UMN-MapServer: A high-performance, interoperable, and open source web mapping and geo-spatial analysis system

Ranga Raju Vatsavai, Shashi Shekhar, Thomas E. Burk, Stephen Lime

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent advances in Internet technologies, coupled with wide adoption of the web services paradigm and interoperability standards, makes the World Wide Web a popular vehicle for geo-spatial information distribution and online geo-processing. Web GIS is rapidly evolving and adapting to advances in Internet technologies. Web GISes are predominantly designed under a "thin-client / fat-server" paradigm. This approach has several disadvantages. For example, as the number of users increases, the load on the server increases and system performance decreases. Recently the focus has been shifted towards client-side Web GISes, which are heavy-duty, stand-alone systems. We take an opposing approach and present a load balancing client/server Web-based spatial analysis system, UMN-MapServer, and evaluate its performance in a regional natural resource mapping and analysis (NRAMS) application which utilizes biweekly AVHRR imagery and several other raster and vector geo-spatial datasets. We also evaluate alternative approaches and assess the pros and cons of our design and implementation. UMN-MapServer also implements several open standards, such as, WMS, WCS, GML and WFS. In this paper, we also describe in detail the WMS, WCS,and GML extensions from the interoperability point of view, and discuss issues related to adoption of such standards.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationGeographic, Information Science - 4th International Conference, GIScience 2006, Proceedings
PublisherSpringer Verlag
Pages400-417
Number of pages18
ISBN (Print)3540445269, 9783540445265
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
Event4th International Conference on Geographic, Information Science, GIScience 2006 - Munster, Germany
Duration: Sep 20 2006Sep 23 2006

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume4197 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Other

Other4th International Conference on Geographic, Information Science, GIScience 2006
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityMunster
Period9/20/069/23/06

Keywords

  • GML
  • Load-balancing Architecture
  • WFS
  • WMS
  • WMT
  • WebGIS

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