# Presentation: 487607

## Data is Important to Anchoragethe case for the FGDC Clearinghouseand GIS data warehousingCharles E. Barnwell, Manager, MISD-GISMichael Kiker, Database AdministratorJanuary 21, 2000

*Creating and Maintaining*
*Sharing*

- Public

- Better Service to
- Citizens

**Notes:**
MISD GIS is responsible for developing corporate GIS, a centralized GIS function for the entire city.  This also entails serving MOA GIS services and data  to the public.

## MOA Clearinghouse Components

-  Common data framework
-  Data accessibility
-  Data storage and management
-  Common standards
-  System architecture
-  FGDC Metadata

**Notes:**
MISD GIS is working on these components through Year 2000.  We have a business plan to address development of these components.  Each component is part of a work program.  
Our first step is to build a framework of data upon which we can build successive layers and finally build sophisticated applications (see next pyramid slide).  The FGDC project is instrumental in helping us define the framework in that we are building and modeling on the FGDC framework.  For example, core layers of ours are in part modeled on the framework: hydrography, elevation, transportation, etc.  Our hydrography layer will be modeled on USGS NHD standards and data models.  
Data accessibility is perhaps the major issue at MOA.  We are actively developing Web GIS tools using ESRI’s MapObjects IMS and soon ArcIMS.  We are serving data on the intranet and Internet at this time.
Data storage is a major issue. We currently host data on a corporate repository serving GIS data on the MOA network (WAN) to all of the MOA departments: APD, AFD, Planning, Public Works, etc.  The repository must be organized and structured for consistent, proper data storage.
Common standards are critical for local government.  With many departments engaged in many different activities it is easy to develop many different standards. We are actively promoting FGDC concepts of metadata and metadata content.  We are prototyping SDE as a means of promoting open standards.
Our system architecture must be open and easily maintained, and capable of supporting mission critical needs, such as AFD and APD  dispatch mapping needs.  Therefore we are using a blend of Unix repository,  and replicate NT servers.

## Data “Access” Sharing

- Interoperability
- Standards
- Translators

- 1985

- Tabular

- Tabular

- Access by “Everyone”
- Standard Clients
- Centralized/Distributed

- All data can now be stored
- in IT environment

**Notes:**
As mentioned, our major goal is data access and sharing. This is truly a challenge in local government.  The trend in the GIS industry of being able to store all GIS and related tabular data, e.g. RDBMS, in one common database, in a common IT environment will hugely enable data access and sharing.  We are actively working on this at this time with tools such as SDE, MapObjects IMS, and A/I 8 with the geodatabase concept.

## MOA Framework Approach

**Notes:**
As mentioned previously, the FGDC model provides a great model for MOA or local government.  This slide depicts the absolute core layers we are utilizing for MOA purposes.  We have a total of 27 essential or core layers that layer on these shown.

## Core Data

**Applications**

**Outputs**

**Everybody**
**wants**
**this now**

**Must**
**build**
**this first**

**Notes:**
Critical to development of the corporate GIS clearinghouse is building the pyramid methodically.  Applications and outputs will be much more difficult to implement without a well established framework or pyramid of core data.

## Framework (core) Data

* **CORE DATA*
*(FGDC compliant) ** Data*

*Application Specific Data*

*Analysis: Planning, etc.*

*Utility management*

*Financial management*

**Notes:**
Again, the FGDCmodel is a good one for MOA.  Once our core data is established with appropriate medata, we can then build applications for many uses in many departments.

## Standards

-  Framework definition
-     (FGDC assisted)
- Metadata (FGDC assisted)
-  Common data model(s)
-  Common spatial data standards (FGDC assisted)
-  Common database (RDBMS)  standards

**Notes:**
The funding we received will enable us to accomplish the above.  We will utilize as mentioned our existing work on development of a framework.  We will use tools such as Enabling Software for metadata.  We will work this year to building a common data model using tools such as RDBMS and SDE.

## Hardware and Software

- Windows NT server: IBM Netfinity server
- MS SQL Server 7.0
- Enabling Software SIMMS 3oh!: metadata management
- system for creating, publishing FGDC metadata
- SMMS Server: SQL Svr integrated with SMMS metadata
- repository, active Server page and the Internet Clearinghouse
- node.
- Server
- Search Gateway

## Project Steps (next two months)

- Establish SMMS
- Develop FGDC metadata for core data
- Lind to Web
- Configure SMMS Server
- Establish SMMS Server Clearinghouse which will index metadata, serve the index, and register us on the FGDC network.

## Proposed GIS Clearinghouse Architecture

- MOA

- firewall

- 512 mhz

- NAT

- AMI

_**MISD-GIS  Clearinghouse**_

- AWWU

- Library

- 768 mhz

- Atlas Lite connection

- “DMZ”

**PUBLIC**

- Intranet

- Internet client

- FGDC network

**Notes:**
This slide depicts the current network architecture at the MOA.  The DMZ or provides a fast and accessible to the outside network as part of the overall MOA intranet upon which a select group of departments are connected. We plan on the FGDC clearinghouse being established such that it will be a node on the FGDC network.  This machine is an IBM Netfinity 5000 containing GIS software, Enabling Software, and MS SQL Server 7.  Public access to MOA GIS data and metadata is also available via AMI’s MOA web site.  At some point in the future we hope to have a direct connection for public use as shown at the bottom of the graphic.