I've already connected my ARIS Server with Microsoft SQL Server. I thought it uses as database of ARIS diagram, turns out it only store tenant. Or maybe not.
And a question arose from me, what is exactly SQL Server do for ARIS if it's already connected? And can it use to store our diagram as well?
When you install ARIS Server without an external database system, then a built-in PostGreSQL server is being used. As you have chosen, either during the installation, or later, to use Microsoft SQL Server, all your ARIS databases are stored there. Exceptions are some specific ARIS data, stored in other built-in databases.
ARIS stores ALL of its data, including its databases, any much more data, in so called tenants. And a full backup triggered within ARIS, either via ARIS Tenant Management (graphical user interface), or via ARIS Cloud Controller (command-line user interface) will create a tenant backup file with ALL ARIS data. A tenant backup file is meant to keep all ARIS data consistent.
Your explanation is really opened my view. But when I deleted the database in Microsoft SQL Server (ARIS10DB), it seems doesn't delete anything. I still can view any of my edited diagram.
Further question is how ARIS can view all the diagram even the database in SQL Server is already deleted? And what changed before and after I deleted the database?
Well, I don't know the installation details of your ARIS Server. But I guess SQL Server has been never properly connected to ARIS Server. When you stop the Windows services of SQL Server, and ARIS doesn't complain about a missing connection to its ARIS databases, then your ARIS Server is most likely still using the built-in PostGreSQL database server.
So I reinstall the ARIS Server and reconnect it with the SQL Server. And it worked! I stopped the services from SQL Server while open ARIS Architect and it's not running properly (which means it worked).
I think it's still feasible to "switch" from built-in PostGreSQL database server to an external DBMS, such as Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle, WITHOUT a fresh installation.
It's just a matter of pointing the ARIS' database service to the external DBMS.
