Torrents of Terabytes: How Enterprises Can Begin to Manage Geospatial Data

Businesses are always looking for ways to manage assets more efficiently and improve customer service. Organizations across all sectors and industries increasingly depend on geospatial data to make better business decisions—from retail companies using maps to determine the best location for new stores, to insurance companies using cartographic intelligence to improve risk management. The challenge for enterprises is how to effectively manage geospatial data and plan for its use both now and in the future.

The demand for mapping data is driven by the popularity of mainstream and readily accessible Web-based mapping tools and services such as Google Maps, along with a rapidly growing number of accurate geospatial data sources. In addition, advances in wireless and remote sensor technologies—including network sensors, global positioning systems (GPSs), phones, and personal navigation devices—make it easier than ever to transport geospatial data.

1Spatial, an Oracle Certified Partner, is at the forefront of helping organizations maximize value from geospatial information. The company provides Oracle-based data integration and data quality software and services. Its open, standards-based, geographic information system (GIS)–neutral software accesses geospatial data in any form and makes it accessible, meaningful, and usable across and between organizations’ business processes.

“Handling this ever-growing tsunami of torrents of terabytes is moving mainstream enterprise IT infrastructures away from traditional GIS silos,” says Graham Stickler, 1Spatial product marketing director. “The advent of spatially aware databases, which were pioneered by Oracle, and the collaborative internet with Web services and mashups, has simplified what used to be a complex problem of processing and integrating geospatial data with core business processes. Web 2.0 applications have also made geospatial technologies more prevalent on the Web.”

1Spatial found that organizations around the globe, both commercial and public, have collected vast quantities of 2-D and 3-D mapping information over the last three decades. This data is worth billions of dollars and was collected using a diverse range of methods and technologies. The data banks are huge, but the accuracy and usefulness of the data must be reassessed continually due to the advent of GPS technology. Stickler says, “Sometimes data has been collected with insufficient precision relative to now-established GPS accuracy.” In addition, organizations are grappling with how to manage different types of geospatial data and how to integrate the information in a meaningful way.

Mike Turnill, EMEA product manager of Oracle Spatial technologies, believes that what makes spatial data so valuable today is that it is not only readily available, but it is much more accurate than in the past—and can integrate both 2-D and 3-D spatial data types. “It’s now possible to store aerial photos and satellite information and combine that with maps about the state of the ground,” Turnill says. “You can show the two together and integrate them.” He points to an example in which such integrated spatial data is used to help improve how European Union (EU) farmers obtain land use subsidies. The EU created an Oracle-based system that incorporates land use information reported by farmers with aerial photos. Spatial data helps reduce fraud because the aerial photos allow government officials to confirm and verify the data used to determine subsidy payments.

The issues of data quality and integration are critical because geospatial data is increasingly integrated in mainstream business processes across all sectors—from traditional markets such as utilities and transportation, to insurance and retail. Stickler says, “Geospatial data is used in planning and decision-making more and more as it becomes easier to do this. However, organizations can be exposed to commercial—and even legal—risks when geospatial data is used for making business-critical decisions or in an activity subject to legal regulation.”

Oracle has established the industry’s leading standards-based platform for quality geospatial data and application integration with Oracle Database Locator, Oracle Spatial, and Oracle Application Server MapViewer. Turnill says, “Oracle Database Locator, which is a subset of Oracle Spatial, is included at no cost in every Oracle Database that we ship. Oracle Spatial is unique because it also provides major additional features such as integrated support for raster data, support for network models, and 3-D support for city models.”

Turnill adds, “Oracle Spatial is the most widely used spatial database in the world; there are literally thousands of customers using it. What is most interesting these days is how Oracle’s spatial technologies are changing the way location intelligence and analysis are being incorporated into application solutions.” The products provide a standards-based infrastructure that allows Oracle applications to deliver location-enabled business intelligence.

One of the latest developments is that Oracle has integrated its spatial and location software with Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition. The Oracle Business Intelligence dashboard now features maps, along with the more familiar tables and charts. Maps are treated as another report form and are part of the user interface. Now users can easily analyze map data to pinpoint transactional phenomena and trends that are not obvious when viewing graphs or tabular reports.

1Spatial’s Radius product family uses Oracle Spatial as its database repository and underlying architecture. Among 1Spatial’s offerings are Radius Topology, which cleans existing data and allows only clean data to enter the Oracle Database, and Radius Studio, which is a spatial processing, analysis, and compliance engine.

Longtime 1Spatial customer Land and Property Services (LPS) Northern Ireland (NI) uses a number of 1Spatial products in its GeoHub NI, which is an internet-based system that provides a repository for place-related data, a search tool that allows users to see what type of data is available for any area, and tools that allow them to combine and analyze that data. The goal is to offer all public servants a range of geographic information that is available at their desk, so they can use it as naturally as they use word processing tools. LPS Chief Survey Officer Iain Greenway says, “I’m delighted that the power of information about place is being recognized by so many organizations. This, of course, puts pressure on data providers such as LPS to make sure that we have the necessary data, to the necessary quality, and that it is accessible.”

For organizations just beginning to recognize the importance of spatial data in daily business life, Greenway suggests there are ways enterprises can prepare for the increasing demand for spatial data. He says, “Users need to recognize, throughout the business, the power of the information, and be prepared to take the time needed to match their data holdings onto the base data, including mapping information.”

Stickler supports the idea of conducting an audit of existing geospatial holdings to addresses the purpose for the data collection. He says, “I like to use the term ‘geo business process re-engineering,’ because the needs assessment shouldn’t be anything different from what organizations are familiar with in principle. Geospatial is just another data type after all, albeit a specialized one.” He emphasizes that organizations need to look at existing business processes and fit geospatial data into them—not the other way around. He says, “A map is not necessarily always the answer.”

Turnill believes organizations should evaluate applications that may be improved by including location information. He says, “This can be call center applications, case management, asset management, sales territory management, and field and customer service applications. But it is important to make sure that address and location information exists for customers, assets, and resources, and that it is correct.” He also suggests evaluating commercial geographic and demographic data that may enhance applications. “Users should start with simple steps that have big return on investment. If you have sales territories or coverage areas, enable geographic query and display through maps. If you have assets, enable them to be displayed and analyzed using map technology.”

As a final word of advice, Stickler says, “In terms of systems, it is critical that geospatial data is truly open and accessible and that knowledge does not remain locked in system logic, but is also available and transportable. Oracle provides an excellent option here.”