Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform and the instance of SQL Server that runs on Azure, i.e. SQL Azure, is geospatial-ready. SQL Azure is SQL in the cloud with a few restrictions. Microsoft provides a full replication of SQL Server in the cloud and the hassle of being the database administer is completely removed, according to Ed Katibah, SQL Server Spatial’s program manager.
To briefly review, SQL Server Spatial was designed for a developer to leverage geospatial data. There is no embedded mapping application. It has only two datatypes: "Geography" data type that deals with geodetic data, and the "Geometry" data type that deals with planar data. SQL Spatial is completely OGC compliant and supports simple feature specifications.
New for the next release of SQL Server is the SQL Server Reporting Service that will access SQL Server Spatial functionality such that query and review of spatial data is fully supported. The Reporting Tool is comprised of executable functions and designed simply to provide basic reporting so don’t expect it to be a mapping tool as well.
SQL Azure with spatial functionality will be released this June. A migration tool for moving SQL Server to SQL Azure is available on Microsoft’s Codeplex but see Ed’s blog (SpatialEd) to get more details. Katibah notes that one key feature coming in SQL 11 is a self tuning capability so "stay tuned."
by Joe Francica on 05/14 at 08:11 AM |
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Adena Schutzberg, executive editor, interviewed Crispin Flower, application developer and Associate Director of exeGesIS SDM Ltd, about his company’s new product that links ArcMap and Microsoft SQL Server, ArcSquirrel. This conversation is one in a continuing series of conversations with geospatial insiders and outsiders.
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by Adena Schutzberg on 01/29 at 01:00 AM |
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This week’s question: Is the spatial database a commodity? With all the big database players storing and querying spatial data and several open source offerings in the market, is spatial no longer special when in comes to the database world? Is it time to "stop getting excited" about the addition of spatial support and simply use the technology?
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by Adena Schutzberg on 06/09 at 01:00 AM |
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This week we look at geodata formats - what’s new, what’s needed, what’s working and what’s not. Among our topics: Google’s newly announced Map Data API, the Shapefile 2.0 Manifesto, SpatiaLite and the state of KML in the wild.
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by Adena Schutzberg on 04/14 at 01:00 AM |
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Last week Ask.com moved off its longtime mapping platform to Microsoft’s Virtual Earth. What are the practical choices these days for those who want mapping as part of their portals? Has customization and a unique look and feel been overshadowed by a few strong hosted solutions to which everyone will eventually migrate? Our editors sort out the options and trends and end up using the “c” word - commodity.
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by Adena Schutzberg on 07/08 at 01:00 AM |
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