Should I upgrade my SQL first?

[JamesFitzgerald]

Hello,

Should I upgrade my SQL Server 2008 R2  to SQL Server 2012 R2 first then upgrade to ArcGIS 10.3 for Desktop and ArcGIS 10.3 for Server? Or vice-versa? Does it matter? Any advice on the matter. Thanks

[JakeSkinner]

Hi James,

I usually recommend to customers to upgrade their enterprise geodatabase last since the clients are usually backwards compatible to the geodatabase.  The order I upgrade is the following:

1.  One or two ArcGIS Desktop

2.  ArcGIS Server (if applicable)

3.  RDBMS and Geodatabase