Introduction

ArcGIS Online is Esri’s GIS cloud solution. It allows you and your organization to easily share data, maps, tools, and applications that can then be accessed via the internet. Prior to ArcGIS Online, you were required to have a dedicated GIS web server, such as ArcGIS Server, to provide web-based content to your users.

So, what is a cloud solution? The word Cloud is used a lot nowadays, but few really know what it is. Simply put, a cloud solution is one that leverages the internet to deliver a product. This can be in the form of hardware (servers), platforms (Windows, iOS, Linux), or software (Microsoft 365, Constant Contact, Salesforce).

ArcGIS Online is an example of Software as a Solution (SaaS):

Example of an ArcGIS Online web portal

As a SaaS, ArcGIS Online provides the necessary tools to create interactive maps and apps, share and manage data, and integrate with other ArcGIS applications or other vendor solutions. ArcGIS Online also provides security that controls who can...