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UPDATE: As of 2021, ArcGIS content migration (such as items, groups, and users) from one organization to another is now transitioned from Admin Tools for ArcGIS to a more in-depth backup tool in Backup My Org.

Cloning and copying items are useful features found in the GEO Jobe applications. However, there is a misconception that both are synonymous, when in fact, they are very much different functionalities. In this article, we will cover the differences and go in-depth between the two features.

Copy

This tool creates a new item as a The Copy Items tool is a very easy to use feature in Admin Tools that creates services as a pointer to the original source, while other items are just a brand new item with no pointer to the original source, which . It is useful ideal for multiple users that are all working on the same content in an organization. The tool works by selecting the item(s) a user chooses to make duplicates of and then choosing the target user that will own the copied content. The original item(s) that’s duplicated will still remain with the source user. It’s useful tool for replicating items when endpoints will remain in the same organization that the item(s) is originally sourced.

Clone

This tool creates brand new items, with its If you currently own a version of Admin Tools, here is a step-through for using the Copy Item feature:

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From the Admin Tools Home page, navigate to the Items tab.
Under the Create section of the Items tab, click Copy Items.
Select Items: Once accessing Copy Items, locate and select the item(s) that you wish to create copies of. Press “Next”.
Select New Owner: Select the user that you wish to own the duplicated item(s). Press “Next”.
Select Owner Folder: Select or create a folder where the item(s) will be stored. You can opt to storing the item(s) in your user’s main ArcGIS contents folder by selecting “/”. Press “Next”.
Confirmation: Review your selections in the confirmation page. If everything is verified, you can press “Run Tool”. If successful, your result will be as shown…

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Clone

Backup My Org cloning feature is an all-in-one tool that handles the in-depth process of backing up and restoring items. Sourced content such as items, groups, and/or users are cloned with different endpoints, and it has more configurations that helps to refine the way ArcGIS content is processed. With an ArcGIS items' hosted dependencies configured automatically, and they are no longer pointing to the original data source it was cloned from. This is a very useful tool for moving content into a new organization. The Clone tool is available in Backup My Org.

From the Choose Your Cloning Option page, you’re given 3 options to select from. Clone Entire Organization is as described and will replicate every item existent in your Source Organization to your Target Organization. Quick Filters will narrow down your items search to a collection of items that fit your query search. Advanced Filter is a custom search option where items are specifically selected for cloning. For this demonstration, Advanced Filters will be selected.

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From the Content Selection screen, click the “Add Items” button where a collection of org item(s) can be selected for cloning. In the example below, there is one already selected. Proceed by clicking “Step 2: Cloning Information”.

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Once confirmation has been made during the Advanced Filter Cloning/Confirmation, proceed to “Step 3: Being Backup Preprocessing”.

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Once the Backup Preprocessing is completed, all dependencies or associated items will be rendered into a visual node tree. During this step, you can select which items, groups, or users are included in the backup. Select all nodes (will be highlighted in green) that you wish backup and proceed to clicking the “Start Cloning Backup”. Upon click, a confirmation modal will appear, before the backup takes place. Proceed by selecting “Confirm”.

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Once the backup process is completed, the backup results can be reviewed prior to restoring your backup. When ready, click the “Clone” button to proceed.

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In the Restore Prescan, all content in the backup is processed before configuration can be made for restoration. Once completed, click the “Next: Restore Configuration” button.

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An important step in the cloning process is configuring the items' endpoints for restoration. Setting these endpoints will establish what user or where items will be located. Once all user(s), group(s), and/or item(s) are configured, select the “Next” buttons to proceed to the Confirm Configuration page.