Abstract

Empowering GIS with DBMSs
Track: Database Design and Management
Authors: Paolo Tovar

GIS is extremely good at depicting spatial information in a highly absorbable medium. This is especially true when information is organized in simple tables on a one-to-one relationship to spatial features. Part of this process has been in converting non-GIS data, into spatial information. Unfortunately this is not always simple; several non-GIS datasets are not formatted optimally and/or are not in one-to-one relationships with spatial features.
In addition, for both GIS and non-GIS datasets it is sometimes necessary to reorganize attribute data to answer certain questions and depict answers spatially.
DBMSs are a perfect counterpart in these situations, they allow for the manipulation of attribute data in a very fast, safe and stable environment. What would take hours within a GIS environment takes minutes in DBMSs, thus allowing us to further explore data, answer questions and illustrate our discoveries.
Coupling these two truly create a world of endless possibilities.