Spatial Data Infrastructure

Concepts and Components

Douglas Nebert
U.S. Federal Geographic
Data Committee Secretariat

August 2009
What is a Spatial Data
Infrastructure (SDI)?
“The SDI provides a basis for spatial
data discovery, evaluation, and
application for users and providers within all
levels of government, the commercial sector,
the non-profit sector, academia and by
citizens in general.”
--The SDI Cookbook

[Link]
Components of a Spatial Data
Infrastructure (SDI)
Policies & Institutional Arrangements
(governance, data privacy & security, data
sharing, cost recovery)
People (training, professional development,
cooperation, outreach)
Data (digital base map, thematic, statistical,
place names)
Technology (hardware, software, networks,
databases, technical implementation plans)
Here’s an overview of the
elements and status of SDI…
Partnerships
Discovery
Discovery Access
Access Processing
Processing
Clearinghouse
Services
(catalog)

Metadata
Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata
Framework GEOdata

Standards
 The first task is to inventory who has what data of what
type and quality
 A standardized form of metadata was published in June
1994 by the US FGDC. An international standard (ISO
19115/19139) now exists and is being adopted by most
countries

Metadata
Metadata
Metadata can apply to data, services,
and other resource types
Provides documentation of existing internal
geospatial resources within an organisation
(inventory)
Permits structured search and comparison of
held geospatial resources by others (catalog)
Provides end-users with adequate information
to take the resource and apply it in an
appropriate context (documentation)
ISO 19115/TS19139 provide an international
standard for metadata and its encoding
 Services
Services
Metadata
Metadata
Geospatial
Geospatial Data
Data
 Metadata describes data and service resources
for order, access, or local use
 Metadata is used to describe all types of data,
emphasis on ‘truth in labeling’
Special-use thematic layers are built and
described as available geospatial data
Common data layers are being defined in
the Framework activity

Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata
Framework Data Standards
Eleven abstract data content standards
are being promulgated through the
ANSI process as American National
Standards
Each theme (layer) is also described as
XML/GML Application Schemas that can
be served over the Web (OGC Web
Feature Services)

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Scope: Framework Layers
Elevation
Orthoimagery
Hydrographic Data
Governmental Unit Boundaries
Cadastral
Geodetic Control
Transportation
 Roads Air


 Rail Marine

 Transit

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Interoperability with common
Framework data encoding

import export
Core
System 1 API Framework API System 2
export Encoding import

WFS

System 3

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The NSDI includes the services to help
discover and interact with data

Services
Services
Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata
 An important common service in SDI is
that of discovering resources through
metadata
Discovery
Discovery Access
Access Processing
Processing
Services

Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata

This Discovery Service is provided by a

national catalog of geospatial information
which can be accessed by a national portal
National Geo-Portal capabilities
Help locate data and services
Support download of data, link to related
websites, and applications for others to access
Support self-organizing communities post and
manage selected content
Share data collection plans and requirements to
support partnerships and collaboration

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Functional Areas in the Portal
Search – enables
users to find
geospatial data

Communities –
highlight
authoritative data
sources

Featured
Resources –
highlight maps,
applications and
websites of
current interest

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Metadata Publication Options
Users may contribute metadata one of
three ways:
 Enter metadata into a form on the catalog
and they are stored and indexed there
 Upload metadata as XML to the catalog
from a GIS or metadata program
 Register their existing metadata collection
or service to be harvested into the national
catalog

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 data

metadata

form XML
entry upload
data
search
metadata Portal
metadata
catalog map viewer

map services

data metadata
data metadata

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 A second category of services provides
standardised access to geospatial
information
Discovery
Discovery Access
Access Processing
Processing
Services

Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata

This may be made via static files on ftp or

via web services. These services deliver
‘raw’ geospatial data, not maps.
 Interoperable data access
Web form
Server

OGC WMS Request

OGC WMS
Services
Native Minnesota Deegree ArcIMS GeoMedia MapExtreme
Services mapserver

postgreSQL Access ArcSDE AutoCAD Oracle

Distributed provider organizations 2

A third class of services provides
additional processing on geospatial
information
Discovery
Discovery Access
Access Processing
Processing
Services

Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata
 Standardization makes SDI work
 Standards touch every SDI activity

Discovery
Discovery Access
Access Processing
Processing
Services

Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata

Standards
Standards include specifications, formal
standards, and documented practices
Candidate “SDI 1.0” Standards
SDI Suite 1.0 Candidate
OGC Web Map Service 1.1.1
OGC Web Feature Service 1.0
OGC Filter Encoding 1.0
OGC Web Coverage Service 1.0
OGC Geography Markup Language 2.1.2
OGC Catalog Services 2.0 Z39.50 Protocol Binding

FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM, 1998)

SDI Suite 1.0 Supplemental

ISO Metadata Standard 19115 and ISO TS 19139

OGC Geography Markup Language 3.1.1

OGC Styled Layer Descriptor 1.0
OGC Web Map Context 1.1
OGC Catalog Services 2.0 HTTP Protocol Binding, CS-W

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 Partnerships extend our capabilities
Partnerships
Discovery
Discovery Access
Access Processing
Processing
Services

Metadata
Metadata
Framework GEOdata

Standards
Partnerships are the glue...
Proper governance of the community is
essential through a variety of roles and
responsibilities
National government or NGOs should partner
with other levels of government and sectors
to promote 2-way coordination
The government or a foundation may be able
to fund agencies with “seed” funding to
further existing efforts toward common goals
Partnerships extend local capabilities in
technology, skills, logistics, and data
Thank you!

Doug Nebert
US Federal Geographic Data Committee
ddnebert@[Link]
+1 703 648 4151