The Challenge
Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) was using ArcGIS Online paired with desktop based on-premise workflows. They were looking for a solution that met their security needs while also being self-governed. The solution needed to give the GIS team the ease and ability to administer all parts of the environment.
The Solution
GEO Jobe deployed ArcGIS Enterprise using various AWS products to create a cloud hosted environment. Combining EC2 instances, an S3 bucket, and an elastic load balancer, MAC is able to leverage the capabilities of ArcGIS Enterprise with the administrative ease that comes with AWS.
What needs did you have that led you to choosing ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS?
We were using an on premise GIS coupled with ArcGIS Online. At that point, our IT was in control of that system. One requirement we had moving forward was getting into an environment we had more control over. For us, ArcGIS Enterprise paired with AWS fit with our vision for a new system.
Why did you choose to have ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS instead of going with an ArcGIS Online/On-premise hosting?
One of our primary goals with this deployment was to get away from an on-premise environment. This made a cloud environment the obvious path forward, AWS being one of the options we had to fulfill that. Like most, we are focused on security and this was a factor in our choice for cloud hosting. AWS allowed us to use ArcGIS Enterprise with our own security policies. The flexibility you have to tailor the environment to meet your needs is a key factor.
How does your ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS enhance the work you’re doing?
We had been using ArcGIS Online previously but were looking to have more control over our data and environment. Switching to ArcGIS Enterprise and AWS has allowed us to bring all of our data, maps, and applications into an environment that we have more control over. We’ve accomplished this by combining ArcGIS Enterprise with multiple AWS instances and SQL Server.
How does your ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS save you time and resources?
Hosting in AWS has taken away the need to configure physical hardware and the time it takes to change out hardware if needed. It has also made the monitoring process less time consuming. We’re a GIS team, while we have some knowledge of IT it isn’t our area of focus. Using AWS allows us to focus on what we’re good at, GIS.
What results have you seen since implementing ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS?
Administrative tasks for maintaining the environment our easier than we expected. The ability to take snapshots give us confidence in having a plan for backups if we need them. Using the management console, we are able to make changes and see them implemented within a few minutes. We’re also able to store our static imagery in S3, which has had great performance, scalability and security.
Why did you choose GEO Jobe to deploy ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS?
Having previously used GEO Jobe’s product Admin Tools for ArcGIS Online, we had already had knowledge of the company. In addition, we knew that GEO Jobe had a track record of successfully implementing GIS with several other airports across the county. They have a great reputation in the GIS community for their products and services.
What are some of the notable functionality you get from ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS, and how has it helped you?
Our system needs may change over time, as we grow we need our system to grow with us. Hosting in AWS makes it easy to adapt and scale our system to meet our current needs. We are able to make changes and see them implemented immediately, no more weeks of waiting for new hardware to come in.
How did ArcGIS Enterprise/Cloud Hosting with AWS enable you to have more control over your data, system, and workflow management?
As mentioned, we were looking to get away from the traditional on-premise set-up using IT’s virtual machines. We wanted something robust, scalable and that we could administer ourselves without dedicated IT staff. AWS has enabled us to have more control and has made out GIS department much more productive.
Next Steps
Want to take advantage of the cloud, but not sure where to start? Our Enterprise team can help set everything up if you are ready to manage things in house. We also offer Managed Services and hosting on our GEOPowered Cloud if you aren’t ready to support a deployment in house. Connect with us at connect@geo-jobe.com to learn more and discuss solutions.
