Deploying a Web GIS Application: Technical and Organizational Design Considerations

2003 Florida Joint Mapping Conference June 20, 2003

presented by: Peter Thum, President - GeoAnalytics

1 GeoAnalytics, Inc. 2003

Presentation Overview

Web GIS? Technical Components and Design Organizational Considerations Lessons Learned

Why?

Web GIS General Data Access

Web GIS Fleet Tracking

Web GIS - Location Finder

Reasons for Web GIS? Public Access (Internet) Thin Client - Remote Access Mobile Computing Simplified System Administration Cost of Software Licensing Interoperability between Distributed Applications Emerging Standards
7

Palm Beach County Property Addressing Tool

Current Parcels Digitized Point Unrecorded Parcel Recorded Lookup Values Update / Cancel Buttons
Map Labels
Commissioner District PLSS Section Municipal Name

Palm Beach County Property Addressing Tool

Geographic Web Application Host Web Application

Host to Map Map to Host

Data 1 Data 2 Data 3
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Documents

Populated Form

Spatial Analysis

Technical Components & Design

10

Client and Server Components

Clients
Wireless Wireless Browser Browser (HTML) (HTML) Java Java Desktops Desktops
GIS GIS Services Services Business Business Services Services Other Other Services Services

Server Services
Internet Server Internet Server Technology Technology GIS and Other Services GIS and Other Services

11

Mobile Clients
Laptop Tablet Handhelds

Field PCs

Palm Devices

Cell Phones

12

Thick Desktop Client

ArcIMS ArcIMS
Internet

ArcIMS ArcIMS ArcIMS ArcIMS

13

Enterprise Enterprise Data Data

My My Data Data

Thin Browser Client

Server 1 ArcIMS ArcIMS Server 2 Server 3 ArcIMS ArcIMS

ArcIMS ArcIMS

Internet ArcIMS Client

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Presentation Tier
Browser
User Interface

Internet Browser

Intranet Browser

Thin Clients (viewers) Fire wall

IE may use ActiveX (ArcObjects)

ClientServer Application

Fat Clients (ie, editors)

Application Logic Tier

Web Server
Dynamic Web Presentation Business Rules and Logic

Web Server Web Application ArcIMS Connector

(1) Web Serving Cluster

Web Server Server-side Web Application ArcIMS Application Connector

(A) ArcIMS Access

Spatial Data Access FAT Attribute Access ArcIMS Middleware Other Middleware
ArcIMS Presentation ArcIMS Geographic Operations ArcSDE Geographic Operations Oracle Spatial Geographic Ops

ArcIMS Application Server

(2) ArcIMS Application Server

ArcIMS Control Center Communications & Load Balancing

(B) RDBMS Access

Oracle Table Access Oracle Spatial Access (spatial data and functions)
ArcIMS Spatial Servers

(3) ArcIMS Spatial Servers

Data Access & GeoProcessing Components Implements AIMS Map Services (possibly multiple spatial servers)

Data Access Tier

Database

Images (files)

Shape Files

ArcSDE

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Data Access Operations

RDBMS Oracle, (database) Oracle Spatial

Load Balancing to Support Demand

Load Balancer

Web Servers

Web Servers

Map Servers

DB Server

DB Server

Map Servers

SITE 1
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SITE 2

PBC Planned Address System Architecture

PZB EPW 9-1-1

ArcMap

Browser

Browser

ArcMap

Browser

ArcMap

Web/ArcIMS Server

ArcTrans GDB

EAS ArcSDE DB Oracle Database EGIS 17Repository DB MSAG

EPW ArcSDE Oracle Database

Distributed Web GIS Data Services

Integrated View

Queries extract info from diverse sources

Cedar Lake Whoville

Whoville Cedar Lake

Buildings Roads Images Targets Boundaries ...

Catalog View

Internet
Common interfaces enable interoperability
Gazetteer Coordinate Transform
Web Mapping Server, Web Feature Server, Web Coverage Server Catalog Services Clearinghouse

Other Services

FAO Data Metadata

WRI Data Metadata

EDC Data Metadata

Miombo Data Metadata

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Local Data

Web Services
Service Service Provider Provider

Web Services
Metadata Metadata Server Server
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Publish Publish

Find & Use

Service Service Requester Requester

Web Service Protocols Standards-based XML services

o o o

SOAP simple object access protocol WSDL service description UDDI service discovery
Method to SOAP XML SOAP to Method PlaceFinder Engine

Web Application
findPlace(Redlands)

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Place DB

ESRI ArcWeb Services

Data Service
o

Many themes Place finder Address finder Route finder Map image Proximity Query

GIS Functions
o o o o o o

More services soon

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How ArcWeb Services Work

Where is Redlands, CA?

Redlands, CA?

Redlands, CA?

Internet

User Site (-117.181667, 34.055556) (-117.181667, 34.055556) (-117.181667, 34.055556)

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ArcMap

ArcExplorer Internet

Web Browser

Web Browser

Internet

ArcIMS .NET Web Tier

ArcIMSJava Web Tier

Web Server

Internet
Web Server SOAP/XML

ArcGIS Server
ArcGIS Services
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Employ a Development Methodology

Components Process Data Technology Organization Applications
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Workflows Initiation Requirements Design Implementation Testing Deployment Project Management

Employ a Development Methodology

Initiation
Work Plan Risk Strategy Communications Project Team

Requirements
Business Model Use Cases GUI Prototyping Revised Work Plan

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Employ a Development Methodology

Design
Application Specs Database Specs Integration Specs Tech Architecture

Implementation
Develop/Integr. Plan Setup Dev. Env. App Development DB Development

26

Employ a Development Methodology

Testing
Test Plan Unit Testing Production Testing Updated Apps/DB

Deployment
Deployment Plan User Documentation Tech Documentation Training

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Application Development Team

Department Staff

GIS Advisory Committee Implementation Management Team

Project Coordinator System Architect Technical Project Manager Business Analyst

IT Support

Development Team
Database Development
Database Designer/ Administrator Database Developer(s) Database Programmer 28

Application Development
Application Designer Web Programmer(s)

System Deployment
Test Manager Trainer

Organizational Considerations

29

Web GIS: Data Publication or Data Distribution?

Fundamentally Different Activities Who is the Audience? Why are They There? What Client Business Function is Satisfied? What Provider Mission // Mandate is Satisfied? Who Fronts the Cost?
The Answers to these Questions Drives Deployment Strategy
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Data Publication Digital Map Book Limited Query and Navigation Tools Suitable for Internet or Intranet Audiences Constraints
o o o

Content Functionality SensitivityInternet Anonymity

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Data Publication Possible Objectives Marketing - Good Will Profit Center Cost Avoidance Satisfaction of Open Records/FOIA
o

The Null Value

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Data Distribution Wholesaling Activity Data in its Native Form Bulk Sale Non-Existent or Limited Services Pure Conveyance

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Data Distribution Objectives Meet Open Records Requests Marketing - Good Will Make Money? Save Money? Provide Services All Are At Least Theoretically Possible
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Data Accessibility Issues Inaccessibility

o o

Sensible Data Practices Getting the Right Information into the Right Hands
Emergency Management

Intelligence Agencies

Military

Law Enforcement

Defense
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Reaction

Get the Bad Guys

Re-Establish

Data Accessibility Issues Over-Accessibility What was Once Reasonable . . . Is Now Dangerous
Privacy Data Sensitivity Data Formats

Viewer Anonymity

Target Sensitivity

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Data Accessibility Issues

Observe Open Records Laws

What is Reasonable?
Defense Reaction Get the Bad Guys Re-Establish
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Anonymous Access?
If Yes If No

Limit Content and Format Availability

Create a Trail Sensitive Data

If Yes

Policies: Justification Limited Redistribution

Lessons Learned

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Things to Keep in Mind Prototype user requirements Decide on data access sensitivity Properly design application architecture (sizing) Provide a stable data environment Test before rollout to ensure credibility Track application usage Ensure proper network communications (DNS) Match app complexity with staff support skills
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Madison, Wisconsin Madison, Wisconsin

Chicago, Illinois Chicago, Illinois

West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach, Florida

Contact Information: Contact Information:

Peter G. Thum

1716 Fordem Avenue 1716 Fordem Avenue Madison, WI 53704-4604 Madison, WI 53704-4604 Phone: 608-241-7100 Phone: 608-241-7100 Fax: 608-241-7116 Fax: 608-241-7116 E-mail: E-mail: URL: URL: pgthum@geoanalytics.com pgthum@geoanalytics.com www.geoanalytics.com www.geoanalytics.com
GeoAnalytics, Inc. 2003 All Rights Reserved GeoAnalytics, Inc. 2003 All Rights Reserved