Using the Internet to Manage and Distribute Geospatial Submarine Cable Data

Author: David Millar
Organization: Racal Pelagos Inc.

5434 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123
USA

Phone: 858 292 8922
Fax: 858 292 5308
dmillar@racal-pelagos.com

Improvements in computer hardware and software systems have led to significant opportunities to improve the manner in which submarine cable data is managed and distributed. This is particularly important given the increasing number of cable systems and the increasing importance that submarine cable protection will have on the maintenance of these systems. The "fast track" nature in which these systems are now engineered and installed also means that data must be exchanged and analyzed faster than ever before without any compromise to data quality or accuracy. These increased demands mean that, in many cases, traditional methods break down and new methods must be used to meet the requirements of very aggressive schedules.

This paper looks at how Racal Pelagos, Inc. (Racal Pelagos) has exploited recent advancements in data management, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the Internet to develop a system that significantly improves the manner in which RPL and geospatial submarine cable data in general is managed and distributed. The system focuses on the fundamental architecture of cable data rather than on standard file formats, thus enabling implementation of cable data in an internet-accessed relational database. The result is an Internet-based delivery system that provides users with immediate and instantaneous access to various cable data. In addition, this evolvement of "GIS through the Web" will promote the use of distributed databases and allow remote interaction with these databases.