Create backup of entire folder in ArcGIS Online with all the feature layers/maps and applications for later import

228
4
2 weeks ago
Status: Open
MiralemZeljo1
Occasional Contributor

This would be a best improvement to ArcGIS online that ever occurred.

We are looking for ways to export a folder with all the features/maps/applications to a file that can be later imported.

Sometimes projects get put on hold, currently we are forced to delete all the feature layers/maps/applications and dashboards and once project is restarted which could be months/years later we have to republish layers and reconfigure all the maps/applications from scratch.

Depending on a project size and number of maps/applications this can be rather time consuming task.

Our ask is to provide option to export folder at a time so that we can bring it back once needed.

I really appreciate your consideration on this as this I am sure would make entire ESRI community happy!

4 Comments
SreePotukuchi

Great Idea. This will be of great help and saves a lot of time.

PeterKnoop

This would be very helpful, as the current workaround of using the ArcGIS API for Python can be quite complicated, especially if you are archiving interdependent content (e.g., a hosted feature layer used in a web map, a web map used in a StoryMap, a hosted feature layer view referenced by a widget in an Experience.)

Using the API one can download most types of content, and store it as files outside of ArcGIS Online. Later, if needed, the files can be upload back to ArcGIS Online, and the content items reconstituted. The big hurdle, however, is having to walk all of the internal dependencies between the archived items. If there are no interdependencies, then you're done 🙂 Otherwise, the reconstituted items will have different item IDs than they originally had, so other archived content that references them needs to be updated to their new item IDs. (To help with the latter challenge, before downloading items, one can add a Tag to capture an item's current item ID for later mapping to its new item ID.)

Kevin_MacLeod

This is exactly what we need this year. We want to bring some AGOL content down to our Portal.  There will be some hurdles, like case between field names, and case between GUIDs. (upper vs lower; they should migrate/fix that at some point so things don't break AGOL to Portal and back. PostgreSQL doesn't handle mixed case field names and GUIDs are different between Portal and AGOL)

As with most folks, our content is all interdependent and while I've used Assistant to hack JSON and am beginning to get in to Python it would be great if there were a simple Download button.  Make item IDs line up. Whatever is needed. A way to bring stuff reliably from AGOL to Portal or vice-versa and it "just works".  Geo Jobe and others have tools like this but I imagine it would be better as an in-house supported functionality. 

CourtneyMenikheim

For anyone looking for a solution in the meantime, check out Backup My Org. It allows you to backup content in your ArcGIS Organization and restore it later.

BMO can get the whole org, or you can select specific content. It checks for any dependencies for the items you select and gives you the option to grab those too.

For anyone trying to move content from one ArcGIS Organization to another ( like @Kevin_MacLeod ), Backup My Org also helps with migrating content between ArcGIS Organizations.

Disclaimer: I work for the company that makes this product.