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Important information regarding Geocortex Mobile App Framework

Drew Millen
Geocortex Mobile App Framework (GMAF) 2.0 is currently in beta, and we’re anticipating its general release in a couple of weeks. We’ve received great feedback from our beta community, as well as some questions surrounding the finer details of the upcoming changes. This message contains important information for you about the benefits of the architectural changes – as well as the implications – related to GMAF 2.0’s release.

 

 

 

In 2.0, we’ve changed the way that operational data (feature layers) are stored on the device, queried, and synced with the server. When GMAF was first released, we developed our own storage and sync technology, which served users well but also imposed some limitations in performance and scalability. Meanwhile, Esri’s (http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/arcgis-rest-api/index.html#/Sync_overview/02r300000112000000/) feature service sync  technology has significantly evolved. Versions of ArcGIS 10.2.2 and higher offer stable and mature geodatabase replicas that are best-in-class solutions for customers with the need to store and work with feature data offline. Our technical team evaluated the benefits of rebuilding storage and sync with these replicas, and the conclusion was for us to support this method.

 

 

 

Here are some of the benefits of using Esri’s replica technology:
  • Scalability: Geocortex Mobile App Framework 1.x allows you to download and work with thousands of features offline; however, we’ve noticed performance limitations when adding up to 10,000 complex features on a device. Using geodatabase replicas allows you to successfully download and work with millions of complex point, line, or polygon features offline.
 
  • Performance: Geocortex Mobile App Framework 1.x uses a file-based storage format for feature data, requiring linear iteration of features in order to service query responses. Esri’s geodatabase replicas provide a spatial index: drawing maps offline, querying, and searching have substantially faster response times.
 
  • Search and Query: Geocortex Mobile App Framework 2.0 offers the ability for you to search for data, and to perform advanced spatial and text-based queries of feature data. Geodatabase replicas offer a full SQL syntax and a spatial index so these types of searches are now possible.
 
  • Stability and Reliability: Syncing offline edits from multiple users with changes made to an underlying geodatabase can be tricky – especially when relationships with related tables are involved. Esri’s replica sync technology provides a robust mechanism for syncing changes between devices and servers; formal support for per-user or per-map versioning and archived geodatabases are now offered to streamline back-office reconciliation workflows. It’s nice to know that Esri will continue to evolve and maintain the geodatabase replica sync technology, and that it’s being used more broadly within the larger Geocortex community.
 
  • Future Readiness: Esri is continuing to evolve their replica technology. The alignment of GMAF with replicas means you can more easily take advantage of future capabilities that will be offered by Esri in newer versions of Portal for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS for Server.
 

 

These technical benefits (and others) offer the best technology available to our customers; however, there are some important implications.

 

 
  • Geodatabase Readiness: Using replicas requires the feature layers that you intend to use offline are sync-enabled. When you publish a feature service, you can choose an option to sync-enable that feature service, which adds several REST API endpoints for creating and syncing with replicas. To sync-enable your feature service, you must have archiving or versioning enabled on your data, and your feature dataset must have global IDs.
 
  • Runtime SDK Licensing: In order to edit data offline, Geocortex Mobile App Framework uses Esri’s ArcGIS Runtime SDK to interface with the geodatabase replica. When write access to the replica (i.e. editing) is required, ArcGIS Runtime SDK Standard Edition licensing takes effect. For read-only access to offline data – including map drawing, identify and search – ArcGIS Runtime SDK Basic Edition licensing, which is free, can be used.
 

 

So what should you consider with regards to licensing?

 

 
  • Esri’s ArcGIS Runtime SDK Standard Edition can be activated if you’re signing into Geocortex apps within GMAF using an ArcGIS identity belonging to ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS. You may already have ArcGIS identities that you can use for your mobile offline workforce: simply secure GMAF applications using the ArcGIS identity provider to ensure that users are signing in with their ArcGIS identities and editing functionality will be unlocked.
 
  • If you are not currently using ArcGIS Online or Portal for ArcGIS, it is still very likely that you have identity entitlements from Esri. For example, all ArcGIS for Desktop users are provided with an ArcGIS identity, and ArcGIS for Server Standard and Advanced Editions come with identity entitlements that you can use.
  
  • Alternatively, ArcGIS Runtime SDK Standard Edition can be licensed by purchasing licenses (in packs of 25) from Esri. A license pack unlocks a certain number of devices: the license key acquired from Esri can be configured in GMAF before distributing the app to your users. If a user is editing, the license key is interrogated to ensure that the device has been activated. ArcGIS Runtime SDK license packs limit users to working with the ArcGIS Runtime SDK Standard Edition, and are not as flexible as the ArcGIS identity, which enables access to the entire ArcGIS platform.
 

 

Taking all of the above into account, our recommended method for unlocking editing functionality in GMAF 2.0 is to enable sign-in with an ArcGIS identity. These identities can be reused throughout the ArcGIS platform, providing access to portal content, web maps and apps that are part of the ecosystem.

 

 

 

We’re confident that the technical decisions we’ve made with Geocortex Mobile App Framework offer the best available technology for working with offline data, and that we’re positioning our customers for the future. Please let us know if you have any questions. Also, there’s (http://go.geocortex.com/beta-registration) still time to participate in the Geocortex Mobile App Framework 2.0 beta , where you can download and install the software and supply feedback in the forums monitored by the development team.

 

 

 
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  • Permanently deleted user
    While late in commenting I'd like to say thanks for this information Drew.

     

    This has major impacts on one of our projects from the licensing and offline editing restrictions. We've been resistent to the ESRI identity agenda and it is sad for us to have an extra step/cost/deterrent to web mapping. 98% of users aren't GIS people and so they don't have ArcGIS for desktop or any identity. Ideally contractors would to say "give me access to the map" and we could do that but given this model we have to place a purchase order for each individual case which could take months. 

     

    Considering that^ it's also important to say that Latitude made the right choice by utilizing ESRI's replica technology. It's just not sustainable doing it any other way. 

     

    Cheers,

     

    Matt
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  • Permanently deleted user
    So If I am using ArcServer Standard to publish and host all my services, I have all the licensing I need?  Will it pick up on that identity?
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  • Drew Millen
    Hi Jacqueline,

     

    Not exactly. ArcGIS for Server Standard edition does come with some entitlements that you can use as identities that can activate ArcGIS Runtime SDK Standard Edition; however, additional identities are separately licensed from your ArcGIS for Server Standard Edition license.
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