Internet Map Servers( Web GIS )

Longley et al., Chapter 11

Paper Map Publishing

Data Gathering

Data Formatting

Data Processing

Map Formatting

Map Production

User Request

User Response

Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

Web Map Publishing

Map Formatting

Map Production

Web User Request

Web User Response

StaticData Storage

WebService

s

Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

From Desktop to ServerArcIMS (Internet Map Server) “web mapping” “web GIS”

ArcWeb - customized web GIS servicesESRI Image Server

ArcSDE - database storage (IBM, Oracle, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server)

ArcGIS Server - “distributed GIS” (now includes ArcIMS)

ESRI Tracking Server

“Internet Map Server”• no data or software are transmitted

• only answers to queries (based on geocoding)

maps.google.com

nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine

Map Server yes, but Web GIS also

answers to queries in map form, coupled with

• data to download

• simple analysis

www.coastalatlas.net

ArcIMS Architecture

(ESRI 2002b)

ArcIMS Components• Client-side components– ArcIMS HTML Viewer

– ArcIMS Java Viewer

– Metadata Explorer

• Server-side components– ArcIMS Spatial Server – ArcIMS Application Server

– ArcIMS Connectors– Web Server

Slide courtesy of Kuuipo Walsh, OSU INR

Virtual Research Vessel scallywag.science.oregonstate.edu/website/epr_

html/viewer.htm

COMCIscallywag.science.oregonstate.edu/website/

comci/viewer.htm

Virtual Oregon (Metadata Explorer)

digitalcollections.library.oregonstate.edu/virtualoregon/

Distributed Servers/Clients

• What if the parts of a map come from different servers?

• GlobeXplorer -www.globexplorer.com– map from MapQuest – image from archive

• ArcMap in ArcGIS 9.x– Data from Geography Network– Mapping & analysis from YOU in ArcGIS

New Geospatial Worlds

• Customized apps in Desktop World– AML in the old Arc/Info– Avenue in ArcView 3.x– MDL in Intergraph– Couple all these with data– Purchase db, write customized code to geocode, get coordinate, put symbol on map

• Web World is different– Embed call to web service– Send address in XML (Extensible Markup Language) or SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol)

– Web service itself returns location

Applications Unlimited

• Bridges apps on desktop, server, web, etc. (ArcWeb)

• .NET - a Microsoft programming environment– Closely coupled to MS server family– MS “back-office”1. OS: Windows2. Env: Common Language Runtime (CLR)3. Dbs/Web: ADO.NET, ASP.NET4. Languages: Visual Basic, C++, C#,

J2EE

• J2EE - Sun’s Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition– More interoperable, works w/ many

different databases, toolkits1. OS: Windows, Solaris, Linux, OS X,

others2. Env: Java Virtual Machine (JVM)3. Dbs/Web: SWING, Enterprise Java

Beans, Java Server Pages, JDBC4. Languages: Java, C++, C#

So What About Open Source?

Four basic freedoms (The Free Software Foundation):

The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.

The freedom to study how the program works, and

adapt it to your needs. Access to the source code is a

precondition for this.

The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help

your neighbor.

The freedom to improve the program, and release

your improvements to the public, so that the

whole community benefits. Access to the source code is

a precondition.

Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

Open Source GIS - Server Tools

GRASS GIS

GDAL/OGR (raster translator)

R-Statistics

postgis.refractions.net/mapserver.gis.umn.edu

gdal.maptools.orgwww.geotools.org

grass.itc.itwww.r-project.org

Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

Open Source GIS – Server Tools• Pro’s:

– Software is free, total cost is NOT free– Wider variety of platforms supported (UNIX, Linux, Windows, Mac OS)

– Easier installation– Often very fast and efficient for the job– Many formats supported

• Con’s:– Less out-of-the-box functionality (e.g., metadata publishing)

– Lots of customized programming needed– Linking server tools together is often hard– Ability to integrate into proprietary systems is limited (i.e. can not link PostGIS database to ArcMap)

Web GIS with Decision SupportWeb User Request

Web User Response

StaticData Storage

WebService

sData Gathering

Data Formatting

Data Processing

Map Formatting

Map Production

Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

Web GIS with Decision SupportWeb User Request

Web User Response

StaticData Storage

WebService

sData Gathering

Data Formatting

Data Processing

Map Formatting

Map Production

The Problem Is The Arrows!

Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

Ecotrust ApproachQGIS/GRASS

GISWeb-BasedMapserver

R-Statistics

Fully Integrated Open-Source GISQGIS/GRASS GIS – Fully

functional server GIS doing the heavy lifting. Runs on the server located at Ecotrust.

UMN Mapserver – Making data accessible via the web. Geo-spatial server viewed through a web browser. Taking our vision to a growing audience.

Adding the analytical glue to make smart decisions based upon sound GIS analysis.

Making GIS analysis

accessible and affordable for Salmon Nation

Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

Ecotrust Example - OCEAN www.ecotrust.org/knowledgesystems/ocean.htmlChameleon (client user interface)

Mapserver

R-Statistics

GDAL to pre-process dataPostGIS to store vector data layersSlide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

QGIS/GRASS - Desktop

Ecotrust Example - OCEAN www.ecotrust.org/knowledgesystems/ocean.html

Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

Gateway to the Literature

• Kolodziej, K., OGC's WMS Cookbook: Recipes for web mapping, Geospatial Solutions, 13 (10), 42-44, 2003.

• Lehto, L., and L.T. Sarjakoski, Real-time generalization of XML-encoded spatial data for the Web and mobile devices, Int. J. Geog. Inf. Sci., 19 (8-9), 957-973, 2005.

• Liang, S.H.L., A. Croitoru, and C.V. Tao, A distributed geospatial infrastructure for Sensor Web, Comp. Geosci, 31 (2), 221-231, 2005.

• Lowe, J.W., Bone rooms, bird bodies, and biodiversity informatics, Geospatial Solutions, 14 (4), 40-45, 2004.

• Scholz, A. Mertens, M., and Steinback, C., The OCEAN Framework-Modeling the linkages between marine ecology, fishing economy, and coastal communities, in Wright, D.J. and Scholz, A.J., Place Matters: Geospatial Tools for Marine Science, Conservation, and Management in the Pacific Northwest, Corvallis, OSU Press, 70-90, 2005. And www.ecotrust.org/placematters

• Yang, B., A multi-resolution model of vector map data for rapid transmission over the Internet, Comp. Geosci, 31, 569-578, 2005.

• Yang, C., D.W. Wong, R. Yang, M. Kafatos, and Q. Li, Performance-improving techniques in web-based GIS, Int. J. Geog. Inf. Sci., 19 (3), 319-342, 2005.

• Zhang, L., C. Yang, D. Liu, Y. Ren, and X. Rui, A web-mapping system for real-time visualization of the global terrain, Comp. Geosci, 31, 343-352, 2005.

• Zhao, H., and B. Shneiderman, Colour-coded pixel-based highly interactive Web mapping for georeferenced data exploration, Int. J. Geog. Inf. Sci., 19 (4), 413-428, 2005.