1. Web GIS: Architectural Patterns and Practices
Philip Heede
Shannon Kalisky

2. Web GIS Web GIS | Transformation of the ArcGIS Platform Desktop Apps
Web Maps
Layers
Apps
Desktop
Server GIS
Web Scenes
Web GIS

3. Web GIS | How is it Different from Server GIS?
Silo’d use of GIS services within custom applications
Web GIS
Pervasive use of web layers, scenes, and maps
within all of the ArcGIS apps
Users
App
… n+1
Apps
portal
Services
Web Maps
Web Scenes
Web Layers
Services
Data
Data

4. Online Content and Services
Web GIS | Anatomy
Desktop
Web
Device
Server
Online Content and Services
portal
1. Users & Apps
2. Portal
3. GIS Server
4. Basemaps & Utility Services

5. Web GIS | How to get a portal
ArcGIS for Server
ArcGIS Online
Software
Portal for ArcGIS as part of ArcGIS for Server
Releases 1-2 times per year
Upgraded manually (by organization)
Organization controls SLA
Core Web GIS functionality (visualization, smart mapping, analysis…)
Enterprise Integration
Web SSO via SAML
Web-tier Authentication via Web Adaptor
Enterprise Groups
ArcGIS Server Integration…
Advanced GIS functionality
SaaS
Releases 3-4 times per year
Upgraded automatically (by Esri)
Esri controls SLA
Core Web GIS functionality (visualization, smart mapping, analysis…)
Enterprise Integration
Web SSO via SAML
Esri-provided content and services
Basemaps
Living Atlas
GeoEnrichment, Routing, …

6. Online Content and Services
Web GIS | Anatomy of the portal
The portal in ArcGIS Online just is:
hosted by Esri and no need for installation
or maintenance nor breaking apart into
the backend components..
For a deployment using Portal for ArcGIS there are
three main components that make up a Web GIS:
Desktop
Web
Device
Server
Online Content and Services
portal
Portal for ArcGIS
Hosting server
(ArcGIS Server)
ArcGIS Data Store

7. Web GIS | Anatomy of the portal
components
in your own infrastructure
Server GIS infrastructure
Portal for ArcGIS
Server
Hosting server
(ArcGIS Server)
Enterprise
geodatabase
ArcGIS Data Store
Supports hosted data as well
as the app and collaboration infrastructure;
does not replace Server GIS infrastructure
Supports publishing of authoritative data
from enterprise geodatabases;
can be used in conjunction with a Web GIS

8. Web GIS Deployment Patterns | Typical Evolution(s)
Begin with ArcGIS Online & SaaS
Basemaps &
Content Services
Online
Online
Online
ArcGIS Online
Customer Managed Infrastructure
On-premises
Private Cloud
Public Cloud (AWS, Azure, others)
Managed Services
Portal
Portal
Portal
ArcGIS Server
ArcGIS Server
ArcGIS Server
ArcGIS Server
Begin with Server GIS, On-Premises

9. Web GIS Server GIS Distributed Web GIS
Distributed Web GIS | Next Evolution in GIS
Desktop GIS
(standalone GIS)
Server GIS
(client-server GIS)
Web GIS
Distributed Web GIS

10. Succeeding with Web GIS | Requires More Than Technology
People
Process
Planning

11. How members engage with your Web GIS | Where do you start?
Who can access content?
What content can they access?
What can users do with the content they access?

12. Build Web Competency in Your GIS Team
Users
Executives
Operations
Knowledge Workers
Mobile Workforce
Analysts
GIS Professionals
Web GIS
Curate Content
Author Maps
Configure & Develop Apps

13. Secure Executive Sponsorship… … …
GIS Team

14. Location Enabled Secure Executive Sponsorship … … … … … … GIS Team

15. Location Enabled Location Enabled Secure Executive Sponsorship … … … …
GIS Team
GIS Team

16. Aligning technology with your needs
How will you implement your Web GIS?
Your Choices: Physical machines, virtualized environments, cloud, or a combination
How many machines do you need?
Consider: the machine’s hardware specs, software and components
needing to be installed, etc.
What deployment pattern is best for your organization?
What are your SLA expectations?

17. Partner with IT Users GIS Professionals IT Professionals Executives
Operations
Knowledge Workers
Mobile Workforce
Analysts
GIS Professionals
IT Professionals
Curate Content
Author Maps
Configure & Develop Apps
Ensure Business Continuity
Apply Security
Enforce Governance

18. Leverage IT to help you scale
GIS
GIS
Don’t neglect your GIS infrastructure!

19. Know who you need at the table as you grow
Subject Matter Experts
Knowledge Workers
Users
Executives
Operational Data Experts
Drive Requirements
Power Users
Operations
Mobile Workforce
IT Professionals
Ensure Business Continuity
Apply Security
Enforce Governance
Analysts
GIS Professionals
Curate Content
Author Maps
Configure & Develop Apps

20. Tackle your Mapzillas Think about your users …
Story Maps
Portal
Think about your users …
Explorer
Dashboard
Collector
Office
… deliver the app(s) they need
Focused Apps
(Configured and/or Customized)

21. Go After Low Hanging Fruit
Narrow / Small
Broad / Big
Hard
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Organizational Impact

22. Don’t Underestimate Design

23. Configure first, but don’t be afraid to customize
City of LA Street Wize
ArcGIS Local Perspective Template
Updated styling & symbology
Tailored workflow to the user
Tailored application to the data

24. Show Something New Mobile Story Maps 3D Integration Real Time
(MS Office,Microstrategy…)
Real Time

25. Monitor your Web GIS Maintain SLAs Transparency Into System
Don’t set it and forget it
Planning
Requirements
Design
Develop
Deployment
Operations
Network
Hardware
Web Server
ArcGIS Server
Geodatabase
RDBMS
Maintain SLAs
Transparency Into System
Tune System Stability & Availability
Reduce Risks
Optimize Performance
Identify Bottlenecks
Improved Capacity Planning
Plan for change … it’s inevitable