FME Server Proves to Solve Spatial Data Challenges

26 August 2009, 11:16am

Vancouver, BC, August 26, 2009 – Safe Software, the leaders in spatial ETL announced today that FME Server is being implemented by organizations around the world to solve common data access challenges. In particular, FME Server's on-the-fly transformation capabilities have proven invaluable in removing format and data model barriers. This has enabled organizations to more easily centralize data, share up-to-date data and participate in SDI initiatives.

Validating and Loading Data into a Centralized Database

Organizations today are often looking to centralize their data into a single database to gain a unified view of their spatial information. This provides a single access point to all of their spatial data assets for use in analyses, visualizations, and decision making.

FME Server's data validation and high volume data loading capabilities have proven to be an effective solution for centralizing spatial data. Organizations such as the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) in Virginia, USA have created FME Server-based services which upload data from various data sources, validate it to meet their precise requirements, and load data that passes validation into a centralized database. These services can also report information related to data validation failures so that datasets can be efficiently altered to comply.

Organizations interested in learning more about FME Server's data validation and loading capabilities can view a presentation by HRSD: www.fmeuc.com/hrsd.

Sharing Data On-the-Fly with User Communities

Organizations are also being pressured to share data with various user communities who need access to their spatial information. This often requires transforming data to meet the end user's precise data model and format requirements so the data can be used in the applications and systems they want to work with.

Many organizations have discovered FME Server to be an efficient way to share their up-to-date data. FME Server's on-the-fly transformation services enable end users to request a subset of data in the output format and model they require.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WashDOT) has successfully created a portal that uses FME Server to share their data in the formats, coordinate systems and models that their end user communities require. Organizations interested in learning more about sharing data on-the-fly with FME Server can view a presentation by WashDOT at the link below.

Participating in Spatial Data Infrastructure Initiatives (SDIs)

The value of spatial data is becoming increasingly recognized, and more organizations are finding themselves subject to SDI legislations. These regulations seek to specify a harmonized data model for sharing data which is currently spread out over many storage systems in disparate data models and coordinate systems.

FME Server has enabled organizations around the globe to perform the necessary transformations so data can be shared over the web within the requirements of local and international SDIs. FME Server makes it possible to perform these actions without interfering with current infrastructure or business processes.

Safe Software reseller con terra GmbH in Germany has achieved this objective with the INSPIRE Fusion Center designed for the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) state in Germany. Created to meet the regulations of the European Union's INSPIRE SDI initiative, the FME Server-powered system converts NRW's spatial data into the INSPIRE model and shares it out via an INSPIRE-specified web service.

Organizations interested in learning more about FME Server's transformation and sharing capabilities for contributing to SDIs can view con terra's presentation at the link below.

FME Server data validation and loading capabilities

WashDOT presentation

con terra SDI presentation

Geo: International