Parallel computing in GIS Parallel processing is the use of multiple
CPU’s to execute different sections of a program together. The terms "concurrent computing," "parallel computing," and "distributed computing" do not have a clear distinction between them. Parallel computing today involves the utilization of a single computer with
multi-core processors or multiple computers that are connected over a network working on the same task. In the case of Distributed GIS, parallel computing using multi-core processors on the same machine would be where the line starts to blur between traditional desktop GIS and distributed. When done in different locations, it is much clearer. As parallel computing has become the dominant paradigm in
computer architecture, mainly in the form of
multi-core processors, this is important to mention. To solve these problems there has been much research into the area of parallel processing of GIS information. This involves the utilization of a single computer with multiple processors or multiple computers that are connected over a network working on the same task, or series of tasks. The
hadoop framework has been used successfully in GIS processing.
Organization GIS Enterprise GIS Enterprise GIS refers to a geographical information system that integrates geographic data across multiple departments and serves the whole organisation. The basic idea of an enterprise GIS is to deal with departmental needs collectively instead of individually. When organisations started using
GIS in the 1960s and 1970s, the focus was on individual projects where individual users created and maintained data sets on their own desktop computers. Due to extensive interaction and work-flow between departments, many organisations have in recent years switched from independent, stand-alone GIS systems to more integrated approaches that share resources and applications. Some of the potential benefits that an enterprise GIS can provide include significantly reduced redundancy of data across the system, improved accuracy and integrity of geographic information, and more efficient use and sharing of data. Since data is one of the most significant investments in any GIS program, any approach that reduces acquisition costs while maintaining data quality is important. The implementation of an enterprise GIS may also reduce the overall GIS maintenance and support costs providing a more effective use of departmental GIS resources. Data can be integrated and used in decision-making processes across the whole organisation. Corporate GIS consists of four technological elements which are
data,
standards,
information technology and personnel with expertise. It is a coordinated approach that moves away from fragmented desktop GIS. The design of a corporate GIS includes the construction of a centralised corporate
database that is designed to be the principle resource for an entire organisation. The corporate database is specifically designed to efficiently and effectively suit the requirements of the organisation. Essential to a corporate GIS is the effective management of the corporate database and the establishment of standards such as
OGC for mapping and database technologies. Benefits include that all the users in the organisation have access to shared, complete, accurate, high quality and up-to-date data. All the users in the organisation also have access to shared technology and people with expertise. This improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation as a whole. A successfully managed corporate database reduces redundant collection and storage of information across the organisation. By centralising resources and efforts, it reduces the overall cost.
Internet GIS Web GIS Mobile GIS Cell phones and other wireless communication forms have become common in society. Many of these devices are connected to the internet and can access internet GIS applications like any other computer. The number of mobile devices in circulation has surpassed the world's population with a rapid acceleration in
iOS and
Android, as tablets are also proving to be efficient at field work. Although not all applications of mobile GIS are limited by the device, many are. These limitations are more applicable to smaller devices such as
cell phones and
PDAs. Such devices have small screens with poor resolution, limited memory and processing power, a poor (or no) keyboard, and short battery life. Additional limitations can be found in web client-based tablet applications: poor web GUI and device integration, online reliance, and very limited offline web client cache. Mobile GIS has a significant overlap with internet GIS; however, not all mobile GIS employs the internet, much less the mobile web. CyberGIS focuses on computational and data-intensive geospatial problem-solving within various research and education domains by leveraging the power of distributed computation. CyberGIS has been described as "GIS detached from the desktop and deployed on the web, with the associated issues of hardware, software, data storage, digital networks, people, training and education." The term CyberGIS first entered the literature in 2010, and is predominantly used by the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and collaborators to describe their software and research developed to use big data and
high-performance computing approaches to collaborative problem-solving.
CyberGIS Supercomputer . ROGER is hosted by the
National Center for Supercomputing Applications. In 2014, the CyberGIS Center for Advanced Digital and Spatial Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign received a
National Science Foundation major research instrumentation grant to establish ROGER as the first cyberGIS
supercomputer. ROGER, hosted by the
National Center for Supercomputing Applications, is optimized to deal with geospatial data and computation and is equipped with: • approximately six petabytes of raw disk storage with high input/output bandwidth; • solid-state drives for applications demanding high data-access performance; • advanced graphics processing units for exploiting massive parallelism in geospatial computing; • interactive visualization supported with a high-speed network and dynamically provisioned cloud computing resources. CyberGIS software and tools integrate these system components to support a large number of users who are investigating scientific problems in areas spanning biosciences, engineering, geosciences, and social sciences. ==Applications==