ArCGIS Server 10/10.1 And Sql Server 2008

Question

Is there any compulsion that SQL server 2008 and ArcGIS server 10/10.1 should be installed on same server machine and is it possible to install SQL server 2008 and ArcGis server on separate server machines?If is it possible then what are the complications and performance issue involved in above scenario.?

Answer 1

SQL server 2008 and ArcGIS server 10/10.1 should be installed on same server machine

Typically in an enterprise deployment, the answer is no, as both are quite cpu/memory hungry applications and they should not be fighting each other for resources (although you can do some tuning to make sure they don't hog all the resources).

is it possible to install SQL server 2008 and ArcGis server on separate server machines

Yes, and most architecture diagrams recommend this approach. Take a look at GIS Product Architecture for more information.

what are the complications and performance issue involved in above scenario.?

• Avoid firewalls between the DBMS and ArcGIS Server
• Ensure both are on LAN and not WAN, to avoid any network latency issues.
• If your using ArcSDE, by separating it onto separate box can mean additional licensing.
• A lot more information on System Design Process.

Answer 2

As Simon writes it is possible to install ArcGIS Server and SQL Server on separate servers - and recommended too. But if you are asking about the ArcSDE part of ArcGIS Server you will usually install this on the same server as your DBMS to get schemas and other stuff created ind the DBMS. You do not have to create ArcSDE services if you only wish to use Direct Connect to communicate with ArcSDE. You can actually also install ArcSDE on a separate server and run the ArcSDE services on this, if you want to.

Regards, Steen Kjeldsen Informi GIS Denmark