Mapping Pacific Resources using Open Source GeoSpatial Software
A Pacific Solution for Geospatial Data Sharing?
Sachindra Singh
28th November, 2012
Pacific GIS/RS Conference
Systems Developer
Data Management Section
SOPAC/SPC
Just Pretty Pictures?
3D Digital Terrain Model of Ba, Fiji
Rendered from 3 million points LiDAR Survey
Or Analysed and Visualised Data?
Core GIS Fields
Cartography
Statistical Analysis
Data Technology
This presentation only focuses
on data technologies
Brief History of Internet and
Open Source Systems in SOPAC
•
1994 – SOPAC adopted cc:Mail and SunOS – one of the first regional organization to
have an electronic communication system in the Pacific region
•
1994 – SOPAC was one of the founding members of PICISOC (Internet Society Charter
for Pacific Islands)
•
1996 - USP [The University of the South Pacific] and SOPAC were the first to connect to
the Internet in the South Pacific. SOPAC also offered subsidized internet access to
government organisations during this period.
•
2000 – 2004 – SOPAC migrated fully to open source services such email systems,
GNU/Linux file shares, BIND, etc.
•
2002 – SOPAC adopted open source tiki-wiki as a web presence and collaboration
platform
•
2006 – SOPAC adopted open source online library systems (Koha) and e-learning
platforms (Moodle)
History (GeoSpatial Platforms)
Mapserver
2005 – SOPAC deployed and trained users in 14 Pacific Island Countries on UNM
Mapserver as part of EU/EDF Pacific Islands Vulnerability project.
Geonetwork
2007 - Geonetwork deployed within SOPAC by Ocean and Islands programme .
Singular GeoSpatial Data Repository
2010 - SOPAC ICT unified and catalogued SOPAC's and member countries diverse
spatial data collection under a standardised, secure and user-friendly system
Geonode
2011 – Adoption of Geonode Web Mapping Platform (primarily for World Bank/ADB
Pacific Risk Exposure Database Project)
Spatial Data Infrastructure
“[Spatial Data Infrastructure] provides a basis for
spatial data discovery, evaluation, and
application for users and providers within all
levels of government, the commercial sector, the
non-profit sector, academia and by citizens in
general.”
– SDI Cookbook
A generic and inter-connected set of systems that
enables easy management and publication of
geospatial data.
SDI Workflow
SOPAC SDI – Common Data Platform
✚
✚
What the heck is this
Genode thing anway?
What the heck is this
Genode thing anway?
SOPAC’s SDI Vision
Unified Approach to Cataloguing, Archiving and Exposing Diverse GIS/Spatial Datasets
Different projects, different data, different
requirements, different access levels;
One Platform – Geonode SDI
Zero IT Expertise required to expose, share and geospatial data.
Current and Future Implementations
SOPAC Geonode
geonode.sopac.org
Pacific Risk Information
System
paris.sopac.org
Maritime Boundaries
Project
Workflow
Entirely Open Source Stack; from Desktop to
Processing to Server.
Vector Conversion and Re-projection
Batch Conversion
Direct integration with Geonode
Raster Conversion and Re-projection
Eg: IMG
Lessons Learnt
SDI enables us to
quickly implement
smart technical solutions
to
legitimate organizational
data sharing concerns
Federation (Long Term Vision)
Multiple agencies in Pacific host their own SDI instances and manage own datasets.
Instances are interconnected and are able to search and consume each others
datasets transparently.
Example: Correlation between car accidents, road fatalities/injuries, and rainfall.
Example: Satellite Imagery hosted in SOPAC, overlayed with Forestry Coverage data in Govt.
Federation (Long Term Vision)
Multiple agencies in Pacific host their own SDI instances and manage own datasets.
Instances are interconnected and are able to search and consume each others
datasets transparently.
Example: Correlation between car accidents, road fatalities/injuries, and rainfall.
Example: Satellite Imagery hosted in SOPAC, overlayed with Forestry Coverage data in Govt.
Barriers to entry
What are common barriers to entry in the Pacific, and how do
we lower these?
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Setup Complexity
Software Support
How-to Guides and Help Resources
Pre-existing Investments (in Commercial GIS Software)
Incompatible ICT Policies
Bandwidth limitations in serving maps
Solutions?
What can an organization like SPC/SOPAC do to promote and provide
advocacy OSS for GIS in the region?
• Provide customized, simple and easy to use GIS tools (Desktop and
Server)
• Provide a medium for support and problem solving
• Provide online help and training modules
• Develop customised modules and plugins to suit Pacific datasets
• http://github.com/sopac
(all tuned to requirements of Pacific GIS Units)
Countering Bandwidth Limitation
Local Editions
Data and System should be
scalable enough to be hosted
independently on removable media
sopac-gis-os
GIS-oriented Linux (Operating System) Distribution based
on Free and Open Source Components built and
supported by SOPAC.
http://ict.sopac.org/gisos
Open Source Community
github.com/sopac
datarequest@sopac.org
Thanks