If you’re currently using ArcGIS GeoEvent Server, you’re likely evaluating what the future deprecation announcement means for your real-time GIS workflows and planning your path forward. With the introduction of ArcGIS Velocity for ArcGIS Enterprise, you now have a modern deployment option that brings the capabilities of ArcGIS Velocity into your ArcGIS Enterprise environment*. Velocity provides proven real-time data ingestion, analytics, visualization, and automation capabilities you rely on today while providing an updated architecture, enhanced scalability, and a modern user experience.
As you begin planning your migration, one of the first questions is often: How will my existing GeoEvent Server workflows translate to Velocity? Are there equivalent inputs, outputs, processors, and services in Velocity? Will I need to rebuild my GeoEvent Server configuration?
The ArcGIS Velocity Migration Tool was created to help answer those questions. By analyzing your existing GeoEvent Server configuration(s), the tool evaluates your current implementation, identifies compatibility with ArcGIS Velocity, and helps you plan your migration with confidence. It generates both a customized migration guide and a Velocity configuration file, providing recommendations and resources tailored to your specific GeoEvent Server deployment.
In this blog, you’ll learn how the ArcGIS Velocity Migration Tool works, what information it provides, and how it can help you accelerate your migration from GeoEvent Server to Velocity.
For detailed installation, configuration, and usage instructions, refer to the ArcGIS Velocity Migration Tool User Guide.
*ArcGIS GeoEvent Server customers who are current on maintenance or have active subscription received the equivalent ArcGIS Velocity Server license in their myEsri.
Getting started with the migration tool
Migrating from GeoEvent Server to Velocity involves more than simply translating components from one product to another. While the two applications solve many of the same real-time GIS challenges, they are built on different architectures. Inputs, processors, services, and outputs may map directly to Velocity, require configuration updates, or need to be redesigned using a different approach.
In the next few sections, we will break down the process of using the ArcGIS Velocity Migration Tool to assess your existing GeoEvent Server configuration, determine your migration path, and use the generated Velocity file to get started. Additionally, follow along with the overview video for more detailed information on considerations when using the tool.
Step 1: Export Your GeoEvent Configuration
Begin in GeoEvent Server by exporting your site configuration from the Configuration Store. The export generates an XML file containing information about your inputs, outputs, services, processors, geofences, and supporting configuration elements.
After the configuration file is downloaded, you will then want to navigate to the ArcGIS Velocity Migration Tool and sign in. Access to the tool is restricted to authenticated ArcGIS customers; you must sign in using ArcGIS Online credentials or configure authentication through their ArcGIS Enterprise portal.
Step 2: Upload your configuration and select migration options
After signing in to the Velocity Migration Tool, upload the exported GeoEvent Server configuration file.
Once your configuration is uploaded, select:
Target platform
You will need to select your target platform. Both ArcGIS Velocity for ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Velocity for ArcGIS Online deployment options are supported, although some capabilities are only available in ArcGIS Velocity for ArcGIS Enterprise.
Migration strategy
The tool supports two migration approaches: a side-by-side migration and an in-place migration. For most use cases, the side-by-side is recommended, as it allows GeoEvent Workflows to remain operational during testing and validation.
Verify referenced ArcGIS URLs
An optional setting allows the tool to verify referenced ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Server resources.
When enabled, the migration guide reports whether referenced services are publicly accessible or require credentials. This can help identify dependencies that may require additional configuration after migration.
Flatten Nested Fields and Array
An optional setting allows the tool to flatten nested arrays. We recommend leaving this enabled, as this removes the need to hand-write Arcade for nested or array field mappings.
Step 3: Generate your migration package
After selecting your options, click Generate Migration Package. The tool evaluates every component within the GeoEvent Server configuration and classifies it into one of three categories:
Fully compatible
Components that have a direct Velocity equivalent and can be migrated automatically with validation.
Partially compatible
Components that can be migrated but require additional manual configuration after import. Examples might include workflows that require refinement of Arcade expressions or updates to supporting resources.
No equivalent
Components that do not have a direct counterpart in Velocity and require workflow redesign. When possible, the migration guide provides recommendations for how those workflows can be recreated using Velocity capabilities.
Step 4: Understanding your migration package
The Migration Tool generates two primary artifacts:
Migration Guide
The ArcGIS Velocity Migration Tool generates an interactive and downloadable Migration Guide that is tailored to your specific GeoEvent Server configuration, selected target platform, and migration strategy. When you open the guide, you’ll first see an executive summary that provides a high-level assessment of your migration, including service compatibility, migration complexity, and recommended next steps. This allows you to quickly identify which workflows can be transitioned with minimal effort and which may require additional planning, testing, or assistance.
A key section of the guide focuses on Service Migration Details, where you can review each GeoEvent Server service alongside its proposed implementation in Velocity. For every workflow, the guide documents the original GeoEvent configuration, the corresponding Velocity tools and settings, compatibility category, and any additional migration requirements. Workflows that require manual attention are clearly identified, along with recommendations that explain what has been migrated automatically and what still needs to be completed.
As you review your migration plan, you’ll also find information that cannot be directly migrated but may be important to recreating your workflows in Velocity. This includes items such as registered folder paths, ArcGIS Server connections, geofences, and other external dependencies referenced by your GeoEvent Server deployment. The guide also highlights custom processors, adapters, transports, and connectors that may require additional consideration, while identifying cases where functionality previously provided through the ArcGIS GeoEvent Server Gallery are now available natively as data provider feeds in Velocity.
To help you move from assessment to implementation, the guide includes additional migration resources such as Velocity-specific Arcade guidance, configuration considerations, instructions for importing the generated Velocity configuration file, and recommended validation steps. Together, these resources provide a roadmap for understanding your migration, importing your workflows, and preparing them for production in Velocity.
ArcGIS Velocity Configuration File
Alongside the guide, the tool generates a Velocity JSON configuration file that contains the migrated configuration. If you are migrating to Velocity for ArcGIS Enterprise, this file can be imported into Velocity through the Administrator Directory. We recommend importing the file into a test environment first so you can review each migrated workflow, validate expected behavior, and complete any remaining configuration before moving to production.
To import the generated configuration, open the Velocity Administrator Directory at https://<your_velocity_FQDN>:7143/arcgis/admin, replacing <your_velocity_FQDN> with the fully qualified domain name of the machine running ArcGIS Velocity.
From the Administrator Directory, use OAuth Login to sign in with a Portal account that has the Administrator role or an account with the Servers and Security and Infrastructure privileges. After signing in, open Backup Restore Info, choose Import Snapshot, select the generated Velocity JSON snapshot file, and click Import.
Real-time analytics are generated, and configurations are pre-populated with migrated settings. You can then review each workflow, complete any remaining manual configuration, and validate the results before moving into production.
For migrations to Velocity for ArcGIS Online, you will need to go through the swagger page. Detailed steps and instructions are included in the generated migration guide.
Step 5: Validate and optimize your workflows
Once the configuration has been imported into ArcGIS Velocity, review each generated feed and real-time analytic. Most migrated components require minimal modification, but workflows identified as partially compatible should be carefully reviewed and completed using the recommendations provided in the Migration Guide.
We recommend running GeoEvent Server and Velocity side-by-side during migration. This approach allows organizations to compare outputs, validate performance, and confirm expected behavior before retiring existing production workflows.
Share your feedback and access additional resources
Let us know how your migration went. Are you enjoying ArcGIS Velocity? What new functionality would you like to see? The ArcGIS Velocity Migration Tool is constantly improving. If you have feedback for improvements or if you find a bug, please follow the feedback instructions here.
If you are interested in reviewing ArcGIS Velocity performance, the product team has produced a test study which evaluates Velocity under defined conditions. View the test study here.
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