In these two videos I discuss performance considerations when choosing a hosting service for your PostGIS database, how to determine if you should invest in higher download speeds on the client side or better performance on the server side, and strategies for mitigating slow response times. Continue reading “Deploying a PostGIS Database Parts 5 and 6 – Performance considerations”
Deploying a PostGIS database Part 4 – The AcuGIS Cloud
In this video I show how to deploy your PostGIS database to a second remote server option, the AcuGIS Cloud. In general my perception is that getting started with AcuGIS was much easier for general GIS use than A2 hosting. They focus on GIS and they know GIS. Installing PostGIS was a breeze, they have the latest versions of both PostgreSQL and PostGIS available, they have all the extensions for PostGIS, and they have shp2pgsql and raster2pgsql available right in their control panel which simplifies loading your data. Continue reading “Deploying a PostGIS database Part 4 – The AcuGIS Cloud”
Deploying a PostGIS database Part 3 – Moving your database to the server
In the previous 2 videos we signed up for a web hosting service and deployed a PostGIS database to it. In this video we will move the database that we have been working with on our localhost instance to the server so that it can be accessed by other clients. Continue reading “Deploying a PostGIS database Part 3 – Moving your database to the server”
Deploying a PostGIS database Part 2 – Web hosting service
This video goes through the process of signing up for a web hosting service with A2 hosting. You can literally have an instance of PostGIS up and running in half an hour for under $5/month that can be accessed from your own web map or from other clients such as QGIS.
What makes A2 Hosting so good for GIS applications is that they offer PostgreSQL databases in their standard cPanel package which means that you can easily install and use PostGIS. Most web hosting services only offer MySQL although you may be able to have them install PostgreSQL for you. Continue reading “Deploying a PostGIS database Part 2 – Web hosting service”
Deploying a PostGIS database Part 1 – Background
Learning to use PostGIS deployed on your local computer is very simple. The real power of a spatial database, however, is setting it up on a server so that it can be accessed by multiple clients simultaneously. This is a little bit more complicated. Continue reading “Deploying a PostGIS database Part 1 – Background”
Getting started with PostGIS
For many years I had been hearing about spatial databases. I knew that some of the frustrating issues I was dealing with as the GIS specialist for small environmental consulting companies could be addressed with the technology. But consulting is all about billable hours and its really hard to convince your boss to give you the unbillable time needed to figure it all out. And its really hard and probably unethical to expect a client to let you figure it all out on their dime. So until a few years ago I kept chugging away with single-user file-based data storage and wasted an enormous amount of time managing data and people to prevent conflicts that could have easily been prevented with a spatial database. Continue reading “Getting started with PostGIS”
The case for open-source GIS
I have nothing against ESRI, they have been innovators in the geospatial software world from the beginning. I got into GIS from a natural resources background and I know that they have supported the conservation community for decades through their conservation grants program and many other ways. Jack Dangermond’s recent donation of $165 million to the Nature Conservancy to purchase one of the last large undeveloped parcels of southern California coastline stirred my heart and made me well up in tears with pride in the GIS community. I am not opposed to companies selling GIS software for profit. I believe in capitalism. I believe that entrepreneurs should be rewarded financially for producing high quality products at a fair price. Continue reading “The case for open-source GIS”
Quick start to spatial databases with QGIS and SpatiaLite
In a recent post, I attempted to answer the question What can a spatial database do for you? That post was a broad overview of the advantages of storing your geospatial data in a spatial database. This post follows up with more specific information on how to get started and step by step instructions on using one type, SpatiaLite, with the popular open source GIS software QGIS. Continue reading “Quick start to spatial databases with QGIS and SpatiaLite”
What can a spatial database do for you?
Is spatial really special?
Many GIS professionals come into the field from a specific discipline and become interested in GIS as a tool with which to accomplish their goals in their original field and by attrition or intent begin to shift their focus towards GIS. I followed this path myself. After going to school to study wildlife biology, I learned about GIS and enrolled in a minor program in GIS and spatial analysis. I think that this is a good thing in many ways. People with an interest in solving problems in other disciplines will push the field forward in directions that someone who’s sole focus was on GIS would be unlikely to go. We need those people in the industry.
But GIS is a technical discipline. At its core GIS is database technology, albeit with a spatial focus. In my humble opinion many university GIS departments, especially at the certificate level, focus too much on the “spatial” aspects of GIS and not enough on the underlying database technology. As a result these programs produce GIS professionals who are very good at cartography and spatial analysis but who find themselves unprepared for the modern GIS job market where there is an increasing need for people with skills in enterprise level database administration, SQL, and web-based GIS. Even if they are not performing those tasks themselves, GIS professionals should at least have an understanding of the technology in order to be able to communicate effectively with those who will be performing those tasks. Continue reading “What can a spatial database do for you?”
Five reasons QGIS should be the backbone of your open source web GIS project
Over the past several years my work has been focusing more and more on web GIS applications and I have chosen to use open source technologies rather than commercial applications for several reasons. Continue reading “Five reasons QGIS should be the backbone of your open source web GIS project”