Do you really need a GIS to do spatial analytics ?

22 September 2017 Geoff Zeiss

Geospatial technology – spatial data management and analytics – is being used in many industries outside of the traditional GIS sector. Analysts and IT folks in these industries may be surprised to find that the spatial analytics and data management they require is already available from their database management system whether it is Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or SQLite

At the GIS in the Rockies conference in Denver Dave Murray from the City of Westminster reminded us how powerful the spatial analytics in modern relational database systems are.

In the late 1980s the first implementations supporting spatial data in a relational database were Vision* on Oracle RDBMS developed by Geovision and GFIS on Db2 by IBM. Subsequently the Open Geospatial Consortium defined a simple feature specification for spatial SQL. First Oracle and then Microsoft and the open source community have added spatial SQL based on the OGC standard to relational databases. Oracle Spatial, PostGIS+PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Spatialite+SQLite all support spatial SQL.

Folks wishing to employ geospatial techniques may find that they don’t need a traditional GIS product and all the complexity involved in integrating a GIS with their database management system. They very likely will find that they can do all the geospatial processing they require using spatial extensions to standard SQL on their existing database. Finding the number of automobile accidents along a stretch of road, the census tracts a road passes through, or the burglaries in a neighbourhood are straightforward spatial SQL queries. The results can be visualized using Oracle’s own visualization tools or open source applications like QGIS sitting on top of Oracle, SQL Server or PostGIS+PostgreSQL.  Dave mentioned spatial SQL courses on Udemy for those interested in learning more about spatial SQL.  Gordon Luckett’s web site has a wealth of information about spatial queries, especially for integration with AutoCAD and Esri ArcMap.  Gordon also has developed courses on Lynda such as Using SQL Server with AutoCAD and Learning QGIS.

 

Geoff Zeiss

Geoff Zeiss

Geoff Zeiss has more than 20 years experience in the geospatial software industry and 15 years experience developing enterprise geospatial solutions for the utilities, communications, and public works industries. His particular interests include the convergence of BIM, CAD, geospatial, and 3D. In recognition of his efforts to evangelize geospatial in vertical industries such as utilities and construction, Geoff received the Geospatial Ambassador Award at Geospatial World Forum 2014. Currently Geoff is Principal at Between the Poles, a thought leadership consulting firm. From 2001 to 2012 Geoff was Director of Utility Industry Program at Autodesk Inc, where he was responsible for thought leadership for the utility industry program. From 1999 to 2001 he was Director of Enterprise Software Development at Autodesk. He received one of ten annual global technology awards in 2004 from Oracle Corporation for technical innovation and leadership in the use of Oracle. Prior to Autodesk Geoff was Director of Product Development at VISION* Solutions. VISION* Solutions is credited with pioneering relational spatial data management, CAD/GIS integration, and long transactions (data versioning) in the utility, communications, and public works industries. Geoff is a frequent speaker at geospatial and utility events around the world including Geospatial World Forum, Where 2.0, MundoGeo Connect (Brazil), Middle East Spatial Geospatial Forum, India Geospatial Forum, Location Intelligence, Asia Geospatial Forum, and GITA events in US, Japan and Australia. Geoff received Speaker Excellence Awards at GITA 2007-2009.

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