Esri EGMP2201 Exam - Topic 2 Question 36 Discussion

Scenario Overview:

The organization has a web service that must always be available.

The service reads data from a feature class in an enterprise geodatabase.

The GIS administrator needs to update the schema of the feature class.

Why Disable Schema Locking?

By default, ArcGIS services enforce schema locking to ensure data consistency while the service is active. This prevents any modifications to the feature class schema (e.g., adding fields, altering attributes) while the service is running.

Disabling schema locking allows schema updates to occur without disrupting the service's availability. (ArcGIS Documentation: Schema Locking)

Steps to Disable Schema Locking:

Access the ArcGIS Server Manager.

Locate the web service and open its service properties.

In the advanced settings, disable the schema locking option.

Perform the required schema updates (e.g., adding fields or modifying the feature class).

Re-enable schema locking if necessary for normal operation.

Alternative Options:

Option B: Run the Alter Field geoprocessing tool

This tool modifies fields but cannot execute schema changes while schema locks are active.

Option C: Delete the spatial index

Deleting the spatial index is unrelated to schema changes and could degrade query performance.

Thus, the correct workflow is to disable schema locking on the service to allow schema changes without disrupting the web service.