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Description

The diagram below describes a potential implementation plan for a NIH IC GIS pattern and presents multiple options for publishing and consuming NIH geospatial data. Data can be displayed via a GIS desktop software application (see GIS Desktop Brick) or a Virtual Globe software application (see GIS Virtual Globe Brick). Both applications allow the user to create, display, analyze, query and publish geospatial data. However, the Virtual Globe application allows the user to navigate around a 3D representation of the earth and supports the creation and display of features on the 3D model.

 

Geospatial data can also be accessed and displayed through a standard Web browser and Web server. The data may be served either by an in-house (see GIS Internet Mapping Server (IMS) Brick) or third party (see GIS Web Service Brick) through reference layer(s) accessed via an internet browser. A web-based GIS display may include a querying component that accesses data directly from the NIH data repositories (IMPAC II, IRDB and Data Mart) through database connectors.

 

 


Diagram


Benefits

  • Geo-codes stored in the eRA data repository (IMPAC II) will improve the geo-code quality and accuracy across NIH ICs.

Limitations

  • Care must be taken to ensure compliance with licenses for software, data, and services.  For example, if Google Web Service is used to obtain geo-code location data from street addresses, one may only use that data with Google Maps.  This limitation would preclude loading the data into a shared NIH database as this limitation could not be enforced.  Similarly, if an application uses a service that restricts use of the data to internal users, that data would not be able to be made available to the public for download.



Time Table

This architecture definition approved on: February 23, 2010

The next review is scheduled in: TBD