Register different versions of the same database

Summary

When a database is registered with ArcGIS for Server, the 'DBO.Default' version is registered by default. However, if attempting to register a different version of the same database with ArcGIS for Server, an error message stating, "The database is already registered" is encountered.

The following steps show how to workaround this issue and register multiple versions of the same database with ArcGIS for Server.

Procedure

Note:
This article assumes the database has already been registered with ArcGIS for Server using the 'DBO.Default' version.

1. Open a new map document, and load the SDE data into ArcMap. In the Table of Contents, change the version of the data to its desired version that is not 'DBO.Default'.
   
   
2. Follow Steps 1-5 for publishing a map service in ArcMap in the following document. Stop after Step 5: (Please see How to publish a service.)
3. Ensure that only Mapping capabilities are enabled with the service and 'Feature Access' is not enabled at this point. Once confirmed, click the Analyze button.
4. Right-click the error message in the Analyzer logs which states, "Layer's data source is not registered with the server and data will be copied to the server", and select the option, "Register Data Source With Server."
   
   A pop-up window appears containing the connection string for the data. By navigating along the text in the connection string, it is possible to see the version being registered with the server, which must be different than 'DBO.Default' and match the version selected in Step 1.
   
   
5. Give this connection an appropriate name and click OK.
6. Click the Analyze button in the 'Service Properties' window. No further error messages about unregistered data are encountered.
7. Check Feature Access in the service capabilities, if required, and publish the service.