Migrating from relational GIS to GIS objects a utility implementation perspective
Jim Kyles
Senior Consultant
Geographic Information Technology Inc., (GeoIT)
1620 S. Ashland Avenue, Suite 106
Green Bay, WI 54304
Abstract
The migration of data from a relational data and application schema to an object oriented
implementation requires entities to re-evaluate what has been required of the data, and
what behaviors can be identified to be incorporated into the GIS data objects. With the
growth of object technology, the expansion of data sharing among organizations and the
influx of new users, data models must be reconstructed. For many utilities the data
requirements have changed.
Introduction
Traditional relational databases support such GIS functions as customer location, network
analysis, tracing, and map creation. Other applications such as work management also
utilize the relational data model.
Attention must be given to creation of an object-oriented database that will provide
behaviors that were previously imbedded in custom application code. Geometric
characteristics, interfaces, subtypes, transaction management for concurrency, transaction
management for recovery and a host of issues can now be imbedded in the data object
definitions. Consideration must be given to how these objects interact with each other and
with a variety of users.
