françois létourneau, rddc – valcartier normand bernier, dr louis cloutier, syntell inc

Defence Research andDevelopment Canada

Recherche et développementpour la défense Canada Canada

GEOLAP Technology A geospatial-enabled decision support application framework for

better management of geospatial-based information

François Létourneau, RDDC – Valcartier

Normand Bernier, Dr Louis Cloutier, Syntell inc.

GeoLocation Technology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Defence R&D Canada • R & D pour la défense Canada

GEOLAP TechnologyPresentation outline

• Introduction

• Why GEOLAP

• OLAP Technology – a quick introduction

• Definition of the GEOLAP technology

• Characteristics of the GEOLAP technology

• Presentation of a current GEOLAP application

• Potential of the GEOLAP technology for the broad field of geospatial applications – Use Cases


Why GEOLAP – The needThe requirements

• A large geodata production group in Canada (NRCan)

– A cartographical inventory system in place

• More than 1 Tb of geo data

• More than 1 Gb of geo metadata

– There was a need to analyze the metadata for

• Inventory analysis

• Production Planning base on product diffusion, resources available, budget

• Quality Insurance (ISO 9001)

• Help external user to get proper information


Why GEOLAP – The needTypical results expected

• Proposed solution

– Query on the inventory system

– Using standard reporting tool

Normand Bernier

Ce serait bien si on pouvait avoir un exemple d'eux Pas une obligation


Why GEOLAP – The need The results

• Results

– Traditional report, requiring manual process

– More than 20 hours to generate

– Need to manually process the results with a GIS for proper representation

– Put the inventory system on his knees

• The inventory system no longer respond to normal operation

– In consequence, this solution was abandoned


Why GEOLAP – Existing solutionBusiness Intelligence Technology

• Existing technology– Very mature

• Targeted for management – Fast response time

– Bellow 10 sec. typical

• Build for – Complex analysis

– To process large amount of data

• Using OLAP technology– On Line Analytical

Processing

• No tight link with GIS


OLAP TechnologyA Quick Introduction

OLTP (On Line Transactional Processing

– Ex: Operational cartographical inventory system

• Operational data (NRCan Sherbrooke : > 1 Tb of geodata)

• Current status of the data (no historic)

• Optimized for transaction management

• Distributed over multiple systems (multiple databases in Canada)

OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing)

– Ex: Human resources dashboard for industries

• Historical and multidimensional data

• Centralized in a unique system

• Optimized for sophisticated analysis


From OLTP to OLAP

Operational Data(multiple sources)

Optimized for Fast Analysis

OLAPOLTP


From OLTP to OLAP

Operational Data(multiple sources)

Optimized for Fast Analysis

OLAPOLTP

No, Product, Precision, Year, Nb1123,BNDT, 15-25, 2002, 451124,BNDT, 15-25, 2001, 231125,BNDT, 15-25, 2002, 41126,BNDT, 15-25, 2002, 13

Product

Precision

Year

NTDB

DNEC

2002

2003

2001

410

Transform 1 G Record to:


Performance Comparison

OLAPOLTP

• Question to answer– I want digital map sheets for a particular geographic region

– For which the validity date is less than three years

– In VRF format

– Which scale is between 1:20 000 and 1 : 100 000

– That can be delivered in UTM zone 8

System have to scan millions of record

Time taken: many minutes up to hours

System retrieves the appropriate cell in a cubeTime taken: few seconds


GEOLAP TechnologyDefinition - What’s in a name

• Geospatial (based) On Line Analytical Processing

• Characteristics

– Web-enabled, thin-client based

– Geospatial-based decision support application framework

– Exploiting traditional and geospatial-based information and knowledge related to the territory

– Structured into multidimensional data servers for quasi-instant processing of large volumes of data

• Geospatial-enabling traditional OLAP technology


GEOLAP TechnologyWhy geo-empowering OLAP technology

• GIS technology is mainly based on transaction processing

• Strong need for analytical tools, processing complex queries of geodata

• Current GIS analytical technology does not exploit the strength of multidimensional data structures

• Geospatial information is not structured to be efficiently integrated into multidimensional data structures

• Restructuring geospatial data into multidimensional cubes is a time and resources intensive process, unlikely to happen without a paradigm shift

• Linking an intelligent cartographic context to OLAP represents the best short to mid term approach


GEOLAP TechnologyCharacteristics of the GEOLAP Technology

• The OLAP server is fetching contextual geodata to a GIS servers that renders this information based on the context of the OLAP analysis

• GIS servers are capable to render and symbolize, within seconds, complex geographical information

• The “geo” part of GEOLAP is generated on-the-fly. In consequence, the development cycle is reduced (no need to restructure the data) and applications can be rolled out faster


GEOLAP TechnologyCharacteristics of the GEOLAP Technology

• Symbolization of the information based on values of attributes generated from OLAP query

• Spatial filter that delimitates spatially the information to be analyzed

• Drill operations (down, across, up) among descriptive and geospatial data

• Short response time for complex queries associated to high volume of data

• Connectivity to OGC WMS server for map background generation

• Web-based architecture, 100 % HTML output


GEOLAP TechnologyAn example of an application

• The problem:– Metadata collected over the years by mapping agencies is used

mainly for documenting geodata, while it represents a much more important value

– Very few analysis are performed to analyze and manage data inventory

– Cartographic representation of these analysis is usually unavailable or is done by hand

– A long and labor-intensive process

– A better management of geodata inventory can be envisioned

• The proposed solution– Development of an application that links elegantly analytical

processes to cartographic representation, with decision-support tools to empower better exploitation, analysis and management of geodata inventory


An Example of a GEOLAP applicationManagement and analysis of a cartographic inventory

• A common objective for geospatial data producers is to give a fast access to their data to meet the needs of their users

• For this purpose, they have to:– Offer a complete inventory of data, up to date, and well

documented with the proper metadata

– Offer fast and efficient tools to facilitate the discovery, access and exploitation of geospatial data

– Be able to analyze the usage of their data to• Improve the overall quality of service to their users

• Improve the global process for managing the quality of their data

• Improve the global planning and decisional process for the improvement, update and production of geodata


Application of the GEOLAP TechnologyTypical query that puts traditional systems on their knees

1. I want to see on a map 2. the volume of request for NTDB data 3. related to a particular region4. For the last two years5. Accessed from the GEOPORTAL6. For data with validity date less than 5 years7. And used for homeland security purposes


Application of the GEOLAP TechnologyPresentation of the Cartographic Inventory Management and analysis Application

• Web-based application, with multiple ways to present the information (map, chart, tables)

• Link to the ordering system

• Link to the map and imagery visualization system

• Five modules developed– Inventory management and analysis

– Production management and analysis

– Data diffusion management and analysis

– Quality control management and analysis

– Cartographic Development Indices management


Application of the GEOLAP TechnologyGeneral Architecture of the Cartographic Inventory Management and Analysis Application

Web Application Server (Windows Server)

Syntell 4i Application Layer

Syntell 4i Data Layer

Syntell OLAP Data Cubes

Datamart

SQL Server Database

User IE Browser(thin client)

GeOlap Cartographical Inventory Management Application

Windows Internet Information Services (IIS)

Kheops - JMAP Server

WMS Web Service

Spatial Data Source

HTML W

eb Pages

Map

Imag

es


GEOLAP - Dashboard


NTDB - Availability

Data closely followed the map

Choose an AOI


Focus on AOI

Data closely followed the map

Choose an AOI


Closer – AOI modified

Data closely followed the mapClick on validity year


Validity year

Data closely followed the mapClick on number of productfor the list


List of product

Show me the product


The map


Others applicationsCrime distribution analysis


Others applicationsAccidents / Infraction Distribution Analysis


Others applications

• Insurance domain

– Disaster analysis

– Multiple selling channel intersection

• Maintenance

– Failure correlation with localization

• Sale

– Client localization for targeted publicity

• Telecommunication

– Correlation between loss call and cell infrastructure development


GEOLAP TechnologyConclusion• Because

– this technology closely integrate GIS and BI technology

• It enable

– navigation in data as well as in territory in a natural way without special BI or GIS knowledge

– complex analysis on large amount of data without negative impact on operational system

– a whole new class of application

• Now high level users (managers)

– will be able to concentrate on business issues rather than fighting with a tool

françois létourneau, rddc – valcartier normand bernier, dr louis cloutier, syntell inc

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