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.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
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.
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