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Spatial Web Services Applications in Bahrain
Web Service Architecture
Web service architecture has following essential components:
Publishing of web services is associated with creation of a XML based standard document describing its functionalities and mode of operations. This standard document, also known as WSDL (Web Service Definition Language), is created using XML. WSDL is made available to the rest of network by publishing it to a clearinghouse known as UDDI (Universal Discovery, Description and Integration) registry. Spatial Web Service Spatial web service are internet applications that use Spatial data and geospatial functionalities to perform basic geo processing tasks such as address geo coding, routing and mapping etc. For example geocoding can be offered through a web service with simple XML request and response in following table. . Users can write the code to send request with address and receive response with latitude and longitude of address. Table 1: XML Request and Response Structure  Limitations of Conventional Approach Currently there are certain limitations in geospatial application development, which prevents the developers to create interactive GIS applications and keep it beyond the reaches of large number of potential users. Two main are listed as follows: 1. Lack of Cross Software Environment At present more than 80 percent of all geospatial applications even web applications are developed like a traditional desktop or closely coupled server applications. Lack of ‘cross software’ environment, wherein data and application can be accessed without any hassles in geospatial world is a major constraint. Vendors create their own data format and programming language to work, thereby creating a closed coupling between data and applications. This leads end users dependency on one or two GIS software vendors depending on their budgets & requirements. Usage of different software also has an impact on data integration and migration. 2. GIS Data Production and Updates Intelligent and GIS ready data is the core of any geospatial application. It needs dedicated resources, concentrated efforts and lots of money. After making data intelligent and GIS ready, these organizations license the GIS data to other end user companies or organizations. Also as per the license agreement, data producing organizations update the database at regular time interval and provide the same to end users. This data transfer process needs special attention means extra overheads to both data providers and data users. The Solution In the new era of distributed computing lies the foundation for multi-tier applications development. Multi-tier geospatial applications are simple to create using web services. This will enable the development of geospatial applications independent of proprietary data formats, and also enables the just-in-time integration of business applications with geospatial web services. Data producing organizations will use web services to publish their data on a network, while end users simply identify and use various data web service offered for geospatial application development with in their business model framework. The use of web services would eliminate the need for continuous data procurement and maintenance from different agencies and huge expenses incurred. The companies using web services will have to pay very minimal charges on subscription basis for the use of web services. The Benefits Isolation of Spatial data from presentation tier and business logic is a big evolution in how one designs its GIS application to target wide range of users. Increasing support for web services in GIS is not only changing how analysts access and view the data and maps but also facilitates the integration of GIS functions into a wide range of applications. It opens the benefits of GIS to non-traditional GIS decision makers. It has made GIS based decision making faster by making GIS capabilities directly available to decision makers. In the past, these GIS capabilities were available only to skilled GIS community. Web services put relevant geospatial applications at the end user’s desktop by embedding them with in familiar applications. Users don’t have to understand proprietary data format or application to use it. End users will have options to switch to better web services at any time, as there will be no further tie-ups with particular vendors. As a matter of fact, the client system and the vendor system will interact only at runtime for a while! To see the benefits let us look at a real world scenario of a Customer Support Services (CSS) section of a telecom company. CSS needs to locate a customer address whenever any customer makes a call. To achieve this objective traditionally, company has to do the following:
On the other hand an easy, efficient and cost effective solution is to subscribe to a web service that offers geocoding and mapping functionality and easily integratable with existing CSS application. This will not only save the time and money but will also guarantee updated information all the time and it provides liberty to a company to switch to another web service in case present web service provider is not providing desired results. |