In today’s work environment, accessing powerful GIS software from anywhere is no longer just a luxury—it’s a necessity. ArcGIS Pro allows professionals across diverse industries to create advanced maps, perform in-depth analysis, and collaborate on projects no matter where their work takes them. To achieve this seamless user experience, organizations must embrace virtualization. By using powerful hardware or cloud-based environments like AWS or Azure, they can improve ArcGIS Pro’s performance and empower their users to benefit from its full capabilities, regardless of location.
However, ensuring that your virtual machines (VMs) are optimized for performance without incurring unnecessary costs requires careful planning. Selecting the right configurations for different types of users is essential. This guide will walk you through the benefits of virtualizing ArcGIS Pro and the best VM profiles for ArcGIS Pro users, whether you’re setting up on-premises or in the cloud.
Why Virtualize ArcGIS Pro?
Virtualization technology enables the development of virtual machines (VMs) that can operate multiple operating systems and applications on a single physical server. This method improves flexibility and scalability while centralizing resources for more efficient management. To achieve the best Return on Investment and User Experience, choosing the right hardware is essential. Working with top hardware and cloud providers like Dell, HP, Cisco, AWS, and Microsoft Azure makes it easier to set up virtualization servers that can handle different VM deployments.
By virtualizing ArcGIS Pro, organizations empower their users to utilize the software from anywhere and on any device, benefiting remote teams, field workers, and multi-office organizations. Breaking down geographical barriers for teams, facilitates real-time collaboration, data sharing, and flexibility of on-the-go GIS tasks. As a result, workflows are improved, and projects experience less delays.
However, successful virtualization of ArcGIS Pro necessitates meticulous attention to hardware prerequisites, network infrastructure, and licensing considerations. Optimizing the performance of the virtualized environment is paramount to ensure the smooth operation of the software. Top of Form
VM Sizing and Configuration: Tailored to User Needs
When choosing the appropriate size or configuration for ArcGIS Pro VMs, it’s important to take additional factors into account. Each user has unique needs, and virtual resources may be necessary to accommodate them. To assist in this process, three recommended categories of user types are provided.
Types of ArcGIS Pro Users
Not all users are created equal-ArcGIS Pro tasks vary in complexity, and so should your VM configurations. Here’s how to ensure each user gets the resources they need:
Light User (VIEWING): Simple 2D map display, navigation, and querying. Combining and presenting data prepared by others.
Medium User (EDITING): 2D and 3D map display, navigation, querying, and editing. Moderate use of GP tools. Compilation of presentation of data from multiple sources into a simple map layout.
Heavy User (VISUALIZING): 2D and 3D map display, navigation, querying, and editing. Advanced use of symbology, including transparency, and dynamic labeling. Heavy 2D and 3D analysis involving visibility, and line of sight.
On-Premises VM Sizing Recommendations:
For organizations hosting ArcGIS Pro on-premises, here’s a breakdown of recommended VM configurations for each user type:
| User Type | vCPU | Memory | vGPU Profile |
| Light User | Min. 4 vCPU | Min. 6 GB RAM | 1Q – 2Q |
| Medium User | Min. 8 vCPU | Min. 8 GB RAM | 2Q or greater |
| Heavy User | Min. 12 vCPU | Min. 16 GB RAM | 4Q or greater |
Cloud VM Sizing Recommendations
Azure Single-Session VM Types Recommendations:
In single-session scenarios, there is only one user signed in to a session host virtual machine at a time. For instance, when utilizing personal host pools in Azure Virtual Desktop, you are operating within a single-session scenario.
| User Type | Azure VM Types |
| Light User | NV4as_v4, NV8as_v4 |
| Medium User | NV16as_v4, NC4as_T4_v3, NC8as_T4_v3, NV6ads_A10_v5 |
| Heavy User | NC16as_T4_v3, NV12ads_A10_v5, NV18ads_A10_v5 |
Azure Multi-Session VM Types Recommendations
In multi-session scenarios, multiple users are signed in to a session host simultaneously. For instance, when utilizing pooled host pools in Azure Virtual Desktop with the Windows 11 Enterprise multi-session operating system (OS), that constitutes a multi-session deployment.
| User Type | Recommended Azure VM Types | Max Users per VM |
| Light User | NV18ads_A10_v5, NC16as_T4_v3, NV32as_v4 | Up to 6 |
| Medium User | NV18ads_A10_v5, NC16as_T4_v3, NV32as_v4
|
Up to 4 |
| Heavy User | NV18ads_A10_v5, NC16as_T4_v3, NV32as_v4
|
Up to 3 |
AWS EC2 Instance Type Recommendations
If your organization prefers AWS, here are the recommended instance types for each user profile:
| User Type | Recommended AWS EC2 Instance Types |
| Light User | G4dn.xlarge, G4ad.xlarge, G5.xlarge |
| Medium User | G4dn.2xlarge, G4ad.2xlarge, G5.2xlarge |
| Heavy User | G4dn.4xlarge, G4ad.4xlarge, G5.4xlarge |
Making the Right Choice: Optimizing for Your Needs
ArcGIS Pro is a powerful desktop GIS application that works well with virtualization technology. This lets users take advantage of its advanced mapping and analysis tools from any place. This flexibility not only enhances collaboration among remote teams and field workers but also optimizes resource management with virtual machines.
By choosing the right hardware and VM settings for different user types—light, medium, and heavy—organizations can make sure the system works well and users have a good experience. In the end, using ArcGIS Pro in a virtualized environment helps professionals from different industries use their GIS skills better and make their jobs easier.
To learn more about virtualizing ArcGIS Pro, go to our ArcGIS Pro Help Documentation.
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