Progress Update On
Spatial Data Infrastructure
A Regional Geospatial Open Data Repository?
2013 Pacific Islands GIS/RS User Conference
18th – 22nd November
Suva, Fiji Islands
Sachindra Singh
Systems Developer
Data Management Section
AGDT/SPC
Outline
Highlight AGTD/SPC Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Efforts
Explore Previous Implementations
Advice on limitations and issues encountered with implementations
Discuss Lessons Learnt and Way Forward
SDI Goals and Expectations
Geonode Adoption
PacGeo Initiative
Ongoing SDI development work
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Early efforts - Mapserver
2004/2005
SOPAC deployed and trained users in 14 Pacific Island Countries on UNM Mapserver as part
of EU/EDF Pacific Islands Vulnerability project.
Status: Defunct
Limitations:
•Complex to use, need knowledge of HTML/CGI to make useful user interfaces
•Need to write comprehensive mapfiles for each layer to style data and expose OGC web
services
•Doesn’t scale well, suitable for single projects
•Performance issues with rendering complex maps (though MapCache etc. helps)
•Programming/IT skillsets required to upload and maintain data
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Early Efforts - Geonetwork
2007
Deployed by Oceans and Islands
Programme to catalog the
Pacific Marine and Oceanographic
products collected by our surveyors
and from external organizations
Status: Active (widely used)
http://geonetwork.sopac.org
Pacific Bathymetry Maps, Datasets, Reports, Historical Aerial Photographs, Deep Sea Minerals Sample Information, South Pacific Sea Level and Climate,
Monitoring Project Information, Pacific Maritime Boundary Information, Scientific Cruise Reports and Data, Coastal & Terrestrial Geological Maps,
Satellite Images, Seismic Shot-points, SOPAC Historical scanned maps and Charts (magnetic anomalies, maps from gravity & electromagnetic surveys)
Limitations:
•Only a metadata catalogue for spatially referenced resources
•No provision for interactive datasets
•No OGC Webservices (only CSW)
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Early Efforts
GeoServer/PostGIS
2009
Common Data Platform
GeoServer web mapping platform and PostGIS Spatial database
Used to develop custom project-specific applications
Eg: Kiriwatsan – Kiribati Water Resources Assessment Database
Status: Active
Limitations:
•Enterprise-level programming skillsets,
•Simple Features SQL knowledge required
•Web development knowledge
•Reinventing the wheel across each project
•Minimum reusability of code and data
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Lessons Learnt – SDI Required
“[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.
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Caveats
SDI adopted should be:
•Evolutionary NOT Revolutionary
•Existing investments in previous implementations retained
•Previous efforts should not be undermined (Interoperable)
•Data migration supported
•Disaster Recovery and Redundancy mechanisms provided
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Geonode Platform
GeoNode is a web-based application and
platform for developing geospatial
information systems (GIS) and for
deploying spatial data
infrastructures (SDI).
It is designed to be extended and
modified, and can be integrated
into existing platforms.
Builds upon:
Geonetwork
GeoServer
PostGIS
GeoTools
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
PCRAFI
Pacific Risk Information System
Geonode initially adopted by AGTD/SPC for the Pacific Castrophe Risk Assessment Financing Initiative.
Supported by World Bank, Asian Development, Bank, New Zealand GNS, Pacific Disaster Centre,
Government of Japan, and OpenGeo (now BoundlessGeo)
AGTD/SPC was an early adopter. Version 0.7 – 1.0 – 1.2 – 2.0 (development stream). 2nd Public wide-scale
Geonode Deployment after haitidata.org
AGTD/SPC contributed some core features, such as photo display, comments and ratings etc.
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
PCRAFI
Pacific Risk Information System
Largest open access geospatial data online in the region
Approx. 500 individual layers, within hundreds of thousands of attributes
Satellite imagery, Topographic maps, Bathymetry maps, Surface geology maps
Surface soil maps, Land Cover/Land Use maps, Geodetic and fault data,
historical catalogues of tropical cyclones and earthquakes, infrastructure, population
Photographs of buildings, bridges and other infrastructure from 15 Pacific Island Countries
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
SOPAC Geonode
Different projects, different data, different requirements, different access levels :
ONE SOLUTION
Singular Platform
Geonode Platform Version 2
(development stream)
Used internally within the division by all
programmes
Unified Approach to Cataloguing,
Archiving and Exposing Diverse
GIS/Spatial Datasets
Zero IT Expertise required to expose,
share and geospatial data
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
SOPAC Geonode Adoption
Fiji Forestry Department
Fiji REDD Plus Website
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
PacGeo
Initiative to provide an open access geospatial geospatial data repository for the Pacific
region
PacGeo started life as the Pacific Island Marine Spatial Information System
Oceans and Islands Programme – as an evolution of Geonetwork
Since inception has broaden it's scope to be an all encompassing geospatial platform to
catalogue, administer and expose geophysical, geodetic and specialist marine spatial data.
Completion Timeframe: April, 2014
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
PacGeo Stakeholders
Organisation
Developer
SPC
Sachindra Singh
GeoScience Australia
Steven Ackley
Uni. Sydney
Max Kaye
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
PacGeo Features
3D Maps (DTM) on top of Google Earth plugin
Documents and reports tied to layers and maps
Videos and animations
Fully OGC Webservices Compliance:
WMS, WFS, WCS, WMS-T and CSW
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
PacGeo
Features In Development
Cloud Hosting – Amazon Web Services, Sydney Data Center
Android Frontend
Quantum GIS Integration Plugin (builds on Geoserver plugin)
Federation (other PacGeo deployments, on-site data hosting)
Portable/Local Editions (no internet required)
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
SOPAC-3/CRGA Outcome Adopted
Member Countries Endorsement
The SOPAC Division is also urged to develop an open-access GIS-based regional data
repository for the geosciences and other areas related to mineral development and
developing a protocol on how the information is managed that ensures the security of
Members' intellectual property and could include mechanisms for licensing for access and
use.
The Division is encouraged to adopt whole-of-Division approaches to information
systems and delivery of data and information held. The PACGEO initiative perhaps offers an
opportunity to progress this.
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Free and Open Source System
PacGeo is open source – the software is free and if it proves successful PICT’s can easily and
cheaply adopt similar domestic approaches
Low Total Cost of Ownership, No Licensing Fees, No Royalties, No Upgrade Costs
PacGeo is compatible with our existing efforts and many spatial data systems all over the
world
Comprehensive and flexible integrated security built in
(Group/Individual)
Source code is freely available - https://github.com/sopac/pacgeo
No departmental/organizational IT and programming skill-sets required to use
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community
Thanks
Links
www.pacgeo.org
geonode.sopac.org
pcrafi.spc.int
geonetwork.sopac.org
Email/Support
datarequest@sopac.org
sachindras@spc.int
gis-pacnet@picisoc.org
Applied GeoScience and Technology Division, Secretariat of the Pacific Community