How is ArcSDE technology included in ArcGIS?

In the past, ArcSDE was sold as a separate ESRI product. Starting with ArcGIS Version 9.2, ArcSDE technology has been included as capabilities within ArcGIS rather than being offered as a separate product. ArcSDE technology has been integrated into ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Engine, and ArcGIS Server so that users can scale their DBMS-based geodatabases across their organizations.

ArcSDE geodatabases scale from small, personal systems up to workgroups and very large enterprises.

Beginning at ArcGIS 9.2, ArcEditor and ArcInfo have included the Microsoft SQL Server Express database free of charge. These software products also include ArcSDE capabilities to support ArcSDE geodatabases in SQL Server Express for up to three simultaneous desktop users.

Beginning with ArcGIS 9.3, ArcGIS Engine includes support for SQL Server Express free of charge. The optional Geodatabase Update extension for ArcGIS Engine is required for ArcGIS Engine applications that edit geodatabases. You can learn more about ArcGIS Engine in the book named What is ArcGIS 9.3?

Microsoft limits the use of SQL Server Express to 1 CPU (or Core within a Socket) and to utilize 1GB of RAM. The maximum database size for SQL Server Express is limited to 4GB.

Within ArcEditor and ArcInfo, the ArcCatalog application provides the ability for you to fully administer and manage ArcSDE geodatabases using SQL Server Express. This provides full ArcSDE geodatabase capabilities for up to a few users at a time. You set up and manage these ArcSDE geodatabases within ArcCatalog. No extra software or database administration expertise is required.

ArcGIS Server Workgroup also includes ArcSDE support for SQL Server Express. With this level of ArcSDE, you can use SQL Server Express for up to 10 simultaneous Windows desktop users and editors (for example, users of ArcView, ArcEditor, ArcInfo, a custom ArcGIS Engine application, AutoCAD, MicroStation, and so on) plus any number of additional server connections from Web applications. (Consult your license agreement for specific information on the number of connections for your implementation.)

For the workgroup server, you can use ArcEditor or ArcInfo to create, administer, and manage ArcSDE geodatabases for SQL Server Express within ArcCatalog. No extra database administration expertise is required.

The ArcGIS Server Enterprise includes full enterprise ArcSDE technology with no limits. You can still run the traditional ArcSDE technology for Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, IBM DB2, and IBM Informix. ArcSDE support in the Enterprise Server level can scale to databases of any size and number of users and runs on computers of any size and configuration. With ArcGIS Server Enterprise, you provide your own DBMS license for this level of ArcSDE use. Choices include:

• Oracle
  
• Microsoft SQL Server
  
• IBM Informix
  
• IBM DB2
  
• PostgreSQL
  

The DBMS is typically administered and managed by a database administrator (DBA).

Summary points

You do not need to monitor and manage the use of your memory and cpu's for SQL Server Express. The SQL Server Express software will automatically limit computer use to 1 GB RAM on a single cpu and to a database size of 4GB.

Unlike the Microsoft Access database, SQL Server Express performance does not degrade as the database size approaches its maximum size limit (4GB).

ArcSDE for SQL Server Express is included free as a part of ArcEditor and ArcInfo. If you choose to install SQL Server Express, you can administer SQL Server Express databases using ArcCatalog.

When you install the ArcGIS Server for Workgroups, you can install and use SQL Server Express and ArcSDE. After installing SQL Server Express, you can use ArcCatalog in your ArcEditor or ArcInfo seat to administer SQL Server Express databases for your Workgroup Server.

These various levels enable users to take full advantage of ArcSDE geodatabases for any number of users, large or small. This allows organizations to have one scalable data architecture that works across their single user systems up into their large enterprise systems.   ArcSDE未来的一些趋势。