According to the UPS web site, the ArcGIS server is on its way. It will probably arrive soon after Thanksgiving. Our IT consultants are standing by to get it installed.
I am registered in two upcoming ArcGIS server classes, "Introduction to ArcGIS Server" on November 29-30, and "ArcGIS Server Enterprise Configuration and Tuning for SQL Server" on December 16-17.
In addition, two Trimble GPS data collectors, the GeoXH and the Juno SB were purchased. The Juno is a small handheld, with a 3 megapixel camera, and 1-2 meter accuracy. The GeoXH is a larger handheld, with subfoot accuracy. Both will come in very handy for data collection and maintenance.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
GIS Server Installation Coming Up
The new server for the enterprise GIS has been ordered. As soon as it is in place, the data we currently have will be loaded.
Participants in the enterprise GIS will be able to access the data using the free ArcGIS Explorer to connect to the map services that will be created.
In addition, ArcGIS Server 10 has a new web application. The demonstrations I've seen make it look easy. If it's as easy as it looks, we will also have maps using the web application. Those will be similar in many ways to Google Earth, but will have detailed Iberia Parish aerial photography and other layers.
Participants in the enterprise GIS will be able to access the data using the free ArcGIS Explorer to connect to the map services that will be created.
In addition, ArcGIS Server 10 has a new web application. The demonstrations I've seen make it look easy. If it's as easy as it looks, we will also have maps using the web application. Those will be similar in many ways to Google Earth, but will have detailed Iberia Parish aerial photography and other layers.
Monday, August 23, 2010
URISA / NENA Addressing Conference
URISA is a leading professional organization for GIS, and NENA is the National Emergency Number Association. These organizations sponsored a joint conference August 16-19 to focus on GIS solutions to addressing issues.
As it turns out, the addressing anomalies existing in Iberia Parish are fairly ordinary in comparison to those in other areas of the U.S. and Canada. Hearing about more complex issues helped to put our problems into perspective. Solutions to these and other addressing issues were described in case study sessions.
In addition, technical database issues were covered, including the new Federal Geographic Database Committee standard on addressing.
As it turns out, the addressing anomalies existing in Iberia Parish are fairly ordinary in comparison to those in other areas of the U.S. and Canada. Hearing about more complex issues helped to put our problems into perspective. Solutions to these and other addressing issues were described in case study sessions.
In addition, technical database issues were covered, including the new Federal Geographic Database Committee standard on addressing.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Parish Planning & Zoning Project
Our 2008 aerial photography and the 2009 zoning map have been combined in an ArcGIS Explorer project. ArcGIS Explorer is a free viewer that allows the user to add content from many sources. We are currently in the process of installing the software and data files on the P&Z computers.
The Planning & Zoning staff then can zoom in to determine the exact relationship between a parcel of land and its zoning, while viewing any structures on the property as of 2008.
This application is local to P&Z at the moment. However, it will be available more widely once the GIS server is in place.
The Planning & Zoning staff then can zoom in to determine the exact relationship between a parcel of land and its zoning, while viewing any structures on the property as of 2008.
This application is local to P&Z at the moment. However, it will be available more widely once the GIS server is in place.
Monday, July 19, 2010
New Stuff
Road Data
We have received the preliminary road data layer from LA DOTD. It needs some work, particularly with the private roads, but it has the most complete set of address ranges of any comprehensive road data set that we have so far.
ArcGIS 10
The Desktop ArcGIS 10 is installed, and is working well. The server version will be 10 as well. We are moving forward with the server hardware and software purchase.
Proposed 3-Year Budget
The budget of the GIS department will be presented Wednesday, July 21 to the GIS committee. The committee members will be asked to make financial commitments for 2011-2013.
Cooperative Endeavor Agreement
A draft document has been created, following the example of Lincoln Parish. Next step, consultation with parish attorneys with revisions expected. Hope to have it ready soon for committee review.
Return on Investment Training
I have been offered a seat at a two-day ROI training session, sponsored by the state GIS committee and the United States Geological Survey. This training will be free for the attendees due to the sponsorship. This training specifically addresses the cost/benefit analysis of GIS projects, especially cross-agency projects. I am looking forward to it.
We have received the preliminary road data layer from LA DOTD. It needs some work, particularly with the private roads, but it has the most complete set of address ranges of any comprehensive road data set that we have so far.
ArcGIS 10
The Desktop ArcGIS 10 is installed, and is working well. The server version will be 10 as well. We are moving forward with the server hardware and software purchase.
Proposed 3-Year Budget
The budget of the GIS department will be presented Wednesday, July 21 to the GIS committee. The committee members will be asked to make financial commitments for 2011-2013.
Cooperative Endeavor Agreement
A draft document has been created, following the example of Lincoln Parish. Next step, consultation with parish attorneys with revisions expected. Hope to have it ready soon for committee review.
Return on Investment Training
I have been offered a seat at a two-day ROI training session, sponsored by the state GIS committee and the United States Geological Survey. This training will be free for the attendees due to the sponsorship. This training specifically addresses the cost/benefit analysis of GIS projects, especially cross-agency projects. I am looking forward to it.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
ESRI's Interactive Oil Spill Map
You can add code to your web page for the map, or you can choose a linked version. I zoomed in on Iberia Parish, chose Fishing as the main revenue, and created this map. You can click on the Business Revenue: Fishing box to choose other business revenue categories, or the unemployment rate. You can e-mail the map link, put it in a blog, or send it to Facebook or Twitter.
Friday, June 4, 2010
GIS Project: Update the Zoning Map
It looks like the free ArcGIS Explorer will be a good platform for viewing our aerial photography and other layers. ArcGIS Explorer has some improved features, including "swiping" one layer aside to look at the layer below it.
In order to give Planning & Zoning some reference tools, we're going to update the zoning map layer that was created last year by Freyou & Moore, then view it with aerial photography and perhaps the parcel layer from the Assessor's office. We will also create a workflow that will ensure that the zoning map continues to be updated and current.
In the short term, this will be a local application in the Planning & Zoning office. Once we have our enterprise GIS server in place, these layers will be available to other interested departments.
In order to give Planning & Zoning some reference tools, we're going to update the zoning map layer that was created last year by Freyou & Moore, then view it with aerial photography and perhaps the parcel layer from the Assessor's office. We will also create a workflow that will ensure that the zoning map continues to be updated and current.
In the short term, this will be a local application in the Planning & Zoning office. Once we have our enterprise GIS server in place, these layers will be available to other interested departments.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
GIS Workshops
The last two weeks have been busy with workshops. The Louisiana Assessor's Assocation sponsored a GIS workshop May 26 in Baton Rouge. The presentations were very specific to the assessor function, and the integration of GIS, oblique photography, and valuation in the final presentation was very interesting.
The Hurricane Season Geospatial Data Mining Workshop was held June 1. Presenters from NOAA Weather Center, GOHSEP, USGS EROS data center, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, USGS, FEMA, Dept. of Homeland Security, and USDA NRCS showed how to access a variety of data sources to use in pre-storm planning, as well as post-storm mitigation and recovery. Many of the resources they described are available to the public, with some of them restricted to approved personnel. One link of interest is the NOAA fact sheet on hurricanes and the oil spill.
Work on the proposed budget is continuing. I will be talking to an ESRI Solutions Engineer tomorrow morning, to get some final technical questions answered. We will also be consulting our outsourced IT specialists on server installation and integration.
The Hurricane Season Geospatial Data Mining Workshop was held June 1. Presenters from NOAA Weather Center, GOHSEP, USGS EROS data center, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, USGS, FEMA, Dept. of Homeland Security, and USDA NRCS showed how to access a variety of data sources to use in pre-storm planning, as well as post-storm mitigation and recovery. Many of the resources they described are available to the public, with some of them restricted to approved personnel. One link of interest is the NOAA fact sheet on hurricanes and the oil spill.
Work on the proposed budget is continuing. I will be talking to an ESRI Solutions Engineer tomorrow morning, to get some final technical questions answered. We will also be consulting our outsourced IT specialists on server installation and integration.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
3-Year Budget
The next step in moving forward with enterprise GIS is to establish a three-year budget for the department, for approval by the stakeholders. I have been corresponding with other parishes' GIS and IT professionals to see what their budgets look like. This is not as straightforward as it might seem, because each parish implements GIS differently. For instance, several parishes are in the utility business, which does not apply to Iberia Parish.
In addition, it has not been easy to nail down initial start-up server design and costs. There are so many ways to do this, that it's been hard to determine which is best for Iberia Parish. Our GIS Technical Committee for Implementation has met once, with e-mail followups, for the purpose of determining optimal implementation. The network administrators and GIS users on the committee have been very helpful and generous with their time, sharing technical information dealing with these topics. Costs have been determined for almost all the server hardware and software components. It looks like we are on target with the grant funding available for the startup.
The next challenge is to budget for long-term projects, including personnel and software development costs. The same resources that have worked with me on the server questions are providing valuable insights in these areas.
In addition, it has not been easy to nail down initial start-up server design and costs. There are so many ways to do this, that it's been hard to determine which is best for Iberia Parish. Our GIS Technical Committee for Implementation has met once, with e-mail followups, for the purpose of determining optimal implementation. The network administrators and GIS users on the committee have been very helpful and generous with their time, sharing technical information dealing with these topics. Costs have been determined for almost all the server hardware and software components. It looks like we are on target with the grant funding available for the startup.
The next challenge is to budget for long-term projects, including personnel and software development costs. The same resources that have worked with me on the server questions are providing valuable insights in these areas.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Louisiana Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop
I have just returned to the office from the 26th annual Louisiana Remote Sensing and GIS Workshop. The Workshop rotates among locations in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. It was my second year to attend this event.
Many of the sessions had direct relevance to the GIS implementation in Iberia Parish. Some of the most important ones concerned statewide GIS data initiatives, which will provide Iberia Parish GIS with free, high-quality data. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is working on a statewide roads layer, which will be complete later this year. The work is in a quality control phase at this time. This layer will be topologically correct, and will be delivered to us for ongoing maintenance. The presentation emphasized that the layer contains all roads, not just state roads. We can use this as a foundation layer, and modify it as roads change.
GOHSEP, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness reported on the 2010 aerial photography project. This imagery has all been flown, and is in quality control. The first completed segments will be released this summer, with all of it complete by the end of the year. This high-resolution imagery will update the 2008 data we already have, and will be a valuable asset going forward.
There is a consortium currently working on a Louisiana Structures project for several coastal parishes. Iberia Parish is not part of the project at this time, but I will be in contact with those directing the project to find out how we can be included. This project is focused on identifying critical infrastructure for disaster preparedness, including hospitals, schools, gas stations, stores, etc.
The workshop also offered great opportunities to meet GIS managers and analysts from other parishes and agencies.
Many of the sessions had direct relevance to the GIS implementation in Iberia Parish. Some of the most important ones concerned statewide GIS data initiatives, which will provide Iberia Parish GIS with free, high-quality data. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is working on a statewide roads layer, which will be complete later this year. The work is in a quality control phase at this time. This layer will be topologically correct, and will be delivered to us for ongoing maintenance. The presentation emphasized that the layer contains all roads, not just state roads. We can use this as a foundation layer, and modify it as roads change.
GOHSEP, the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness reported on the 2010 aerial photography project. This imagery has all been flown, and is in quality control. The first completed segments will be released this summer, with all of it complete by the end of the year. This high-resolution imagery will update the 2008 data we already have, and will be a valuable asset going forward.
There is a consortium currently working on a Louisiana Structures project for several coastal parishes. Iberia Parish is not part of the project at this time, but I will be in contact with those directing the project to find out how we can be included. This project is focused on identifying critical infrastructure for disaster preparedness, including hospitals, schools, gas stations, stores, etc.
The workshop also offered great opportunities to meet GIS managers and analysts from other parishes and agencies.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Examples of Web Mapping
Web mapping has become easier with the introduction of Adobe Flex, Microsoft Silverlight, and Java application programming interfaces (APIs). The programming framework is a free download, and the website can be created using data on a GIS server. Some of the sites below use this simple framework, while others include more custom programming.
The small City of Westerville, Ohio has a GIS web site that features several map products. They use the strategy of using only one theme per map.
Closer to home, both Lincoln Parish and Terrebonne Parish also have public map sites. These map sites follow the all-inclusive model, leaving it to the map user to turn desired layers on and off.
Lafayette Parish law enforcement has a public web site where users can search for a variety of incidents. The first screen is a tutorial of the site, and the other tabs lead you through building the query.
While providing information to the public is an important use of GIS, the same technology can be used for in-house viewing on a password-protected intranet.
The small City of Westerville, Ohio has a GIS web site that features several map products. They use the strategy of using only one theme per map.
Closer to home, both Lincoln Parish and Terrebonne Parish also have public map sites. These map sites follow the all-inclusive model, leaving it to the map user to turn desired layers on and off.
Lafayette Parish law enforcement has a public web site where users can search for a variety of incidents. The first screen is a tutorial of the site, and the other tabs lead you through building the query.
While providing information to the public is an important use of GIS, the same technology can be used for in-house viewing on a password-protected intranet.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Iberia Parish GIS Advisory Board meeting
The next GIS Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 20, 10:00 am, Parish Council Chambers.
The Draft GIS Implementation Plan was sent to each member or designated representative. Presentation and discussion of the implementation plan will form the meeting agenda.
Before the meeting adjourns, the members in attendance should propose action items for the next meeting.
The Draft GIS Implementation Plan was sent to each member or designated representative. Presentation and discussion of the implementation plan will form the meeting agenda.
Before the meeting adjourns, the members in attendance should propose action items for the next meeting.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Enterprise License Agreement for Small Government Entities
ESRI has an umbrella licensing policy tailored to small municipality and county governments. The Enterprise Licensing Agreement (ELA) is a three-year contract at a fixed price, based on population level. The fixed price includes all levels of server and desktop GIS software, online training, software maintenance, and more.
ESRI software is more expensive than the office suite software that we're used to. In addition, upgrades are included for one year, then a yearly software maintenance fee is charged to continue support and upgrades. Individual licensing is currently used in Iberia Parish, with the result that different departments likely use different versions. In enterprise GIS, it is important that all departments use the same version.
The advantages of the ELA are explained in audio presentations (podcasts) on the Enterprise License Agreement web page. Some advantages include unencumbered access to the software by the enterprise, which fosters additional adoption. By using an ELA, all departments would have access to the latest version of the software without additional fees. Mobile GIS is included in the ELA. ELA participants also may have preferential pricing for ESRI partners' products, such as NAVTEQ street databases. Access to these resources makes it easier to incorporate GIS into business processes.
ESRI software is more expensive than the office suite software that we're used to. In addition, upgrades are included for one year, then a yearly software maintenance fee is charged to continue support and upgrades. Individual licensing is currently used in Iberia Parish, with the result that different departments likely use different versions. In enterprise GIS, it is important that all departments use the same version.
The advantages of the ELA are explained in audio presentations (podcasts) on the Enterprise License Agreement web page. Some advantages include unencumbered access to the software by the enterprise, which fosters additional adoption. By using an ELA, all departments would have access to the latest version of the software without additional fees. Mobile GIS is included in the ELA. ELA participants also may have preferential pricing for ESRI partners' products, such as NAVTEQ street databases. Access to these resources makes it easier to incorporate GIS into business processes.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Data Standards - Decision Making
As we prepare to launch a parish-wide geographic information systems department, it's important to think about data standards. How good is good enough?
This is a question all entities using GIS struggle with.
One of the purposes of a GIS is to gather information that will be used to make decisions. It's important to keep this in mind. The principle of "garbage-in, garbage-out" holds true for geographic data the same as for any other variety of database.
Every department will likely have different standards of accuracy that will be adequate for their decision-making processes. Some departments will choose to follow national standards for their areas of expertise.
For instance, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) has published standards as a guide for designers and manufacturers of emergency call processing systems. These standards were issued in 2007, and will likely be updated in the near future. These standards are very specific to the needs of emergency response.
The problem is, very detailed data is very expensive to create. Therefore, there is a trade-off between the costs and benefits of acquiring the most expensive data. Cost-sharing in an enterprise GIS might be one way of accomplishing the goal of detailed data which can be used in multiple departments.
This is a question all entities using GIS struggle with.
One of the purposes of a GIS is to gather information that will be used to make decisions. It's important to keep this in mind. The principle of "garbage-in, garbage-out" holds true for geographic data the same as for any other variety of database.
Every department will likely have different standards of accuracy that will be adequate for their decision-making processes. Some departments will choose to follow national standards for their areas of expertise.
For instance, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) has published standards as a guide for designers and manufacturers of emergency call processing systems. These standards were issued in 2007, and will likely be updated in the near future. These standards are very specific to the needs of emergency response.
The problem is, very detailed data is very expensive to create. Therefore, there is a trade-off between the costs and benefits of acquiring the most expensive data. Cost-sharing in an enterprise GIS might be one way of accomplishing the goal of detailed data which can be used in multiple departments.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Implementation Plan Draft
The Iberia Parish Implementation Plan, currently being drafted, is intended to be a living document. This means that as GIS needs and technology change, the plan document will also change.
The phased development proposed in the plan is flexible as well. Certain basic infrastructure must be in place before advanced functions will be possible, but priorities can be shifted by the GIS Governing Board.
The phased development proposed in the plan is flexible as well. Certain basic infrastructure must be in place before advanced functions will be possible, but priorities can be shifted by the GIS Governing Board.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Implementation Plan Draft Under Way
Work is continuing on the Implementation Plan draft. This draft will be submitted to the advisory committee members for review and comments. The Implementation Plan, once approved by the advisory committee, will serve as the roadmap for development of the Iberia Parish GIS Department.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Establishment of Enterprise GIS for Iberia Parish
This blog is begun as a kind of bulletin board for the GIS Advisory Board members to exchange ideas. The blog is currently public to enable viewing without a mandatory login.
This is a way for board members to express their needs and concerns, and for the GIS Department to keep everyone up to date. The blog can be converted to a private blog. Each invited member would have to create a free Google account (not e-mail) in order to log in to the private blog.
This blog is modeled on the Port of San Diego GIS blog.
This is a way for board members to express their needs and concerns, and for the GIS Department to keep everyone up to date. The blog can be converted to a private blog. Each invited member would have to create a free Google account (not e-mail) in order to log in to the private blog.
This blog is modeled on the Port of San Diego GIS blog.
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