Before creating and configuring a utility network, it is important to understand the different deployment types and options for configuration. The geodatabase type that stores the utility network will determine the type of deployment, which also impacts the configuration, sharing capabilities, and licensing of the utility network. You can create and configure a utility network manually using core tools or using a Utility Network Foundation to accelerate the process. After the initial implementation, you can use these same tools to modify the configuration based on changes in the data model.
Review the sections below for details on deployment types and the options available for configuring a utility network.
Deployment types
There are two deployment types for a utility network. The geodatabase type used to store a utility network will determine the deployment type.
- Enterprise deployment—The primary deployment pattern for a utility network that employs an enterprise geodatabase. This services-based architecture allows multiuser editing and the sharing of a utility network across all platforms (desktop, mobile, and web).
- Single-user deployment—An alternate deployment pattern for a utility network stored in a file or mobile geodatabase. While concurrent access is enabled for read-only operations, editing operations are limited to a single user.
Reference the following table to review the properties of each deployment type:
| Deployment | Number of editors | Geodatabase type | ArcGIS Pro license level | User type extension |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Many | ArcGIS Advanced Editing | |||
One | N/A |
Utility Network Foundations
Predefined templates known as Utility Network Foundations are provided by the ArcGIS Solutions team for various industries to reduce the time and effort required to implement a utility network. It is considered best practice to begin your implementation with a Utility Network Foundation if one is available for your industry. These solutions provide a set of tools to aid network creation and configuration along with a baseline model which you can extend or modify to suit your needs.
Each Utility Network Foundation provides all the necessary components to get you started with a Utility Network, along with detailed help documentation to guide you through the process. Review the Utility Network Foundation for your industry to learn more:
The general workflow to create and configure a utility network with the Utility Network Foundation is as follows:
- Deploy the Utility Network Foundation solution.
- Choose a model for your industry using the gallery links above.
- Install the Utility Network Package toolbox. The Utility Network Package toolbox contains tools to simplify the configuration and export of a utility network.
- Perform data migration.
- Review the schema to perform data mapping and modify the information model. Schema reports allow you to explore the models and their configurations.
- Data mapping tools allow you to map your source data to target datasets and identify whether you need to extend or modify the existing model to suit your needs.
- Migrate your data to the asset package from the foundation for deployment to a file or mobile geodatabase and to perform quality assurance.
- Configure the utility network environment.
- Deploy your utility network to an enterprise geodatabase.
- Configure editing maps, enable the topology, and publish your utility network.
To learn more about the steps required to create and configure a utility network using the foundation models, review the help topics for each solution.
Note:
If a Utility Network Foundation is not available for a specific domain, the utility network can be created and configured manually.
Manual configuration
A utility network can be created and configured manually using the suite of geoprocessing tools available in the Utility Network toolbox. This process can be scripted and combined with tools found in the Utility Network Package toolbox to help simplify the configuration of a utility network. The same tools that are used during the initial phase of implementation can be revisited when additional configuration is needed for the utility network.
See Configure a utility network for more information.