| |
Back to SAG Winners 2002
Swedish Maritime Administration
Implementation of the GIS project DIS (Depth Information System) includes a comprehensive solution for the management of Swedish depth data archive. DIS uses high technology tools and methods for collecting, analysing, processing, storaging of high quality marine geographical information.
Business Problem The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA), as the responsible Swedish chart organisation, has as a competitive company, primary responsibility for the development, using high technological tools for the system managing marine geographical information.
The present depth data system has been in operation since the 1981. Demands on more effective handling have since then increased. In order to achieve a rational handling of depth data and to meet the demands on the whole operation, investments for a new system is needed.
Securing access to existing depth data. The existing Archive for depth data, which represents a great value, is today stored on ageing media (magnetic tape). The type of media needed to secure a future access and to fulfil the present requirements on archives, cannot be handled in the present system.
The quality demands on the products from the SMA has changed. The present system cannot meet the demands on accuracy and correctness of depths. In order to serve its clients in a changing market, the SMA must be able to promote and sell its products in a more effective way.
The modern survey methods now used by the Administration produce depth data in considerably larger quantities than the earlier methods. The present system cannot handle these volumes.
To satisfy the customers, within the Administration as well as outside, fast delivery of ordered depth data is necessary. The new system (DIS) will considerably shorten the delivery times for ordered data. Technology Implemented The DIS project started already in 1997 with a pilot study in order to find a suitable Database Engine (for handling spatial data). The choice stood between SDO, the Database Engine from Oracle, and ArcSDE (Spatial Data Engine), which is ESRI’s product. The tests showed ArcSDE to be the best one.
The foundations for a DIS is:
- Server/Client solution.
- Compaq/Unix/True64 as Database server.
- NT Application server and NT Client.
- Oracle as Database Operator.
- ArcSDE as Spatial Database Engine.
- ArcMap as GIS software.
- Process-, Archive- and Historic Database (Purchase).
- DISView, supplement to ArcMap, as user interface for the user against the Data- base and DIS components (Purchase).
- DIS components for handling DIS data (Purchase).
The implementation of DIS started in 1999 after ESRI´s 19th Annual User Conference. We started on a candidate version of ArcGIS. Our DIS suppplier is Landfocus AB, Sweden.
The DIS is primarily a system for update, storage and outtake of data to/from the Archive Database in DIS. The system is also used for the process of cleaning data, which is done by another software outside DIS Databases.
This Process Database handles, checking, comparing and – when needed – editing the geographical spatial depth data before the data is stored in the Archive Database. The process is administratively mastered by DISView.
The Archive Database consists of several layers (see below) accessible for reading by all NT Clients. The depth data is stored in a non-reduced layer and in data reduced layers (grid layers 20m, 100m and 500m) for faster access. In every grid layer the shoalest-, deepest- and the mean value will be stored. Old depth data is stored in Historic layers, which is possible to take out if need be.
The modern survey methods now used produce depth data in quite large quantities. To handle jobs in 50 000 – 300 millions of point object demands very high technical performance of the SDE and the underlying Oracle Database. We have initiate actions try to improve the performance further.
In June 2002 the DIS is in operation mode on Hydrographic Department of the Swedish Maritime Administration. The first step with DIS in operation will be to take in all present depth data (about 4 billions of point object) and DIS increases with about 1 billion of point object per year by new surveyed marine geographical information. Development Team Biography Development Team
Bengt Engman (team leader), Peter Nilsson, Annika Svensson, Magnus Hovberg, Magnus Ericsson.
Development Team Biography
The development team includes qualified engineers who are experienced in different aspect analysing, processing, storaging and network operation and maintenance of marine geographical information. The team has also experience of similarly development projects.
|
){kind=link}
){kind=link}
){kind=link}