Geographical Information Systems

By: Philip Galloway

Database Concepts

What is GIS? A Geographical Information System is a

computer system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing, and displaying geographically-referenced information via various geo-database driven layers.

Why GIS?

GIS tools range from simple contact mapping tools to consumer analysis to complex enterprise systems that are part of an organization's overall enterprise resource planning infrastructure. Used wisely, it can be a transformational tool for any organization.

Popular GIS software developers ESRI’s ArcGIS

Most market share Extremely robust Most expensive

MapInfo’s MapInfo Professional Less expensive Less Market share Very similar functionality with more web services

Microsoft’s MapPoint Much smaller scale Only a fraction of functionality of previous software Much less expensive Affordable home user versions

KSU Admissions GIS

For: Prospective student data analytics

Software used: Microsoft MapPoint via ASP web frontend

End beneficiaries: KSU Admissions Representatives Dean Pat Bosco

•Web User Frontend-Adobe Photoshop-JSP Rollovers

•Dynamically generated maps-Using Microsoft MapPoint-Linked to Access DB-Maps in simple HTML

•Data pulls by high school-ASP driven-Underlying AccessDatabase pulled via SQL

GE Insurance Solutions GIS

For: Natural Catastrophe loss estimation

Software used: ESRI’s ArcGIS

End beneficiaries Underwriting analysis Coverage cost benefit analysis

Large scale example uses with ESRI’s ArcGIS software