Enable a network topology

The enable operation builds a network topology by evaluating and establishing connectivity between features in a utility network. A network topology must be enabled to perform tracing of network features and to use network diagrams. When enabled, dirty areas are generated for features where edits are made. These dirty areas are used during the validation of the network topology to ensure that it is kept up to date. You can enable network topology for a utility network using the Enable Network Topology geoprocessing tool. The enable process requires an exclusive lock, so all editing is blocked while the network topology is being enabled. If the network topology has previously been enabled, any existing errors are deleted and repopulated.

Tip:

Review the usage notes for specific tools to see the required state for the network topology.

The Enable Network Topology tool can be used for the following workflows:

• Discover errors before enabling network topology
• Enable a network topology to work with dirty areas, tracing, and network diagrams

There are some network configuration tasks that can only be performed before the network topology is enabled for the first time. To learn more, see Utility network management tasks.

Discover errors before enabling network topology

Run the Enable Network Topology tool with the Only generate errors parameter checked to generate errors without enabling the network topology. This allows you to generate errors to perform quality assurance and prototyping on your network configuration and features before fully enabling the network topology and registering it as versioned (for enterprise geodatabases). Use this process to review and correct errors by making edits to utility network features and adjustments to the utility network configuration. Analytic capabilities are not enabled at this stage, so dirty area creation, tracing, and network diagrams are not available.

The following requirements must be met to run the tool with the Only generate errors parameter checked:

• An exclusive schema lock must be obtained.
• All network feature classes must have a spatial index.
• The Input Utility Network parameter value must have certain configuration tasks complete. See Configure a utility network for more information.
  • All network feature classes must have attribute domains assigned on the Asset type field for each subtype (Asset group).
  • At least one network rule must be present.

When working with an enterprise geodatabase, the following also apply when running the tool with the Only generate errors parameter checked:

• The Input Utility Network parameter must be from a database connection established as the database utility network owner.
• The connected ArcGIS Enterprise portal account must be the portal utility network owner.
• The utility network must be in a nonversioned state.

To review network errors without enabling the network topology, complete the following steps:

1. On the Analysis tab, in the Geoprocessing group, click Tools to open the Geoprocessing pane.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and choose Enable Network Topology.
3. For Input Utility Network, specify the utility network.
4. Optionally, in the Advanced Options section, restrict the number of errors processed by the operation using the Maximum number of errors parameter.

   This value is a sum of features associated with errors. Once the maximum number of errors specified is reached, the operation is canceled, the tool fails, and no errors are written to the dirty areas table. The default value is 10,000.

   Caution:

   Increasing this value will result in an increase in the length of time required for the enable operation.
5. In the Advanced Options section, check the Only generate errors check box.
6. Click Run.

Errors are generated in the dirty areas table for inconsistences in the network, and the network topology remains in a disabled state.

Enable a network topology to work with dirty areas, tracing, and network diagrams

To work with dirty areas, run traces, and generate a diagram, the network topology must be enabled on a utility network. The network topology is initially enabled once a utility network is configured and ready for consumption. Dirty areas are also generated at this stage to mark features with errors in the network.

The network topology can be disabled to perform planned configuration changes or larger data loading operations. If working with an enterprise geodatabase, the network topology must be enabled on the default version.

Tip:

If the topology is disabled in a named version, you can use the reconcile process to inherit the topology state from the default branch version.

When working with an enterprise geodatabase, the Input Utility Network value can be from a service or a database connection.

The following requirements must be met to enable a network topology:

• When working with an enterprise geodatabase, the connected ArcGIS Enterprise portal account must be the portal utility network owner.
• An exclusive schema lock must be obtained.
• All network feature classes must have a spatial index.
• The Input Utility Network parameter value must have certain configuration tasks complete. See Configure a utility network for more information.
  • All network feature classes must have attribute domains assigned on the Asset type field for each subtype (Asset group).
  • At least one network rule must be present.

When working with an enterprise geodatabase, the following also apply:

• The utility network must be registered as branch versioned.
• The connected ArcGIS Enterprise portal account must be the portal utility network owner.
• If the Input Utility Network is from a database connection, the connection must be established as the database utility network owner.
• The Input Utility Network parameter must be referencing the default branch version.

Tip:

If referencing a utility network from a service, the time-out setting can be adjusted for longer-running enable and disable operations. See Tune and configure services.

To enable a network topology, complete the following steps:

1. On the Analysis tab, in the Geoprocessing group, click Tools to open the Geoprocessing pane.
2. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for and choose Enable Network Topology.
3. For Input Utility Network, specify the utility network.
4. Optionally, in the Advanced Options section, restrict the number of errors processed by the operation using the Maximum number of errors parameter.

   This value is a sum of features associated with errors. Once the maximum number of errors specified is reached, the operation is canceled and the tool fails. The default value is 10,000.

   Caution:

   Increasing this value will result in an increase in the length of time required for the enable operation.
5. Click Run.

The network topology is enabled for the specified utility network. Dirty areas may be present if errors exist.