gis-l: ADMIN - ESRI Software Strategy and Post-Conference Post Mortem

[Clay, Linc]

GIS Users,

Eric Brockwell recently returned from the ESRI User Conference.  We are
adjusting our medium-term GIS software strategy based on what he =
learned.
Below is a synopsis of where we are and where we are going in the next
several months.

* We have learned (and determined through direct experimentation prior =
to the
conference) that ArcGIS projects (MXDs) created in ArcGIS 8.2 are not
readable by ArcGIS 8.1.  We have learned that ArcGIS 8.1 cannot connect =
to
ArcSDE 8.2 data services.  We have learned that ArcGIS 8.3 will be out =
in the
Fall.  Given these facts, we are planning to skip the ArcGIS 8.2 release =
and
wait for ArcGIS 8.3.  When 8.3 is delivered, we will release ArcGIS 8.3 =
for
the users and then upgrade to ArcSDE 8.3 once the users have installed =
ArcGIS
8.3.  We believe (or at least hope) that this approach will minimize the
unavoidable incompatiblity problems between versions of ArcGIS and =
between
ArcGIS and ArcSDE.

* We have received annecdotal evidence that some ArcGIS users in the
Districts are experiencing very poor performance.  We will be conducting
on-site testing in a couple of remote locations to try and isloate the =
cause.
We will keep you posted on what we discover and if we will be adjusting =
our
software deployment strategy as a result of what we find.

* In a couple of weeks, we will be deploying a new license manager for
ArcInfo and ArcGIS.  (This will not affect ArcView 3.x.)  We are going =
to try
to make this seamless for our users by setting an alias to the new =
license
manager.  We will let you know the day before we make the change.

* Our Fall GIS software training calendar is firming up.  The courses =
offered
via SHRUG are now available for registration.  The DEP-sponsored courses =
will
be finalized in the next week or so.  Check out the BIS/GIS web site =
training
page for additional information.

That's the news from the GIS Section.  Thanks for your attention,

-Linc

Linc Clay
Bureau of Information Systems/GIS
2600 Blair Stone Rd., MS 6520
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400
Voice: 850-921-9748 / SC 291-9748
Fax: 850-922-6041 / SC 292-6041
E-mail: linc.clay@dep.state.fl.us