1. Internet Map Servers ( Web GIS )
Longley et al., 7.5 (1/e) or 11 (2/e)

2. Paper Map Publishing User Request Data Gathering Data Formatting
Data Processing
Map Formatting
Map Production
User Response
Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

3. Web Map Publishing Web User Request Web Map Formatting Services Static
Data Storage
Map Production
Web User Response
Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

4. From Desktop to Server ArcIMS (Internet Map Server)
“web mapping” “web GIS”
ArcWeb - customized web GIS services
ESRI Image Server
ArcSDE - database storage (IBM, Oracle, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server)
ArcGIS Server - “distributed GIS”
ESRI Tracking Server
Running “GIS” remotely over the Internet
client-server architecture
“thin client”
just a Web browser (Netscape or IE Explorer)
and a machine to run it on (desktop, laptop, PDA, cellphone)
“thick server”
software and the data

5. “Internet Map Server” no data or software are transmitted
only answers to queries (based on geocoding)

6. maps.google.com

7. nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine

8. Map Server yes, but Web GIS also
answers to queries in map form, coupled with
data to download
simple analysis

9. ArcIMS Architecture (ESRI 2002b)
The ArcIMS Architecture is composed of three main parts: the Web Server (third-party component), the ArcIMS server and the applications used to build and manage your web site (Author, Administrator, Designer, and Manager.)
When an ArcIMS client sends a request to a server, the ArcIMS server processes and responds to the request. Results, typically maps or geographic data, are packaged and delivered to the client.
(ESRI 2002b)

10. ArcIMS Components Client-side components Server-side components
ArcIMS HTML Viewer
ArcIMS Java Viewer
Metadata Explorer
Server-side components
ArcIMS Spatial Server
ArcIMS Application Server
ArcIMS Connectors
Web Server
ArcIMS includes two out-of-the box client component options: HTML and Java client viewers. HTML Viewers are lightweight clients that receive image maps from the spatial server. Java Viewers serve information to a client browser in a specially optimized compressed format. There is also an ArcIMS Metadata Explorer extension.
ArcIMS serverside components are always running in the background on your server machine, waiting until it is needed.
The spatial server is the workhorse that bundles the maps and data into the appropriate format before sending the data to the client. The application server is the coordinator, who keeps track of incoming requests and hands them off to the appropriate spatial server assigned to create the map. The connectors allow communication between the browser and ArcIMS. The web server is the software that enables a web site to run.
Slide courtesy of Kuuipo Walsh, OSU INR

11. Virtual Research Vessel scallywag. science. oregonstate
Virtual Research Vessel scallywag.science.oregonstate.edu/website/epr_html/viewer.htm

12. COMCI scallywag.science.oregonstate.edu/website/comci/viewer.htm
Virtual Oregon (Metadata Explorer) digitalcollections.library.oregonstate.edu/virtualoregon/
COMCI, Catalog of Oregon Marine and Coastal Information, is based on ArcIMS 4
Virtual Oregon is based on the ArcIMS Metadata Explorer

13. Distributed Servers/Clients
What if the parts of a map come from different servers?
GlobeXplorer -
map from MapQuest
image from archive
ArcMap in ArcGIS 9.x
Data from Geography Network
Mapping & analysis from YOU in ArcGIS

14. 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

15. Applications Unlimited
Bridges apps on desktop, server, web, etc. (ArcWeb)
.NET - a Microsoft programming environment
Closely coupled to MS server family
MS “back-office”
OS: Windows
Env: Common Language Runtime (CLR)
Dbs/Web: ADO.NET, ASP.NET
Languages: Visual Basic, C++, C#,
More info at

16. J2EE J2EE - Sun’s Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition
More interoperable, works w/ many different databases, toolkits
OS: Windows, Solaris, Linux, OS X, others
Env: Java Virtual Machine (JVM)
Dbs/Web: SWING, Enterprise Java Beans, Java Server Pages, JDBC
Languages: Java, C++, C#
More info at

17. 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

18. Open Source GIS - Server Tools
mapserver.gis.umn.edu
postgis.refractions.net/
R-Statistics
GRASS GIS
grass.itc.it
GDAL/OGR
(raster translator)
gdal.maptools.org
Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

19. 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)
The biggest advantage of MapServer, for example, is the cost (free distribution of the s/w). MapServer has the advantage of being open-source and therefore the map and query output is fully customizable. Also the cost of to integrate with a database may be lower (ArcSDE is expensive). Well supported by and active community including the original programmers. Typically it is faster to serve maps (2 secs vs 5-7 seconds). And the installation is easy especially if you are familiar with compiling programs on UNIX However, because it is not intended to be a full-featured GIS, it is less robust and has less out of the box functionality. And if you want to add GIS functionality, you need to customize through programming.
For ArcIMS, the biggest drawback for most is the large cost, which includes the license for the software and buying the hardware to go on it. The software is less customizable because the source code is unavailable. And I would say you have poorer support directly from ESRI, but good online support from the user community. And installing ArcIMS is stillchallenging, despite recent improvements.
ArcIMS is nice because it supports more data structures, so you need to figure out what type of data you need to server. It is more robust because it offers more pre-packaged GIS functionality.
Because you have access to more data structures and functionality, you can often generate better map images. One of the most significant features is the ability to publish and browsing metadata over the Internet.
Basic site creation is simple and there is a large user base to draw from for support.

20. Web GIS with Decision Support
Web User Request
Web
Services
Data Gathering
Data Formatting
Data Processing
Static
Data Storage
Map Formatting
Map Production
Web User Response
Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

21. Web GIS with Decision Support
Web User Request
Web
Services
Data Gathering
Data Formatting
Data Processing
Static
Data Storage
Map Formatting
Map Production
Web User Response
The Problem Is The Arrows!
Graphics courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

22. Making GIS analysis accessible and affordable for Salmon Nation
Ecotrust Approach
QGIS/GRASS
GIS
Web-Based
Mapserver
Fully Integrated
Open-Source GIS
UMN Mapserver – Making data accessible via the web. Geo-spatial server viewed through a web browser. Taking our vision to a growing audience.
QGIS/GRASS GIS – Fully functional server GIS doing the heavy lifting. Runs on the server located at Ecotrust.
Adding the analytical glue to make smart decisions based upon sound GIS analysis.
And where Ecotrust sees things going:
Real-Time Decision Support Tools
Integration of open-source software across organizations
“Google” type interfaces
AJAX driven
Streaming media
Seamless datasets
Large datasets mean more thought in pre-processing
Pressure on large private companies to become more responsive to end user needs
Integration of OSGIS with proprietary software
Start of services based business…
Making GIS analysis accessible and affordable for Salmon Nation
R-Statistics
Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

23. Ecotrust Example - OCEAN www.ecotrust.org/knowledgesystems/ocean.html
R-Statistics
Chameleon (client user interface)
Mapserver
GDAL to pre-process data
PostGIS to store vector data layers
Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

24. Ecotrust Example - OCEAN www.ecotrust.org/knowledgesystems/ocean.html
QGIS/GRASS - Desktop
Slide courtesy of Aaron Racicot, Ecotrust

25. 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), , 2005.
Liang, S.H.L., A. Croitoru, and C.V. Tao, A distributed geospatial infrastructure for Sensor Web, Comp. Geosci, 31 (2), , 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, And
Yang, B., A multi-resolution model of vector map data for rapid transmission over the Internet, Comp. Geosci, 31, , 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), , 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, , 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), , 2005.