Enterprise GIS Upgrade:

10.2.1 10.3.1 10.4.1

Doug Genzer GIS Data Administrator

Bruce Reagan GIS Developer

Upgrade

• Enterprise geodatabase (SDE)

• ArcGIS Server

• ArcGIS Desktop software

• Custom applications and integrations

• Scripts and stored procedures

Challenges• Integrations

• Knowledge of legacy custom applications

• What we didn’t know

• Getting buy in and prioritization from management

Process

• Management buy-in

• Project intake

• Project Manager assigned

• Architecture Review Board

• Esri System Design Activity

CCD Enterprise GIS

Project Management• Agile methodology

• Determining level of effort

• Microsoft Team Foundation Server

Determining Level of

Effort• Repurposed two servers for DB sandbox

• Commandeered three computers for desktop testing– BUD (Box Under Desk), BUD Lite, and BUD Ice

350 Installs, Really?

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

• Install Package

• Number of installs? 274

System Architecture - Integrations•Geographic Information System Technician

•$39,204 - $57,239

•Edits data and makes simple maps

•Geographic Information Systems Analyst

Security Challenges

• Hardened servers

• Persuading Security Team

• QA/Prod VRF

• F5 rules

“You have my fingerprints,

you have my urine sample,

Please open port 8080!”

Moving Data• Databases backed-up and restored to new servers

• Databases upgraded to 10.4.1

• Applications configured

• At Go-live 10.4.1 data truncated, current data appended

Rolling Editing Freeze

• Depending on criticality and flexibility

• As agencies schemas were frozen desktop upgrades

pushed and data copied to new Prod servers

Go Live Planning and Execution

• Practiced tasks in pre-production tiers (Dev, Test & QA)

• Determined amount of time for each task

• Developed timeline for go-live tasks

• Knew when resources would be needed

What Went Well?

• Getting the support of TS Management

• TFS historical repository

• Determining actual computers to upgrade

• Pre-installing upgraded software when possible

• Understanding backward compatibility, order of

upgrade, Desktop, Server, SDE

• System Architecture Design

• Team’s ability to adapt

• PM – planning, escalation, removing roadblocks,

communication, freeing up GIS staff

What Went Well?

• GIS Server Administrator Role

• Well planned go-live with accurate timelines and

good pizza

• Rolling editing freeze

• Cloning data, configuring apps and using Esri

Geodatabase tools to load current data

• Pushing out TNS_Names.ora prior to go-live

• Future upgrades should not take as long

What Didn’t go Well?

• Standard builds for hardware and software

• Project delays / competing technology priorities

• Communicating integration testing with some

applications (Sales Force, Accela, PMAM,

Workday, Pocketgov)

• Not every application could be upgraded: City Works

and Accela needed their own upgrades.

• Losses of key staff: Sometimes people quit or have a

baby

• Isilon storage upgrade just before the go-live

• We did not get a Tee Shirt

Contact Information

Doug Genzer

GIS Data Administrator

Bruce Reagan

GIS Developer

Technology Services - GIS

City and County of Denver

201 W. Colfax Ave. Dept. 301

denvergis@denvergov.org