Open GIS Consortium for a changing world. Spatial connectivity © 2000, Open GIS Consortium, Inc. All Rights Reserved Enabling Open Access to Geographic Information in UN Programs Lance McKee VP Corp. Communications & Public Sector Programs Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC)

OGC What is OGC? Not-for-profit, international, industry consortium of commercial, government, and academic organizations.Not-for-profit, international, industry consortium of commercial, government, and academic organizations. Vision: Complete integration of spatial data and spatial processing in information systems worldwide.Vision: Complete integration of spatial data and spatial processing in information systems worldwide. Mission: Development of OpenGIS Specifications (open geoprocessing interface standards) through Technical Committee and Interoperability Program activities.Mission: Development of OpenGIS Specifications (open geoprocessing interface standards) through Technical Committee and Interoperability Program activities. Industry standards group with strong ties to ISO TC/211 and other international standards groups.Industry standards group with strong ties to ISO TC/211 and other international standards groups.

OGC World Wide Web Internet Clients Servers FTP Browser Background - World Wide Web Internet computing is the way of the future, new economy, new paradigm.Internet computing is the way of the future, new economy, new paradigm. Growing at phenomenal rateGrowing at phenomenal rate Interactive Web-based technology maturing rapidlyInteractive Web-based technology maturing rapidly Growing number of online databases, some spatial.Growing number of online databases, some spatial.

OGC Trends Trends GISGIS Earth ImagingEarth Imaging CADDCADD AM/FMAM/FM Navigation Sys.Navigation Sys. Web access to “views,” not dataWeb access to “views,” not data Live map linksLive map links Geo-Application Service ProvidersGeo-Application Service Providers Location Services for position-aware devicesLocation Services for position-aware devices Non-visual geospatial servicesNon-visual geospatial services Stovepiped, central: Open, distributed: Few users, few sources Many users, many sources

OGC World Wide Web Internet Clients Servers FTP Opportunities in Web-based Mapping Application enablement:Application enablement: –Planning –Disaster management –Public safety –etc…. Fluid access to GI and services:Fluid access to GI and services: –Inter-agency access –Inter-government access –Gov access to commercial GI –Commercial value-add to Government data –Citizen access to gov. GI –(Services via plain browser) Metcalf’s law applied to GI: value of GI increases with number who use it.Metcalf’s law applied to GI: value of GI increases with number who use it.

OGC Painful realities...Painful realities... –Limited ways to locate sources of data –Lack of interoperability –Institutional issues: security, privacy, certification, freedom of information law, data fiefdoms,... –Data un-coordination, babel of feature names & metadata schemas –Insufficient affordable bandwidth OGC’s challenge...OGC’s challenge... –Establish standard interfaces for interoperability. 1. Users define requirements. 2. Vendors reach consensus on how to do it. Painful Realities and OGC’s Challenge OGC addresses these now.

OGC Data Server Web Client Standards, Interfaces Web Mapping Testbed 1 Organize collaborative development and co- sponsorship.Organize collaborative development and co- sponsorship. Quickly, develop minimal interface to enable access, display, and overlay of simple map views.Quickly, develop minimal interface to enable access, display, and overlay of simple map views. Enable interoperable commercial geoprocessing systems and components.Enable interoperable commercial geoprocessing systems and components.

OGC Map servers Web Mapping Technology - Definition On-line discovery access, integration, exploitation ofOn-line discovery access, integration, exploitation of –Geospatial information –Geographic analysis and visualization applications. Access multiple servers simultaneously.Access multiple servers simultaneously. Client App servers Catalogs

OGC WMT 1 Produced: GetMap, GetCapabilities, GetFeatureInfo interfaces that enable automatic overlay of “map views” from different web-based map serversGetMap, GetCapabilities, GetFeatureInfo interfaces that enable automatic overlay of “map views” from different web-based map servers –Raster or vector, but presented as.gif or other simple raster –Based on earlier work in OGC on Coordinate Transformation. Compatible with OpenGIS “Simple Features,” Catalogs, etc. “Cascading Map Server” middleware“Cascading Map Server” middleware Prototype applications to demonstrate the abovePrototype applications to demonstrate the above Inspiration for GML (XML encoding of spatial info)Inspiration for GML (XML encoding of spatial info)

OGC WMT2 will produce: Better use of Catalog Services (including “cataloging of catalogs”)Better use of Catalog Services (including “cataloging of catalogs”) Better portrayal (use of style sheets)Better portrayal (use of style sheets) Legends and other map marginaliaLegends and other map marginalia Drill-down: cursor on pixel – “What’s this?”Drill-down: cursor on pixel – “What’s this?” (Maybe: Simple services for location-aware devices.)(Maybe: Simple services for location-aware devices.) NOTE: OpenGIS Catalog Services depend on metadata conforming to ISO and FGDC Metadata Content Standards!

OGC Coming soon, GML “Geo-XML,” standard XML encoding of spatial data“Geo-XML,” standard XML encoding of spatial data XML is key to “Business-to-business” GI e-commerceXML is key to “Business-to-business” GI e-commerce XML is structured data that can be “styled” variously for different applicationsXML is structured data that can be “styled” variously for different applications “Recommendation Paper” on GML due soon from OGC“Recommendation Paper” on GML due soon from OGC WAP/W3C likely to embrace GML – Key infrastructure for services supporting position-aware, Internet-connected devicesWAP/W3C likely to embrace GML – Key infrastructure for services supporting position-aware, Internet-connected devices

OGCOGC: Develops open geoprocessing interface specifications.Develops open geoprocessing interface specifications. Organizes sponsor-funded Interoperability Initiatives:Organizes sponsor-funded Interoperability Initiatives: –Testbeds - rapid prototyping R&D efforts –Feasibility Studies - tests of applicability of interoperability approaches in a user setting. –Pilot Programs. Rapid deployment and testing of new web mapping capabilities, with leave-behind “seed systems.” Gives public sector organizations an “open Interface” to private sector Interoperability Initiative participants.Gives public sector organizations an “open Interface” to private sector Interoperability Initiative participants. Maintains to provide information about OGC’s technical interoperability developments.Maintains to provide information about OGC’s technical interoperability developments.