GIS & Location Technology Episode 7 - The Relevance of Emerging Geospatial Technologies for IT

Summary: IT professionals have long recognized that geodata (geographically referenced information such as parcels, streets, addresses, and aerial photographs) represent a common information asset needed across departmental and agency boundaries. Unfortunately, managing, analyzing, and publishing geodata have often required expensive and complex GIS software solutions. However, new and emerging low-cost and no-cost IT technologies now promise to take GIS out of the back-office and unlock new potential from your geodata investment. Using familiar IT tools and strategies such as databases, web services, and XML, organizations can deploy GIS solutions that leverage spatially aware relational database management systems like Oracle Express, free SOA-based mapping API's like Google Maps and Google Earth, and open source software like Autodesk Mapguide to manage data, integrate systems, and deliver compelling geospatial applications for a fraction of the cost of traditional GIS.