scenario: Archiving
A key requirement for many projects is the preservation of various states of the database as it changes over time.
A common requirement for maintaining a historical record is to preserve an archive of the DEFAULT version, since it usually represents the published version of the database. A geodatabase can be set up to automatically record these changes. This functionality is built into the geodatabase; no additional data modeling or application customization is required to support automated archiving.
Some projects require an archive of a version other than the DEFAULT. Since a version represents the state of its parent version at the time you create it, you can create a version with the sole purpose of recording what its parent version looked like at a particular point in time.
Versioning Scenario: Archiving

19. GeoBase @ JBER GeoBase @ JBER It’s an enterprise system.
Complex and requires everything to work in concert.
Relies heavily on the GeoBase office for actionable info to ensure website users can effectively leverage available data for decisions.
Relies exclusively on GeoBase office to create web services that meet the website user needs.
Requires active participation from users to remain relevant.
GeoBase Servers
JBER
GeoBase Office
Website Users
GeoBase $ Drive

20. GeoBase Servers SQL GeoBase Servers HTML Java Script SQL Images
The GeoBase servers are 1x database server and 1x web server. Both are logical virtual servers stored and run from a single physical server.
The database server provides for all spatial data requests that rely upon data stored within its databases. It also supports non-spatial database applications such as the work requests, digital vault and more.
The webserver hosts all map services and websites for the customers to access.
GeoBase Share Drive ($)
Some information used for the web services we provide is stored here as well.
SQL
GeoBase Servers
HTML
Java Script
SQL
Images
Rasters
PDFs
TIFFs
GeoBase Servers
GeoBase Office
Website Users
GeoBase $ Drive

21. GeoBase OFFICE GeoBase Office GeoBase Servers MXDs SQL Rasters PDFs
You are the first point of entry for anything that gets printed or shows up on a website.
You must be DATA HUNGRY and ask for more input all the time.
DO NOT rely on other SMEs to keep their information up to date. Be proactive!
Always keep a current backup.
Full database copy (File Geodatabase)
Keep your files organized and easily understood for the person coming behind you.
Funding is essential. Maintain relevance to keep $$$$ coming!
GeoBase Servers
MXDs
SQL
Rasters
PDFs
TIFFs
GeoBase OFFICE
MXDs
Rasters
PDFs
TIFFs
GeoBase Office
Website Users
GeoBase $ Drive

22. The Big picture The Big Picture All other PACAF Bases JBER PACAF
Your work is vital to the Air Force mission as it gives decision makers from the bottom up a current picture of our capabilities.
Our work, along with all other PACAF bases, replicate to PACAF’s central database nightly. PACAF’s database updates the Air Force’s.
In contingency situations, this data replications allows us to support any base or mission.
Remember….
GARBAGE IN = GARBAGE OUT! Take the time and do quality work. We all (Big Air Force) rely upon your diligence.
All other PACAF Bases
JBER
PACAF
HQ Air Force
The Big picture
Other MAJCOMS
& Services