Introduction
The integration of Azure Blob Storage with Esri ArcGIS Enterprise enables federal agencies to efficiently store, retrieve, and analyze vast geospatial datasets. This setup leverages the scalability and performance of Azure Blob Storage alongside ArcGIS Enterprise’s robust geospatial capabilities, providing a secure and scalable solution for managing mission-critical spatial data. This document outlines the key steps for deployment and configuration, ensuring adherence to federal compliance and operational efficiency. First, the following list outlines applicable use cases for how Azure Blob Storage can be leveraged with an Esri ArcGIS Enterprise deployment within Azure cloud:
Tile and Imagery Storage:
Agencies store cached map tiles and imagery datasets in Azure Blob Storage, enabling fast delivery of map layers in web and mobile applications.
Blob Storage provides the ability to store terabytes or petabytes of raster and vector tiles, critical for high-resolution mapping applications.
Data Backup and Disaster Recovery:
Azure Blob Storage serves as a secure, durable backup location for geodatabases, feature services, and other ArcGIS data.
Its geo-redundant storage (GRS) ensures data resilience and compliance with federal continuity requirements.
Integration with ArcGIS Data Store:
In cloud-native deployments, Azure Blob Storage can be directly integrated with the ArcGIS Data Store to manage large datasets (e.g., LiDAR, remote sensing).
Agencies use read-access geo-redundant storage (RA-GRS) for high availability across regions.
Static Data Hosting for Public Access:
Agencies publish publicly accessible datasets, such as environmental or demographic data, using Azure Blob Storage linked with ArcGIS web applications or portals.
The scalability of Blob Storage ensures efficient handling of spikes in traffic when datasets are accessed widely.
Integration with Azure Services:
Blob Storage integrates with Azure Data Factory for ETL workflows, enabling preprocessing and movement of spatial data into ArcGIS Enterprise.
Azure AI services, such as Cognitive Search or Machine Learning, work on datasets stored in Blob Storage for advanced analysis.
Direct Integration with ArcGIS Enterprise: ArcGIS Enterprise includes tools and workflows to connect to Azure Blob Storage. This is done through:
Storage Connection Strings: Used to link ArcGIS Enterprise to specific containers in Azure Blob Storage.
Cloud Raster Format (CRF): Optimized for efficient cloud storage, CRF supports streaming raster data from Blob Storage.
Users can configure Azure Blob Storage as a data source in ArcGIS Pro or Portal for ArcGIS. Once connected, data can be visualized, analyzed, or published as web services.
Azure Blob Storage can be combined with Azure’s CDN to ensure fast and reliable delivery of data accessed through ArcGIS Enterprise, especially for globally distributed users.
Key Benefits of Azure Blob Storage for ArcGIS Enterprise
Scalability: Handle terabytes to petabytes of geospatial data with ease.
Cost Efficiency: Optimize costs through tiered storage options (hot, cool, and archive tiers).
Performance: Deliver high-speed data access for real-time geospatial analysis.
Security and Compliance: Ensure compliance with federal regulations, including FedRAMP, FISMA, and DoD IL4.
Seamless Integration: Enable ArcGIS Enterprise to directly access Azure Blob Storage for data retrieval and analysis.
Initial Deployment and Configuration Steps
Preparing the Azure Environment
Create a Storage Account:
Navigate to the Azure Portal and create a new Storage Account.
Choose a globally redundant storage (GRS) or locally redundant storage (LRS) option based on resilience needs.
Enable Azure Private Link to secure access to the storage account.
Set Up Blob Containers:
Within the Storage Account, create dedicated blob containers for:
Raster data (e.g., imagery, DEMs)
Vector tiles
Cached map layers
Backup and archival datasets
Configure Access Policies:
Use Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) for role-based access control (RBAC).
Assign appropriate permissions (e.g., read/write access) to ArcGIS Enterprise users and services.
Enable Data Lifecycle Management:
Configure rules to automatically move infrequently accessed data to cooler storage tiers.
Set up automatic deletion for outdated or temporary datasets.
Setting Up ArcGIS Enterprise
Deploy ArcGIS Enterprise in Azure:
Use the ArcGIS Enterprise Cloud Builder for Microsoft Azure to streamline deployment.
Host the deployment in an Azure Virtual Network (VNet) for secure communication between services.
Integrate Blob Storage:
Configure Azure Blob Storage as a data store in ArcGIS Server Manager:
Open ArcGIS Server Manager and navigate to "Site" > "Data Stores."
Add a "Raster Store" or "Big Data File Share" pointing to the blob container.
Use Shared Access Signatures (SAS) tokens or Entra ID integration for secure data access.
Publish Data to Portal:
Publish imagery layers, feature services, and tile layers from the connected blob containers.
Configure caching options to optimize performance for frequently accessed datasets.
Enable High Availability:
Deploy a multi-machine ArcGIS Enterprise setup for high availability and load balancing.
Ensure redundant connections to Azure Blob Storage to prevent data access interruptions.
Best Practices for Managing Large Volumes of Data
Data Organization
Logical Naming Conventions: Use clear and consistent naming conventions for blob containers, datasets, and tiles.
Folder Structure: Organize data hierarchically to facilitate quick access and efficient management.
Performance Optimization
Caching: Pre-generate map and image tiles for frequently used datasets to reduce rendering time.
Blob Storage Tiers: Use the hot tier for frequently accessed data, cool tier for archival, and archive tier for long-term storage.
CDN Integration: Integrate Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN) with Blob Storage for faster data delivery to geographically distributed users.
Security and Compliance
Encryption: Enable encryption at rest and in transit for all data stored in Blob Storage.
Access Control: Use Azure Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Private Link to restrict data access.
Audit Logging: Enable Azure Monitor and ArcGIS Enterprise logging to track access and usage patterns.
Data Backup and Disaster Recovery
Configure Azure Backup to create regular backups of blob containers.
Use geo-redundant storage (GRS) for disaster recovery, ensuring data availability across regions.
Monitoring and Maintenance
Data Monitoring:
Use Azure Monitor and ArcGIS Enterprise's built-in tools to track data usage, performance, and storage trends.
Regular Maintenance:
Archive outdated datasets to lower-cost tiers.
Periodically review access permissions and audit logs.
Scaling Storage:
Monitor storage capacity and proactively scale up blob containers as data volumes grow.
Conclusion
Integrating Azure Blob Storage within an ArcGIS Enterprise deployment hosted in Azure provides federal agencies with a scalable, secure, and efficient solution for managing geospatial data. By following the outlined steps and best practices, agencies can optimize their deployment to meet operational demands while maintaining compliance with federal standards.
For more information, please refer to:
Esri Cloud Documentation
For more information, please contact NexGen at info@nexgeninc.com or (720) 377-1800.
