1. Advisor: Prof. Sudha Ram Jeffrey Abbruzzi, MS/MIS candidate
The Arizona National Biological Information Infrastructure Project Serving GIS Data Sets via the Web
Advisor: Prof. Sudha Ram
Jeffrey Abbruzzi, MS/MIS candidate
Department of MIS
The University of Arizona

2. Objective
The USGS, in conjunction with the University of Arizona School of Renewable Natural Resources, advertises their publicly available GIS data sets via a Federal Geographic Data Committee Clearinghouse node. This system does not actually serve the data. The Arizona NBII Project integrates a database-backed data retrieval system which automates data delivery to users interested in the advertised data sets.

3. Partners University of Arizona United States Geological Survey
Advanced Database Research Group
Advanced Resource Technology Group
United States Geological Survey
Western Ecological Research Center
Sonoran Desert Field Station
Arizona State Cartographer’s Office

4. System Features
Delivery of GIS Data Sets as zipped ARC/INFO export files
Session Tracking to enable security, user profiles and tracking of system events
Integration with Isite metadata server to allow click-through from FGDC metadata files
Automated user registration
Flexible architecture for easy addition of new data libraries

5. System Components HTML Interface Java Servlets for dynamic web content
Over 600 GIS data sets stored as ARC/INFO coverages, ARC/INFO export files, or zip files
Other products such as metadata files, GIF preview images, and EPS files
RDBMS storing information about GIS data sets, security settings, and user profiles

6. Architecture of the Arizona NBII System
Web Server
Web Browser
Static
HTML
Pages
.html
HTTP
Coverage Info Database
Dynamic
Java
Servlets
.class
FTP
(coverage info)
Coverages Server(s)
.pl
cgi-bin
Anonymous
FTP
Coverages
(coverage)
ARC/INFO
(export file .E00)

7. The Arizona NBII Web Site
Query Page
Results Page

8. Available Products
All, none or some of these products can be served by the system for a given coverage:
Export files (.e00)
GIF map previews
EPS map previews
FGDC-compliant metadata in HTML form
ftp://b014rs.e00

9. Future Directions Integration with the Saguaro Digital Library
User Interface enhancements
Adaptive User Interface Agents
Enhanced search capabilities
On-line map views of GIS data sets
Expansion of product types
processing tools (e.g. AML, Avenue, scripts, programs)
Data Harvesting from users
Automated addition of new libraries, coverages and tools