I'd like to set up a database environment at home that mimics what I have in the office (Oracle enterprise geodatabase/ESRI's st_geometry). I want to do this for spatial database training purposes in an Oracle/ESRI environment.
I plan to set up ArcGIS Desktop Advanced (Personal Use license) as the client and Oracle XE 11g R2 (64-bit) as the database. I'll create a geodatabase in the Oracle XE database, and add a st_geometry user-defined type.
From what I've read, it looks like this is possible, in theory . The Oracle database requirements for ArcGIS 10.3.x document says that Oracle 11g R2 (64-bit) 11.2.0.3 is supported by ArcGIS desktop. However, it doesn't explicitly say that the express edition (XE) of Oracle is supported. Also, it has occurred to me that I've never heard of anyone else doing this.
Since I will be purchasing new hardware and software solely for this purpose, I'd like to know ahead of time — will this work? Can I create a geodatabase (with st_geometry) using ArcGIS Desktop Advanced (Personal Use license) in an Oracle XE 11g R2 (64-bit) database?
Best Answer
It is your plan to "add a sde.st_geometry user-defined type" that means you will need ArcGIS Server (of which ArcSDE is a component) licensed.
If that is a mandatory requirement then your most cost effective (but still very expensive, for personal budgets) option may be the EDN.
For an effectively free Database Server (Desktop) (formerly called Personal ArcSDE), which comes as part of ArcGIS Desktop Advanced (and Standard), I think you will need to drop your requirement for Oracle XE and use SQL Server Express.
While Oracle XE is the Oracle equivalent for SQL Server Express it is not accessible via a Personal ArcSDE.