Oracle and Maps

Charles Babcock blogs at Information Week about how Oracle thinks the universe revolves around it. He notes the 482 features the company added to the beta 11g version of its database.

He points out the new deal with NAVTEQ (you get, as I understand it, some of the company’s data with the database - “administrative boundaries for countries, states and cities, as well as major highways and roads”) and thus can do lots of mapping stuff, making it akin to “Oracle Maps.” (I think that’s a leap, but can’t say for sure since I’ve not seen the demo.)

And don’t forget the Oracle version of Google Maps. “Oracle Maps?” Oracle 10g and 11g users now have access to Navteq geographic data, which would allow Oracle applications to superimpose their data on a specific geographic setting. Oracle already has the capability to store and retrieve spatial data. Now a customer relationship application can display markers on a map of a territory, indicating promising prospects and nearby reference customers who might know the prospect. Or maybe it just gives the sales representative a map to get to the customer’s place of business on time.

In one sense Oracle has realized that to use something like Oracle Spatial, folks need data. They won’t try it without it and licensing, loading it can be a challenge. Now, “it’s in the box.” That’s no so different from how most GIS packages currently are shipped, now is it?

The other point worth noting is that Oracle, like GAMY (Google, Ask, Microsoft and Yahoo) are getting into the licensing game. Think the company will offer satellite imagery next? Don’t count it out!

Oracle Spatial SIG & SIG Presentations

For those of you who missed the Oracle Spatial Special Interest Group (SIG) in Tampa two weeks ago, you can now view the speaker presentations online at the Oracle Spatial website.

Members of the Austalian SIG conducted a meeting of their group in February and their presentations have also been posted.

Also, for those interested in joining the SIG, the group has formalized its relationship and is now part of the larger Independent Oracle Users Group (IOUG). The Spatial SIG has also appointed a new board as follows:

  Kevin Kelly, Cuyahoga Couty, Ohio, Chair
  Robin Parrish, eSpatial, Vice Chair
  Sean Solberg, Power Min-Max, Technical Chair
  Fred Limp, Univ. of Arkansas, Secretary
  Stephen Brockwell, Autodesk, Business Leadership
  David Lapp, Farallon and Joe Seppi, Michael Baker, Communications
  Richard Clement, State of Alaska, Technical Liason
  Jim Ried, ADCi, Membership
  Jim Steiner, Oracle Representative

At the Oracle Spatial SIG - New Oracle Spatial Features Coming

Xavier Lopez of Oracle discussed some of the new features coming with Oracle 11 (beta release in the fall; production release in early 2007) at the Oracle Spatial Special Interest Group (SIG) in Tampa. They include:
Planned Features
  Support for
** OGC OpenLS
** OGC Catalogue Service
** OGC WFS ** SOAP & XML interfaces for all web services ** MapViewer: AJAX Interface    
Workspace Manager
** Oracle Label Security for versioned data       ** Additional valid time enhancements – for long transactions

Planned Support for 3D
  Server side data management
  ** 3D Coordinates – vertical datums & accurate height measurements
      ** 3D types   - Lines & points - Solids (cuboids, pyramids)
  - Surfaces (TIN)
              - Points clouds and LIDAR data types
  ** Indexing and operator support
  - Extend the Rtree index to support 3D
            - SQL operators for 3d types
            - SQL functions for basic 3d Analysis

More details can be found at the Oracle developers technical website: technet.oracle.com/products/spatial

Oracle XE Includes Locator

Oracle XE is that freebie version of Oracle for students, developers and the like. When announced there was a bit of back and forth regarding whether Locator would be included. Jim Steiner of Oracle asked for input and lo and behold the community said “yes, please!”

And, while its tough to confirm the inclusion from the Oracle website for the product, a reader has confirmed not only downloading XE, including Locator, but also loading OS MasterMap into it!