RESPONSE TO
GEOSS CFP FOR
ARCHITECTURE
IMPLEMENTATION
PILOT
ESRI No. P07-0409
Prepared for:
GEO Group on Earth Observations
OGC Technology Desk
techdesk@opengeospatial.org
Date: May 11, 2007
Prepared by:
Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI)
380 New York Street
Redlands, California 92373-8100
Phone: (909) 793-2853
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Table of Contents
Section Title
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3
2.0
Page Number
Cover Page ......................................................................................................................... 1
Name of Responding Organization ................................................................................. 1
Name of All Organizations ............................................................................................... 1
ESRI Motivation for Participation .................................................................................... 1
Overview ............................................................................................................................. 3
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
Proposed Contributions .................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4
Contribution to Tri-Lateral Pilot ....................................................................................... 4
Contribution to Federated Earth Observation Pilot ...................................................... 6
Contribution to Demonstration Scenario Development .............................................. 6
Component and Service Contributions .......................................................................... 7
4.0
Description of the Responding Organization .................................................................. 8
4.1 General Description of ESRI ............................................................................................. 8
4.2 Participation in Standards Developing Organizations ................................................. 8
4.3 Relevant Experience.......................................................................................................... 9
4.3.1
GIS Portals and Clearinghouses.............................................................................. 9
4.3.2
National Spatial Data Infrastructure Portals and Clearinghouses .................. 10
4.3.3
State GIS Portals and Clearinghouses ................................................................. 12
4.3.4
Other Portals and Clearinghouses ........................................................................ 12
5.0
Additional Information .................................................................................................... 14
5.1 Disclaimer/ESRI Reserves Right to… ........................................................................... 14
5.2 Software Component Descriptions ............................................................................... 14
5.2.1
ESRI GIS Portal Toolkit ........................................................................................... 14
5.2.2
ArcGIS Explorer ........................................................................................................ 15
5.2.3
ArcGIS Server ........................................................................................................... 16
5.2.4
Image Server ............................................................................................................ 16
5.2.5
ArcIMS ....................................................................................................................... 19
5.2.6
ArcGIS Desktop ........................................................................................................ 19
5.2.7
3rd-Party COTS Products ......................................................................................... 20
ESRI P07-409
i
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
1.0 Cover Page
1.1 Name of Responding Organization
Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI)
380 New York Street
Redlands, California 92373-8100
Point of Contact:
Jeanne Foust
Phone: (909) 793-2853
E-mail: jfoust@esri.com
1.2 Name of All Organizations
ESRI brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this initiative and a sincere desire to
contribute to the advancement of the GEOSS Web Portal. Our work with GSDI, the US
Geological Survey, EU INSPIRE, US EPA, The Nature Conservancy, UNEP, Ireland, Italian
Ministry of Environment, the Netherlands Ministry of the Environment, Panama, India, and
hundreds of other national, regional and local clearinghouses and portal projects will all be
leveraged in developing this system of systems. ESRI has an intimate relationship with the
science community, both in the US and abroad. Our ongoing commitment to open geospatial and
IT standards is well documented and includes extensive involvement in OGC, ANSI, ISO and
W3C standards development initiatives. ESRI proposes to work closely with its business partner
con terra GMBH, with respect to service security and distributed search technologies, and we
propose to leverage our relationships with the academic and scientific communities to
collaborate on the development of the GEOSS Web Portal. We are very interested in this
initiative and committed to working collaboratively to ensure a successful implementation.
1.3 ESRI Motivation for Participation
Producing and managing better information about the environment has become a top Global
priority. The Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) has been described as “a
large national and international cooperative effort to bring together existing and new hardware
and software, making it all compatible in order to supply data and information at no cost. The
U.S. and developed nations have a unique role in developing and maintaining the system,
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
1
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
collecting data, enhancing data distribution, and providing models to help all of the world's
nations.”1
ESRI sees GIS as a tool that can help make the world a better place. Our users' work benefits
society in many areas. GIS users are improving our understanding of how the planet works at all
scales. They synthesize information, analyze complex environmental and social relationships,
visualize issues, model consequences, and create geographic plans and solutions. They are also
increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and helping people make faster and better decisions that
consider all the geographic factors necessary to create a sustainable future. GIS users are
improving the processes of communication and collaboration, helping to better coordinate work
across organizations. Hundreds of thousands of individual GIS efforts are clearly making huge
contributions toward better management of our planet.
ESRI understands that GEOSS is a valuable opportunity that can further expand the contribution
of GIS in understanding our planet and develop strategies for sustainable development and as
such we would like to commit our corporate resources to:
 Collaborate with Group on Earth Observations (GEO) in realizing the Global Earth
Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).
 Stimulate greater access and use of this system of systems.
 Link the GIS professional community with the scientific community using open standards.
 Support the evolution of geographic knowledge and solutions for global monitoring systems
and scientific research.
 Contribute core software development based on open standards to building this system of
systems.
 Utilize our domain expertise and professionals in the areas of natural resource management,
remote sensing, environmental health, and scientific data analysis, modeling and
visualization.
 Provide continued support for the open standards community and foster collaboration both
technically and as an organization.
 Offer our considerable experience of building successful clearinghouses and portals such as
Geospatial One-Stop (GOS) and over a hundred similar national, regional and local
clearinghouses and portals.
1
http://www.epa.gov/geoss/basic.html
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
2
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
2.0 Overview
Geospatial resources are inherently distributed and loosely integrated. Rarely are all the
necessary information sets present in a single database instance with a single data schema. GIS
users count on one another for portions of their GIS data. GIS Networks enable users to connect
to one another and to share their geographic knowledge.
Key web nodes called GIS portals can be implemented that enable GIS users to register as well
as to discover geographic resources for access and use. Each GIS portal—whether implemented
for a specific geographic area, topic of interest, or broader objective—will enable its users to
search for, obtain, and use geographic data and mapping services they need or register and make
available geographic data and mapping services they maintain.
ESRI's goal in participating in GEOSS is to support GEO and its members and partner
organizations to establish a functional information system and portal that will provide users of
earth observation data with easy and powerful access to that data and thus contribute to
achieving the overall goals of GEO.
Our contribution to the CFP is based on the use of out-of-the-box technologies that are put
together, as depicted below, to provide the core capabilities of a solution for the GEOSS Web
Portal and that can be extended to include capabilities that go beyond the minimum requirements
for the GEOSS Web Portal/Clearinghouse. These components may be leveraged in support of
each of the Pilot projects and all of the Demonstration Scenarios.
Additionally, ESRI suggests
the Pilots explore the use of
selected components of the
sdi.suite product of ESRI
business partner con terra
GMBH to provide
comprehensive service security
capabilities, as well as
distributed searching and
service monitoring. Con terra
GMBH has recently completed
a study for the European Union
on the concept of distributed
catalogs. The experiences
gained from this project will be
made available to the GEOSS
proof-of-concept phase.
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
3
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
3.0 Proposed Contributions
3.1 Introduction
ESRI recognizes that the GEO envisions a comprehensive and coordinated system of systems
which will be sustained and yield societal benefits and, therefore, we are interested in
partnering with GEOSS in this Endeavour and offer voluntary contributions in the form of
advisory technical consulting support, sustainable software and solutions, hosting services for
demonstration environment, SDLC best practices and partnerships.
ESRI will dedicate skilled technical resources and subject matter experts to support and
demonstrate the suggested Web Portal Solution(s) requirements and integration efforts.
Such staff will have access to ESRI professional and technical staff spread across throughout
offices in the United States, Europe, and more than 80 local representatives in 200 countries. To
complement our participation and breadth of solution offerings, ESRI’s team member con terra
GMBH, is ready to work closely with us on this initiative.
ESRI can build on the established technical dialogue with GEOSS members and participants,
including data and metadata providers like USGS, FGDC, US EPA, NOAA and NASA, and
through our on-going commitment and active participation in standard bodies such as OGC,
GSDI, ISO, CEN, ANSI, and W3C. Our broad base engagement in the GIS industry, plus our
societal responsibility, means we have a successful record and strive in a collaborative
environment which fosters operational and free-zone solutions covering the globe.
Also in-line with GEOSS planned outreach initiatives, ESRI can stimulate access to GEOSS
Web Portal Solutions via our well established business partner program with more than 2,100
developers, consultants, resellers, and data providers; and a strong network of more than 80
international distributor partners with users in more than 200 countries. We can also engage over
65 software, hardware, technology, data, system integrator, and consulting companies to promote
product compatibility and to explore new technologies.
3.2 Contribution to Tri-Lateral Pilot
ESRI has a long-standing relationship with USGS, FGDC, INSPIRE, and GeoConnections.
Since 2003, ESRI has supported USGS in both the prototype and the operational phase of the
United States Geospatial One-Stop (GOS) Portal. ESRI supports the development of
communities of interest on the GOS Portal. These communities provide quick access to key
geospatial resources related to a specific subject (such as elevation or hydrology) or event (such
as the hurricanes or wildfires).
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
4
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
ESRI can leverage knowledge gained in developing and maintaining a large number of Web
Portals and Clearinghouses across the world, including but not limited to the above-mentioned
GOS, the European Union INSPIRE GeoPortal (http://eu-geoportal.jrc.it/gos), the Conservation
GeoPortal (http://www.conservationmaps.org), the UNEP DEWA/GRID GeoPortal in Kenya,
Africa (http://gridnairobi.unep.org/Portal) , and many other country-level, state-level, and
enterprise-level GIS Portals.
There are several similarities between the anticipated GEOSS Web Portal/Clearinghouse and
other GIS Portals, including, but not limited to:
 Provide (access to) data resources through standard interfaces.
 Support search and discovery mechanisms for content registered with the site’s catalog.
 Support interoperability standards.
 Support content management tools to user community.
 Based on technology that can be installed and operated by GEO member and participating
organization sites.
 Readily customizable interface and framework.
 Support communities of interest.
The similarities between the GEOSS and GOS present a unique opportunity for collaboration,
specifically in the context of the Tri-Lateral Pilot. USGS has acknowledged this opportunity for
collaboration and is interested to further discuss this approach with GEO.
This collaboration presents several benefits:
 The GEOSS proof-of-concept benefits from the experience gained in the GOS Portal with
respect to hosting a high-availability web portal using industry leading technology, without
the need for high investment in software and/or hardware.
 GOS has a user base consisting of both GIS specialists and non-GIS decision makers who
need and use Earth observation data such as those provided from GEOSS partners as one of
their data sources.
 Several of the US-based GEOSS partners already play an active role in the GOS
communities of interest.
 GOS already provides ISO 23950 and OGC CSW interfaces (using ESRI ArcIMS) to its
existing catalog of over 130,000 geospatial resources.
 The GOS platform not only offers capabilities asked for in the GEOSS Web Portal RFI, but
additionally offers a framework to deploy functional components (also known as portlets),
access control, map viewing (2-D and soon 3-D as well), and data download (using Safe
Spatial Direct).
GOS applies industry-strength Portal and collaboration tools based on IBM WebSphere, IBM
QuickPlace, ESRI technology including ArcIMS, ArcSDE, and the GIS Portal Toolkit, Safe
Software Spatial Direct, Google’s Search Appliance, and Oracle database technology.
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
5
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
GOS offers this platform in a high-availability hosting environment. GOS has a growing set of
partner organizations several of which are member of the GEOSS community. These
organizations take responsibility for maintaining community content through a set of web tools
and desktop tools. USGS has provided and continues to provide training to organizations’ staff in
the use of these tools to further facilitate distributed management of content.
For the purpose of the GEOSS Tri-Lateral Pilot, ESRI suggests leveraging GOS operational
portal and the INSPIRE prototype portal as solutions for testing distributed access to their
catalog content using the OGC CSW OGCCORE, ebRIM and ISO 23950 protocols. ESRI also
suggest leveraging the community tools (including, but not limited to IBM Lotus Team
QuickPlace) available on GOS to build web content for the Societal Benefit Areas.
3.3 Contribution to Federated Earth Observation Pilot
In support of the Federated Earth Observation Pilot, ESRI will provide access to a system hosted
at ESRI in Redlands, CA that includes the following components:
 A web-portal built using the GIS Portal Toolkit version 3.1 that may be used to register
services and applications and that supports discovery of these registered components. This
web-portal provides for an integrated search facility and support harvesting content from
other clearinghouses that will be built as part of the CFP or that already exist and are of
interest to the CFP. This web-portal supports creating so-called channel pages that contain
references to key resources for the Societal Benefit Areas.
 A GIS Portal Toolkit 3.1 2-D Map Viewer web application able to consume OGC WMS,
WFS, and WCS services as well as ESRI ArcIMS Image services.
 OGC CS-W catalog services implementing the OGCCORE and the ebRIM application
profiles in addition to the ISO 23950 protocol.
 Freely downloadable tools for ESRI ArcMap 9.2 and ESRI ArcGIS Explorer that support
discovery of the map services registered with the available OGC CS-W services (OGCCORE
and ebRIM) used in the GEOSS CFP process.
 ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS Image Server instances able to serve data relevant to the
Architecture Implementation Pilot as well as the Tri-Lateral or the Federated Earth
Observation Pilot through the OGC WMS and WCS interfaces.
3.4 Contribution to Demonstration Scenario Development
ESRI will participate in the kick-off meeting and will contribute to the development of
demonstration scenarios described in Annex B of the CFP documentation. ESRI has extensive
experience developing scenarios that demonstrate the use of technologies in specific use cases.
These demonstration scenarios often include the combination of different technologies in an
interoperable and service-driven architecture.
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
6
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
3.5 Component and Service Contributions
ESRI will host an instance of the software that is part of the ‘core capabilities’ solution as
described above on a server in the ESRI hosting environment. This environment will be
monitored to ensure availability during regular Redlands, Ca business hours. Initially the
environment will be hosted for the duration of the pilot or until the 12/31/2007, whichever comes
first. ESRI may consider extending the period of hosting the core capabilities solution at its own
discretion. ESRI will inform GEOSS no later than 11/30/2007 of its intentions with continued
hosting of the environment.
ESRI will support the development of the Societal Benefit Areas on GOS by the GEO members
and partner organizations by explaining the use of the tools to the person who is designated to
lead the development of the Societal Benefit Area. This will be done in close cooperation and
support of USGS.
We estimate the duration of the CFP Pilots to be around 7 months. During this period, we
anticipate participation in weekly conference calls. In addition, ESRI will be ready to review
architecture documents and contribute to the discussion on requirements and architecture for the
GEOSS Architecture.
ESRI will share its experiences with the GOS Portal and other GIS Portals and will foster
building relationships between GEO and USGS. We encourage considering the role of the GOS
Portal in the overall refinement of the Geospatial Architecture Implementation Pilot, as well as
exchanging user experiences between USGS and GEO.
ESRI will participate in the kick-off meeting, demonstration meeting, and EO Summit.
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
7
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
4.0 Description of the Responding Organization
4.1 General Description of ESRI
With annual sales of more than $660 million, ESRI has been the world leader in the geographic
information system (GIS) software industry for more than 30 years. Additionally, ESRI provides
powerful GIS solutions to more than 300,000 clients in more than 200 countries. Headquartered
in Redlands, California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, several
subsidiary companies overseas, and more than 2200 business partners, which includes 400
authorized instructors and partner education centers who work with ESRI to provide software,
data, and hardware that complement ESRI's suite of GIS software. Working with location
information, ESRI's GIS software and solutions give you the power to solve problems you
encounter every day. Organizations around the world, as well as local, state, and federal
government agencies, are using ESRI GIS software to make smart and timely decisions.
As the leader in GIS technology, ESRI offers innovative solutions that will help you create,
visualize, analyze, and present information better and more clearly. ESRI software is built on
standard and open information technology and has been designed to operate with all relational
database management systems. ESRI's software is developed with open (nonproprietary)
development tools, and our software is built on new, modern, object-component software
standards that are easily customized and embedded for a wide range of application needs. ESRI's
comprehensive product line ranges from desktop GIS to GIS for the enterprise--and our Internet
software revolutionizes the way users can access and interact with Internet mapping and GIS
data at the desktop, thereby making the promise of distributed GIS a reality that is easy to
accomplish.
ESRI will continue to lead the world in providing mapping technology that meets the needs of
today's competitive market. Look to ESRI for GIS solutions to help unlock the spatial component
of your valuable data and see your organization's information from a new perspective.
www.esri.com
4.2 Participation in Standards Developing Organizations
Inherent to the context in which GIS Portals are developed is the presence of different GIS
technologies and IT environments. ESRI continues to advocate the need for open access to
geographic data and services through support for widely adopted and practical standards.
ESRI actively participates in interoperability efforts through its research and development
activities and particularly through initiatives set by OGC's Interoperability Program. In the fall of
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
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May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
2006, ESRI and con terra GMBH jointly participated in the digital rights management track of
the OGC OWS-4 test bed and ESRI is currently under contract with OGC to develop the
Kentucky Watershed Modeling Information Portal.
ESRI has considerable experience in the development of standards and specifications including
many efforts related to OGC, ANSI, and ISO TC 211. ESRI was the lead author for the OGC
Simple Features SQL standard and participated in the COM and CORBA submissions. ESRI
serves as the editor of the Open Location Services Specification and participated in the
development of the CS-W, WMS, and WFS specifications. ESRI is active in ISO TC 211 and is
playing a major role in the ISO metadata standards: ISO 19115 Metadata, ISO 19139 Metadata
XML Schema Implementation, and ISO 19115-2 Metadata–Imagery Extensions. Many of these
standards are directly related to GEOSS. ESRI staff chair or co-chair six of the OGC Working
Groups or Revision Working Groups associated with these specifications. ESRI can facilitate
feedback from the GEOSS proof-of-concept to ongoing portal, service, and metadata
specification development and/or revision efforts.
ESRI Professional Services has built and maintained good working relationships with many of
the GEOSS members and partner organization, both in the United States and internationally.
ESRI partner con terra GMBH supported the European Union’s Joint Research Centre (JRC)
with the Specification, design, implementation and Introduction of a Metadata Broker System
based on OGC/ISO standards under consideration of INSPIRE guidelines. The result of this
project is a solution for a cross-regional meta-information network consisting of distributed
metadata catalogues. The solution supports distributed search while integrating selected national
and pan-European metadata catalogue services, available as web services on the Internet.
Key to con terra’s selection for this work was con terra’s proactive participation in the working
groups of the OGC, INSPIRE, ISO, and the German Spatial Data Infrastructure (GDI-DE).
4.3 Relevant Experience
4.3.1 GIS Portals and Clearinghouses
As early as 1998, the ESRI Geography Network provided impetus for interoperable data and
metadata exchanges between multiple stakeholders. We now have considerable experience in
building hundreds of successful clearinghouses, registries, portals and data fusion solutions using
real, tested standards. We can leverage the technology developed and lessons learned through all
transverse (cross-cutting) activities which make up the technical solution for Geospatial OneStop (DOI - MMS), Australian Consortium Portal (Department of Lands), Egyptian Geography
Network (MCIT), Inspire JRC Geo-Portal, US Federal Government Intelligence Community,
Conservation Portal (Nature Conservancy), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the
UNEP DEWA/GRID portal, for example. A representative list of Web Portal Solutions using
ESRI Bid No. P07-0409
9
May, 2007
Response to GEOSS Call for Participation
for Architecture Implementation Pilot
ESRI technology solutions, with relevant table of requirements for the GEOSS Web Portal
Solutions is featured in this section along with project briefs
X
X
X
X
X
X
2007
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
2007
X
Conservation GeoPortal
X
X
X
X
X
2006
X
Australian Consortium Portal
X
X
X
X
2006
X
Arkansas
X
X
X
X
2005
X
X
X
X
X
2004
X
X
X
X
X
X
2003
X
X
X
1998
X
X
X
INSPIRE - JRC
Geography Network
X
X
X
X
X
X
vendor solutions
X
activities
2007
Support SDLC
X
Harvesting
X
Distributed Search
X
UNEP DEWA/GRID
X
Clearinghouses
X
Mississippi
GOS
Integration to
Security support
OGC WMC
Web Hosting
OGC WCS
Public access
OGC WFS
X
Year of
OGC-WMS
Kentucky KWMIP
OGC-CSW
ISO 23950
Web Portal Solutions
implementation
Representative
Integration with multi-
Table 4-1 A representative list of ESRI–based Web Portal Solutions and key requirements
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
ESRI has built successful GIS metadata portals, clearinghouses and registries that meet the
technical and business needs of state, local, regional and national and multi-national
organizations around the world. Below is a shortlist of operational solutions which demonstrate
our capabilities to support Web Portal solutions that provide access to GEOSS-affiliated
resources. Brief descriptions of earmark projects follow and also support our capability to
coordinate and work in partnership with all GEOSS members and participants.
4.3.2 National Spatial Data Infrastructure Portals and Clearinghouses
Geospatial One-Stop Portal
http://www.geodata.gov
The Geospatial One-Stop initiative builds on investments in the US
National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and capitalizes on
advances in geospatial information technologies to encourage greater
collaboration and coordination in their use across all levels of
government. In June 2003, ESRI delivered a prototype GIS Portal
that provides a one-stop ability to search for geospatial data from
local, state, and federal sources, web mapping services, data
collection activities, and geospatial best practices and standards. In
addition, the Geospatial One-Stop portal would be open and
interoperable and would incorporate industry-approved interoperable
standards. ESRI was tasked with quickly creating this portal, using
past experience and standards-based commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology.
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In January 2005, after a highly competitive bidding process that included a benchmark
demonstration, ESRI was selected by the Department of the Interior to develop the full
implementation of the GOS Operational Portal (GOS 2). GOS 2 represents a dramatic advance
not only for GIS technology on the Internet but also for the entire geospatial field. This project
demonstrates ESRI's long–term commitment to the concept of data sharing and the development
and use of interoperability standards for geospatial data.
INSPIRE Geo-Portal (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe)
http://eu-geoportal.jrc.it/gos
This project represents Europe's NSDI endeavor to create an Internet access point to a
pan-Europe collection of spatial metadata and data. The goals are to trigger the
creation of a European spatial data infrastructure, deliver to users integrated spatial
information services linked by common standards and protocols, and to support
established standards and specifications from European, International and industry
consensus building processes (ISO, CEN, OGC, W3C)
GeoNorge
http://www.geonorge.no
This project was an agency collaboration headed by the Norwegian Mapping
Agency to provide Web-based map and geographic services on the Internet.
It involved co-operation of public agencies that have geographic
responsibilities or are large users of geographic information. Publication is
open to data providers to both public and private users.
India NSDI
http://gisserver.nic.in/nsdiportal
The India National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) Portal provides access to
information on spatial data that has been developed by several government
agencies in India. Users can take the traditional approach to searching for spatial
data based on map sheet (or topo sheet, similar to the quad sheets in the USA), or
they can search for spatial data using more generic search criteria such as spatial
extent keywords. The portal also provides quick access to information on spatial
data via Web pages with metadata provided by participating agencies. ESRI
integrated India's own metadata standard approach with ISO 19115 compliant
metadata. By doing this, the portal can contain metadata documents that fit
within the India NSDI metadata standard and that are published by agencies that
follow the ISO standard. This opens the door to foreign users and global SDI
participation.
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4.3.3 State GIS Portals and Clearinghouses
Arkansas Geographic Information Office
http://www.geostor.arkansas.gov
ESRI worked with the Arkansas Geographic Information Office to
create the next generation of its current GIS data distribution system,
GeoStor. Several factors were key to the success of this project:
integration with the ArcIMS ® Data Delivery extension, download cart
for data found through searches, downloading in many formats and
projections, custom gazetteer, custom search map, and custom map
viewer projection (UTM Zone 1 5N) set as default.
Alabama Emergency Management Agency
http://portal.gsa.state.al.us
In 2004, ESRI supported the Alabama Emergency Management
Agency (AEMA) in setting up its GIS portal, the Alabama Metadata
Portal. AEMA was interested in improving access to geographic
information that would serve its organizational objectives—
preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies
including those due to acts of terrorism. AEMA had established a
relationship with about six organizations (including counties and other
state agencies) that were willing to share their data as the starting point
for the portal. These organizations wanted to share their data but keep
their applications private and secure.
4.3.4 Other Portals and Clearinghouses
Conservation GeoPortal
www.conservationmaps.org
The Conservation GeoPortal is a collaborative effort by and for the
conservation community. Its purpose is to facilitate the discovery
and publishing of GIS data and maps to support biodiversity
conservation decision making and education. Goals include
providing a free tool for all conservation practitioners and
supporters to use and contribute content; minimizing the
proliferation of geospatial data catalogs as well as reducing
duplication of effort in building and maintaining metadata
catalogs and map viewers.
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UNEP GRID Africa GeoPortal
DEWA/GRID-Nairobi is one of UNEP's major centers for data and
information management, with a unique, "value-adding" mandate
in the handling of national, sub-regional and regional
environmental statistics and data, which in turn supports the
environment assessment and early warning activities of UNEP and
its partners. GRID-Nairobi occupies an important niche in the
global GRID Network. The center functions as a support provider
to the DEWA-Africa Program in the area of capacity building for
African countries using environmental information for decisionmaking and action.
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5.0 Additional Information
5.1 Disclaimer
In performance of this agreement, it is anticipated that no participant or sponsor will be
responsible for delivery or the work proposed by other participants or sponsors. Provision of any
data and/or software will be provided under the terms of the vendors' standard license
agreement. The demonstration software and hardware provided will be for the duration of the
pilot only, and remains the property of the contributing participant or sponsor.
5.2 Software Component Descriptions
5.2.1 ESRI GIS Portal Toolkit
The ESRI GIS Portal Toolkit (GPT) is a combined technology and services solution for
implementing local, regional, national, and global Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) portals. As
the name identifies, the toolkit is essentially a software development kit for setting up geospatial
metadata portals.
The GIS Portal Toolkit provides all the necessary elements of a GIS portal. Through its
framework, map viewer, administration, publishing, and harvesting modules, the GIS Portal
Toolkit supports and facilitates:
 Fast and cost-effective portal site development
 Faster discovery and management of data and metadata
 Direct access and use of standards-based geospatial data
 Improvement of data quality and availability
 Collaboration of data providers for new data collection and publishing
The GIS Portal Toolkit Map Viewer supports overlaying multiple services following
interoperable and open map service interfaces:
 ESRI ArcXML (see http://edndoc.esri.com/arcims/9.2/)
 OGC WMS 1.0, 1.1, 1.1.1, and 1.3
 OGC WFS 1.0 and 1.1
 OGC WCS 1.0
This Map Viewer supports the OGC Web Map Context 1.0 document specification for saving
and accessing maps in the Map Viewer itself and exchanging these with other applications that
support this specification. The Map Viewer further supports the use of OGC SLD 1.0 symbology
definitions on conjunctions with OGC WMS services.
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The GIS Portal Toolkit includes a desktop tool called the Channel Editor that is used to manage
content that is featured in the so-called channel pages. The channel pages support two-clicks-tocontent access to the most important resources (applications, services, Web sites) related to a
specific topic. GIS Portal Toolkit allows for organizing the channels by any categorization
including, but not limited to, application area, theme of the content, type of resource, or
organization. Each channel may be assigned one or more stewards who coordinate the content of
the channel.
The GIS Portal Toolkit Harvesting Module is a stand-alone desktop application for harvesting,
validating, and publishing metadata information from one repository into your own repository.
Harvesting brings information together in one place. This provides the ability to find
information without searching a large number of different sites with as many search interfaces as
are used when preparing watershed analysis data.
The Harvesting Module is able to harvest metadata from metadata catalogs using the following
standards-based service interfaces:
 ESRI ArcXML
 ISO 23950 (ANSI Z39.50)
 Open Archives Initiatives Protocol for Metadata Harvesting
 Web-Accessible Folders
 OGC CS-W 2.0
5.2.2 ArcGIS Explorer
ArcGIS Explorer is a freely available lightweight
desktop client for ArcGIS Server. It can be used
to access, integrate, and utilize GIS services,
geographic content, and other Web services.
ArcGIS Explorer can also be used with a variety
of other GIS services such as those published
using ArcIMS, ArcWeb Services, Web Map
Services (WMS), and other Web services. In
addition, ArcGIS Explorer can use local data such
as shapefiles, file geodatabases, KML, JPEG
2000, GeoTIFF, MrSID, IMG, and other image
formats.
ArcGIS Explorer integrates the rich world of GIS datasets and server-based geoprocessing
applications. It does this by accessing the full GIS capabilities of ArcGIS Server including
geoprocessing and 3D services.
With ArcGIS Explorer, you can
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

Explore data for the entire world seamlessly.
Fuse your local data with data and services from ArcGIS Server, ArcIMS, Open Geospatial
Consortium WMS, and ESRI-hosted ArcWeb Services.
 Perform GIS analysis using tasks (e.g., visibility, modeling, proximity search).
 Answer geographic questions about the maps you generate and share the results with others.
 Use maps and data from your own secure servers.
ArcGIS Explorer is available as part of ArcGIS Server 9.2. Users of ArcGIS Explorer can access
the beta version of ArcGIS Online Services, which provides a series of ready-to-use online map
services, globe services, and other GIS services.
5.2.3 ArcGIS Server
ArcGIS Server is a complete and integrated server-based GIS. It comes with out-of-the-box, end
user applications and services for spatial data management, visualization, and spatial analysis.
ArcGIS Server offers the following advantages:
 Lower cost of ownership through centrally managed, focused GIS applications that can scale
to support many users.
 Browser-based access to GIS.
 Integration with other enterprise systems such as customer relationship management (CRM)
or enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems using industry-standard software. ArcGIS
Server provides a complete foundation for geospatially enabling a service-oriented
architecture (SOA).
 Support for interoperability standards in both the GIS domain (Open Geospatial Consortium)
as well as the broader information technology (IT) domain (W3C).
 Ability to create custom applications using .NET or Java.
ArcGIS Server complements ArcGIS Desktop by allowing GIS analysts to cost-effectively
author maps, globes, and geoprocessing tasks on their desktop and publish them to ArcGIS
Server using integrated tools. GIS functions can then be delivered as services throughout the
enterprise.
5.2.4 Image Server
ArcGIS Image Server provides:
 Fast access and visualization of large quantities of file-based imagery, processed on-the-fly
and on demand
 Near instant display of output imagery for a number of users working simultaneously,
without needing to preprocess the data and load it into a DBMS
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ArcGIS Image Server supports the ArcMap and ArcGlobe applications in ArcGIS Desktop as
well as ArcGIS Server and ArcIMS CAD clients such as AutoCAD and Microstation. It also
supports interoperability standards such as WMS and HTML viewers via ArcGIS Server.
ArcGIS Image Server performs advanced image processing on-the-fly such as image
enhancement, orthorectification, pan sharpening and complex image mosaicking. The images
generated by the server can be used in Web pages or client applications such as ArcGIS, other
commercial mapping products, and CAD.
Normally, source data captured from aerial photography or satellite images must be processed
multiple times before it can be used. Each processed dataset is then moved to a server for
distribution to clients. The time spent processing complete datasets between capture and
distribution can be especially long—ArcGIS Image Server eliminates this delay.
ArcGIS Image Server improves workflows by eliminating the need to process source data and
load multiple processed datasets onto a server. This reduction in lag time between acquisition
and dissemination of key datasets and services is critical during emergency operations.
Figure 2: Image Server Workflows
With ArcGIS Image Server, raw images can be hosted immediately after acquisition and served
using image orientation data for dynamic enhancement and orthorectification. The data is
processed further as clients request specific extents of the imagery. As new parameters for
orientation, radiometric enhancement, and mosaicking become available, they can be updated on
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the server, improving the grade of image products served to clients. This allows you to start
using imagery immediately—as the images are further refined, the data retrieved by users simply
improves along with it.
Once the source data is ready for distribution, clients can access the data with near instantaneous
load times. Unlike other image distribution systems, ArcGIS Image Server only sends the extent
of the imagery requested by the client, greatly reducing data transmission. Because compression
for transmission is independent of the compression used for data storage, a client application can
control the compression quality of the imagery it displays. Over low-bandwidth connections, you
can balance image quality with access speed to accommodate your preferences.
ArcGIS Image Server performs image processing on the fly, which removes the need for
multiple, redundant datasets. The need for fewer datasets substantially reduces data maintenance
and data storage requirements.
Because ArcGIS Image Server maximizes information content through server-based processing,
the same base imagery can be used to produce multiple image products optimized for different
applications. Additionally, the quality of the imagery is often improved, since users apply only a
single subsampling of the imagery from storage to display.
ArcGIS Image Server can apply a wide range of processes to imagery as it is accessed and
mosaicked, including radiometric processes used to enhance imagery as well as geometric
processes for rectifying and projecting imagery. Figure 3 shows many of the processing
capabilities of ArcGIS Image Server.
Processing Capability by Functionality
Working with Elevation
Visualize Elevation
Enhancing Imagery Appearance
Stretching
Pan-sharpen
Convolution Filter
Trend
Band Organization
Extract Bands
Stack Bands
Applying Algebra to Pixels & Bands
Classify Pixel
Image Algebra
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Changing Output Color
Colormap
Grayscale
Special Matrix
Trend
Geometric Processing
Ground to Image Transforms
Affine, projective, warp grid
Orthorectific (optional)
Mosaicking Methods
By Attribute (e.g., date)
Closest to Nadir (top down)
By Viewpoint (e.g., from south)
Lock Raster
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NDVI
Convert Pixel Type
Seamline (optional)
5.2.5 ArcIMS
ArcIMS software is the foundation for distributing geographic information system data and
applications on the Internet. ArcIMS provides a standard platform to integrate, share, and
exchange GIS data from other agencies. ArcIMS supports Windows, UNIX, and Linux
platforms. For more information, please visit ESRI online at www.esri.com/arcims. This
component addresses the functional requirements for map display and some of the functional
requirements for data and metadata access, user interface, and scalability.
ArcIMS supports a number of OGC-Compliant Web Service Connectors. These connectors
enable ArcIMS to serve maps, data, and metadata through OGC WMS, WFS, Z39.50, and CSW
interfaces.
The ArcIMS Data Delivery extension enables users to easily select, export, and deliver data in
multiple formats and projections from a centralized Internet Map Server. This extension gives
users and administrators the ability to publish data in all standard spatial formats used within the
industry. It also allows users to
 Download data in 20 different formats using a simple browser-based application.
 Project features to more than 4,000 projections.
 Download extracted features in ZIP files.
5.2.6 ArcGIS Desktop
ArcGIS Desktop is an integrated collection of Dekstop GIS software products for building a
complete GIS. The ArcGIS framework enables GIS functionality and business logic to be
deployed wherever it is needed—in desktops, servers (including the Web), or mobile devices.
This architecture, coupled with the geodatabase, provides the tools to assemble intelligent
geographic information systems.
ArcGIS Desktop GIS software products are used to compile, author, analyze, map, and publish
geographic information and knowledge, including a comprehensive geoprocessing framework
and toolkit for creating and executing complex GIS procedures. ArcGIS Desktop is a scalable
suite of GIS products that starts with ArcReader and extends to ArcView, ArcEditor, and
ArcInfo—the most powerful GIS product available today. Each product exposes progressively
greater GIS capabilities.
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New capabilities can be added to desktop products through a series of ArcGIS extensions from
ESRI and other organizations. Extensions allow users to perform tasks such as raster
geoprocessing, three-dimensional visualization, and geostatistical analysis.
Developers can create new custom extensions to ArcGIS Desktop by working with ArcObjects,
the ArcGIS software component library. Users develop extensions and custom tools using
standard Windows programming interfaces such as Visual Basic (VB), .NET, Java, and Visual
C++.
The ArcGIS Data Interoperability Extension eliminates barriers for data sharing by providing
state-of-the-art direct data access, transformation, and export capabilities. This extension enables
ArcGIS Desktop users to easily use and distribute data in many formats. It also allows users to
 Directly read more than 70 spatial data formats including GML, XML, Autodesk
DWG/DXF, MicroStation Design, MapInfo MID/MIF and TAB, Oracle and Oracle Spatial,
and Intergraph GeoMedia Warehouse.
 Export to more than 50 spatial data formats.
 Model and diagram custom spatial data formats using a semantic data translation engine with
150 specialized transformers.
 Integrate with the geoprocessing framework including ModelBuilder to add data format
manipulations within GIS models.
5.2.7 3rd-Party COTS Products
The ESRI Business Partner Program is designed to meet the needs of the user community while
providing business partners with opportunities to expand their businesses and attain success.
Through building a team of application developers, software and data consultants, value-added
resellers, and data providers, ESRI and its partners create new software and services, expand
existing and create new markets, and increase end user knowledge in the use of GIS software.
 SANZ Inc. EarthWhere Pro – Suite of products that automate the management of remote
sensing workflows supporting provisioning raster imagery for use in ESRI products.
 GCS Research Inc. GeoMarc – GeoMarc integrates the innovative technology of digital
watermarking into ESRI ArcGIS software applications. The GIS user can take advantage of
this technology to identify and track their digital imagery and mapping products, as well as
add value through linking data and attributes regardless of the file format. GeoMarc
technology embeds unique identifiers during the map exporting process without visually
impacting the output products. These identifiers are read by downstream processes to enable
a host of value added information and services. Through GeoMarc, the image becomes the
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gateway to embedded Web services, security profiles and permissions, identity and copyright
tracking, and variety of geospatial data communication applications.
 Con terra GMBH, Security Manager - The sdi.suite securityManager is a tool for organizing
users' rights of access to services and data in service based spatial data infrastructures.
Access is restricted to authorized users, which ensures that user agreements are adhered to at
all times, while also preventing any illicit use. The Security Interceptor concept enables that
the securityManager is able to secure certain services, without requiring any special
adjustments. The securityManager employs the Web Authentication Service and Web
Security Service developed by Software Initiative 52°North; these services are integrated in a
uniform security concept. These open security systems are tried and tested, and can be easily
integrated in any infrastructure. The securityManager provides specific security interceptors
for each type of service (WMS, CSW, WFS), which filter the enquiries as well as the
returned values in accordance with the respective user rights. The services can be invoked
from any software environment (including, but not limited to ArcGIS ArcMap). For the
description of user rights, the securityManager employs the OASIS standard, XACML. The
management of users and user rights by the securityManager can be performed easily using a
web browser.
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