Geohosting

Geohosting – Publish Your Spatial Data Yourself
Karel Charvat1
, Petr Horak2
, Martin Vlk3
, Jachym Cepicky4
, Stepan Kafka5
1
Help Service Remote Sensing, Vnoučkova 614, 256 01, Czech Republic, Benešov
u Prahy, , kch@bnhelp.cz,
2
WIRELESSINFO, Cholinska 1048/19, 78401 Litovel, Czech Republic,
horak@wirelessinfo.cz
3
WIRELESSINFO, Cholinska 1048/19, 78401 Litovel, Czech Republic,
mavlk@helpforest.cz
4
Help Service Remote Sensing, Vnoučkova 614, 256 01, Czech Republic, Benešov u
Prahy, jachym@bnhelp.cz
5
Help Service Remote Sensing, Vnoučkova 614, 256 01, Czech Republic, Benešov u
Prahy, kafka@email.cz
Abstract
In recent years, there is much discussion about so called Spatial Data
Infrastructure (SDI) development. This is actively discussed at European level
(INSPIRE), at national levels, but also globally in the United Nations context (UN
SDI). There are technological solutions, but these are in many cases not available
for small data providers or for an organization or enterprise, which don’t have their
own servers. There is a possibility to use Google technology, but this doesn’t fulfil the
requirements of SDI building, which has both institutional and technical aspects. This
paper describes so called GeoHosting technology, based on implementing rules for
INSPIRE and UN SDI and OGC standards. Described are three basic models: use
free - publish free, outsource your data services, use your own solution
Keywords: SDI, OGC, Web, Spatial data, Community
1. Introduction
New tools are being developed by Czech Living Lab WirelessInfo, which
allow users to easily publish their data and metadata as part of a Spatial Data
Infrastructure (SDI). The paper describes the design of a Technological Infrastructure
on the basis of ISO and OGC Standards and also the implementation of a prototype
and first experiences. The solution is designed in distributed system form, which
provides the connection to metadata about spatial data and services. This solution tests
the principle of catalogue services at both national and international level which could
be used in the UN SDI context. A catalogue portal is one of the independent
components of GeoHosting complex system for raster and vector spatial data sharing.
The catalogue portal provides data source searching on the basis of their metadata
records through structure queries. The portal also contains edit functionality for new
metadata records creating or editing. The metadata catalogue system corresponds to
ISO 19115/19119/19139 standards [1], [2], [3], [4] and provides for cascade searching
on the other standardized catalogue systems. The difference is, there exist different
other initiatives offering publishing of own content like Google technology or
OpenStreet Map, that GeoHosting is based fully on INSPIRE European standards and
support establishing of network of distributed servers.

2. Objectives
The main objective of GeoHosting is to offer services supporting the creation
of a spatial data sharing system with possibility to publish data for any user having
access to Web. The system is based on open formats and is open for interaction with
other SDI platforms. It could be used in education, but also could be a solution for
researchers and small data providers, particularly in developing countries.
The system is developed on the OpenSource platforms (MapServer,
GeoServer) and contains both common visualisation and data sharing and metadata
and catalogue functionalities. This system should allow:
• Data and metadata publishing
• Usage of existing data sets for data processing
• Integration of spatial data from different sources
• Data input to user-defined structure
• Connection system to other special purpose devices supporting data collection.
• Connection to map servers – query system and update systems.
Module architecture will allow building different applications from the
simplest (for example visualisation) to applications with maximum functions like data
model transformations.
3. Methodology
The basic architecture is based on the Open Services Architecture/ The basic
scheme defined in earth@look project is used for definition of GMES architecture and
can be modified for purposes of single tasks.
This model supports reusability of components and easy building of new
applications or their modification. The goal of the design is to reuse existing tools and

to define interoperable interfaces for these tools, which will give possibilities to reuse
these tools as a part of other applications. For the selection of the components it is
important to be oriented on Open Source solutions, but only on such systems which
support Open Standards (OGC and ISO) [1], [2], [3], [4].
Geohosting solution was implemented as set of geospatial web services
components for geospatial data sharing and management.. From services mentioned
the next services was selected. [5]
• Geographic human interaction service examples:
o Catalogue viewer. Client service that allows a user to interact with a
catalogue to locate, browse, and manage metadata about geographic
data or geographic services.
o Geographic viewer. Client service that allows a user to view one or
more feature collections or coverages. This viewer allows a user to
interact with map data.
• Geographic model/information management services:
o Feature access service. Service that provides a client access to and
management of a feature store.
o Map access service. Service that provides a client access to a
geographic graphics
o Coverage access service. Service that provides a client access to and
management of a coverage store.
o Catalogue service. Service that provides discovery and management
services on a store of metadata about instances.
4. Technology Description
4.1 Catalogue and Metadata system
Micka is spatial metadata catalogue, which supported standards:
• Any XML based standard may be stored in the system. There is special
module for standard tree maintenance.
• In current version these standards are supported:
• Spatial data metadata (ISO 19115) - full standard
• Service metadata (ISO 19119) - reasonable core
• Feature catalogue (ISO 19110) - reasonable core
• Dublin Core Metadata (ISO 15836)
• There are some predefined profiles in the system:
• ISO 19115 mandatory elements
• ISO 19115 core elements
• INSPIRE profile
• MICKA (INSPIRE elements with added ones for common use.)
• ISO/DC (ISO 19115 elements covering the DC core profile)
• Full ISO 19115 standard

User interface is multilingual. English, Czech, German, French, and partially
Polish are currently supported. (New language may be added by filling the
corresponding database table.) User may switch language clicking corresponding flag
on the top bar of the program. The Micka use GEMET and AgroVoc thesaurus and
supported WFS gazetteers.
4.2 Visualisation client
Geohosting visualisation client is based on HSlaeyers, which is extension of
Open Layers. HS layers enables putting a dynamic map in any web page simple way.
It can display map tiles and markers loaded from any source. MetaCarta developed
the initial version of OpenLayers and gave it to the public to further the use of
geographic information of all kinds. OpenLayers is completely free, Open Source
JavaScript, released under the BSD License .This concept was extended by company
Help Service Remote Sensing. From developer point of view, HSLayers/OpenLayers
is a pure JavaScript library for displaying map data in most modern web browsers,
with no server-side dependencies. OpenLayers implements an object-oriented
JavaScript API for building rich web-based geographic applications, similar to the
Google Maps and MSN Virtual Earth APIs. OpenLayers is able to display various
types of raster and vector data formats. Naturally, it supports OGC WMS
specification, as well as common Image formats (in PNG, GIF or JPEG format).
There is also support for multiple proprietary formats, like Google Maps, Yahoo maps
and others. OpenLayers do use so called tiling of raster data. Numbers of vector (and
text) data formats are supported as well. There is possibility for rendering vector
features in GML, OGC WFS, GeoRSS, KML formats. Creation of regular shapes
(boxes, circles, ...) is supported as well. Points can be displayed as special point
features with image icon or like vector point features.Numbers of controls are
available to support map interactivity and customization. Among others, zoom bar,
overview map, layer switcher, various toolbars and mouse action handlers can be
used. Thanks to advanced event model, it is no big problem to program custom map
control. [6].
4.3 DataMan
DataMan is application for management of spatial data. It supports
management of data in databases or files. It supports export and import of this data
and also publishing and updating of related metadata. In database, it is possible to
store both, vector and raster data, including their attributes. Also for file oriented
storage, it supports both, vector and raster data. From raster formats, it currently
supports IFF/GeoTIFF, JPEG,GIF, PNG, BMP, ECW, from vector formats ESRI
Shapefile, DGN, DWG, GML. [7]

4.4 MapMan
The Map Project Manager (MapMan) is a software tool for users who want to
publish or create new map projects and compositions. It supports publication of
spatial composition from locally stored data (fields or database-stored in DataMan),
with external WMS, WFS data services. It supports visualization in web browser
using such clients like OpenLayers, GoogleMaps, DHTML client, Desktop viewer
GoogleEarth, DIS Janitor or publish data as OGC WebMapService (WMS), OGC
WebFeatureService (WFS). All published data are also connected with metadata
stored in Micka.[7].
4.5 Teredit
Teredit is a special tool for data collection in the field, data transfer from a
mobile device (PDA, notebook) to a server and for generating a project for data

collection. The data can be collected and saved onto a server in on-line or off-line
mode. Teredit is a global component system where the components are interconnected
via a multilevel architecture. Primary data collection provides a “Mobile GIS Editor”
– it can be any available data collected software (e.g. ArcPad for PDA) which is up to
standard of functionality and communication. The second side is the internal server of
the company where the data will be stored. Teredit constitutes a bridge between these
two sides.
Teredit uses web services for data transfer. Web Map Services (WMS) will be
used for transfer of referential layers, Web Features Services (WFS) will provide
transfer of vector data for editing. The system is proposed with transaction
functionality. [7]
4.6 Metadata extractor
Metadata extractor is tool, which supporting extraction of available metadata
directly from different files (documents, presentation, etc.), editing this metadata and
publishing of metadata and files on URM portal. Other possibility is extract metadata
(and then edit) directly from existing URL addresses and store metadata on URM
portal. Access to information is then trough direct URL addresses. [8]
5. Developments
The GeoHosting system was development in collaboration with NaturNet Redime
project, c@r project and Earthlook and is currently tested as prototype in Czech
Republic and in Latvia. The system is currently fully functional and runs as publicly
available solution. Development of new tools is continuously taking place which
could help to support SDI development solutions for a larger community in the
INSPIRE, UNSDI and other SDI development contexts. From next year it will be
available with a desktop solution, Janitor, used in secondary education in Czech
Republic.
An installation is currently prepared, which will support applications worldwide.
This application will be the proposed Czech contribution to UN SDI initiative and will
offer services worldwide. Other development is focused on publishing of historical
maps.
GeoHosting is now used as part of Uniform Resource Management (URM)
concept [9], which main objective of URM will be easy description, discovery and
validation of relevant information sources. URM ensures that any user can easily
discover, evaluate and use relevant information..
6. Results
The testing of the GeoHosting system demonstrates good usability of the
proposed solutions. The system could also be advantageous for students and young
researchers. It could also help to tested methods of SDI building in countries, where
until now the necessary infrastructure doe not exist. Currently were installed first
solution for Czech GMES implementation, for Czech Forestry and Urban Planning,

for publishing of historical maps in Czech Republic, for Czech UN SDI initiative and
two servers for Latvia.
7. Business Benefits
There are three different business models, where GeoHosting could be used. Basic
model is community or free model. Anybody could use the system freely and all data
are freely accessible for other users. It supports applications for tourism support,
education or research. Second model is licensed model, when users will pay a license
fee for the usage of system and data access could be also licensed on the base of user
decisions. Last possible model is, when technology will be installed on servers of
users.
8. Conclusions
Involvement in international collaboration and in the international activities
should be a priority and the possibility of future development and the implementation
of technologies developed in previous projects as well. Spatial data publication
activities on an international level play the main role in this case through regional
activities, such as INSPIRE in Europe and global initiatives such as the establishment
of United Nations Spatial Data Infrastructure (UNSDI) or possible involvement in the
GMES project of the European Commission in the future. However the key target
objective of the project is accessing geo-spatial information for a wide audience
through the new user-friendly, open and standards-based technologies.
0. Acknowledgements
The paper is prepared on the base of outputs from projects:
EarthLookCZ - the solution was achieved with financial support from state
resources provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech
Republic for support of project of the program “EUPRO” with registration number
OK488 and name “EarthLookCZ”.
Naturnet Redime - New Education and Decision Support Model for Active
Behaviour in Sustainable Development Based on Innovative Web Services and
Qualitative Reasoning, Project number 004074 of SIXTH FRAMEWORK
PROGRAMME Educational programmes on social, economic, and environmental
tools for the implementation of the EU Strategy on Sustainable Development at both
EU and international levels
c@r - Collaboration and Rural, Integrated Project, funded by the IST programme
of the European Commission's 6th Framework, project number 34921
REFERENCES
[1] OpenGIS® Catalogue Services Specification, ver. 2.0.2 Corrigendum 2
Release, OGC 2007-02-07
[2] OpenGIS® Catalogue Services Specification 2.0.2 - ISO Metadata
Application Profile. OGC 2007-05-02.

[3] ISO 19115:2003, Geographic information - Metadata (with ISO
19115:2003/Cor. 1:2006, Geographic information - Metadata - Technical
Corrigendum 1)
[4] OpenGIS® Cataloguing of ISO Metadata (CIM) Using the ebRIM profile of
CS-W, OGC 2007-05-10
[5] 080902-C@R-WP1.5.-D.1.5.2.-1_1 c@r project report, Litovel 2008
[6] Jachym Cepicky, Pavel Gnip, Stepan Kafka, Irena Koskova and Karel
Charvat Geospatial data management and integration of geospatial web
services, IAALD AFITA WCCA2008, Tokyo
[7] Karel Charvat and Petr Horak EarthLookCZ as Czech way to GMES, IAALD
AFITA WCCA2008, Tokyo
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