Arc9 Migration: Update

Memorandum

To: REGIS Board of Directors
REGIS Participants & Users
From: Donald J. Stypula, Executive Director
Date: October 27, 2004
Re: Status of ArcGIS 9 Migration Project

As all of you know, we are grappling with a series of problems that have emerged in the final stages of the REGIS migration to the ArcGIS 9 software environment. REGIS editors attempting to work in the Arc 9 environment have encountered multiple error messages and losses of critical work.

To avoid further errors and enable us to diagnose and repair the problems we have taken pushed back the "go-live" timeframe for users to directly access the Arc 9 software environment. We have paused editing in the Arc 9 environment and we are in the process of reloading data. Since the problem was discovered, we have worked closely with GIS professional staff at the City of Grand Rapids and Kent County to troubleshoot and repair the problems and to find a workaround that enables Kent County Property Description and Mapping editors to do their work. We also have engaged the services of our consultant, EMA, Inc., to work with ESRI and our technical troubleshooting team to diagnose and repair the problems.

PRIORITIES AND PROCEDURES

We have set two, clear priorities for addressing the technical issues with the system:

• GET KENT COUNTY PROPERTY DESCRIPTION AND MAPPING STAFF BACK TO WORK . We are working daily with Kent County and the City of Grand Rapids to get staff at Kent County Property Description and Mapping (PD&M) back on-line so they can tackle the work backlog that developed as a result of the Arc 9 migration "data freeze" and the subsequent problems with the system. Data sets have been provided to both Kent County and the City of Grand Rapids and the combined staffs have been working with consultants at EMA to bring an editing server on-line that enables PD&M staff to edit and work through the backlog. Once the REGIS Arc 9 environment is functioning properly, these edited data sets will be reincorporated into the regional parcel fabric.

• RESTORE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE REGIS ARC 9 ENVIRONMENT . We are working with ESRI technical support and EMA consultants - together with critical assistance from the City of Grand Rapids and Kent County - to troubleshoot and repair the problems with the REGIS servers operating in the new Arc 9 environment. We are rebuilding the REGIS editing server by removing all of the operational software and data components; reformatting the disc drive; and reinstalling Windows, the Oracle database software and Arc 9 SDE (spatial data engine) software. Then, we will carefully reload the data sets and test the system to ensure operational stability.

WHAT'S WORKING

The older, non-updated environment - utilizing the data that was available prior to the "data freeze" - is functioning! REGIS participants are able to access the system and find the information they are looking for in the old, Arc View 3.3 software environment.

The heavily-used Parcel Finder tool in the REGIS public internet mapping service also is functioning properly. Over the past two weeks, we have received dozens of calls and emails inquiring about the timetable for restoring this functionality to the public system. Thanks to our technical team, this critical public tool is now restored.

POSTCRIPT

This has been a remarkably difficult and stressful time for REGIS members - particularly Kent County IT, GIS and PD&M staffs and the technical team at the City of Grand Rapids . This has also been a difficult and stressful time for your REGIS staff. Through collaboration and cooperation we have worked together with the best and most knowledgeable GIS professionals in this region to find common ground and workable solutions. I want to personally offer my sincere thanks to everyone involved. We have a lot of work ahead. Working as one team to accomplish a set of common goals, we can get these problems fixed and restore the value that REGIS brings to our region.

As always, if you have any thoughts, comments, questions or suggestions you can reach me anytime on my cell phone at 616-450-5217, in the office at 776-7604, at home at 257-3372 or via email at stypulad@gvmc.org.