|
|
| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
| |
| Mailing List Archives |
| Subject: | RE: GISList: Microsoft SQL Server Vs Oracle Spatial9i |
| Date: |
12/10/2002 12:17:15 PM |
| From: |
Dimitri Rotow |
|
|
> >
> > The utility data is so dynamic in nature that we decided to go
> for a
> > database to store them like Oracle Spatial, Microsoft SQL
> Server etc.
> >
> > But I am in fix as to deciding on the pros and cons of going
> after each
> > system.
> >
>
> Note that you are talking about two entirely different solutions
> here. One being an enterprise class spatially enabled relational
> database (oracle spatial) the other a sub-enterprise class
> regular relational database. It would make more sens if you
Let's not have any anti-Microsoft nonsense here. SQL Server is one of the
finest enterprise class databases, just like IBM's DB2 and Oracle. Many of
the world's largest enterprises run some of the world's largest databases on
SQL Server. If you use modern GIS software instead of obsolete junk as your
client SQL Server is a really superb platform for geospatial storage.
> compared spatially enabled databases (oracle spatial,
> postGIS, ...).
>
The idea of a "spatially enabled" database is seriously obsolete
architecture. I don't blame the vendors who would like to codify this
approach, since after all they are only trying to protect their aging
products against more modern competition. But, if you look at what is
possible with modern technology it's clear that there are many approaches
that provide all of the same technical benefits with much greater
performance.
If you are working with modern GIS software you can work with very high
speed with any enterprise class database. In fact, the last thing you want
is to have a handful of trivial DBMS "spatial" hacks standing in the way of
intense, scalable geoprocessing performance.
> The regular spatial database will allow you to store spatial data
> in a vendor specific (closed) manner - generally as a BLOB
> (optianally using a middleware such as SDE) while afore mentioned
> spatial databases implement the open OGC standards: thus not
> locking you down to a specific desktop GIS or middleware database
> extension.
>
That's true, but the price you pay for using OGC is that it locks you down
to an obsolete, slow and non-scalable architecture. The gain of going
vendor-specific is often a hundred-fold or thousand-fold increase in
performance, superior integration, dramatically expanded capabilities and
reduced cost of ownership.
A good example is the difference between Manifold's Enterprise Edition using
standard Oracle (or SQL Server) as opposed to, say, an ESRI OGC
client/middleware combination working with Oracle Spatial. If you have 100
users doing real geoprocessing with the OGC approach your performance will
drop to unusuably slow levels. With Manifold, because it is a truly
distributed and scalable solution, your geoprocessing performance with 100
users will be the same as with one user. Not only is Manifold 100 times
faster, it is much less expensive, it provides many more capabilities and
you have a better choice of DBMS vendors.
While "open" software and connectivity standards have some benefits, rapid
innovation that provides dramatically new performance levels is not usually
one of the benefits. Low cost is not one of the benefits, either, since you
have to pay for some specialized "spatial" version of a DBMS instead of
taking advantage of the economies of scale inherent in being able to use any
enterprise DBMS (standard Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, MySQL, etc).
It is also disingenuous to criticize (by implication, your use of the phrase
"locking you down") using a specific desktop GIS or middleware package, as
if welding yourself to OGC does not also "lock" you down to a given set of
constraints. If you choose the OGC path you are locking yourself down to a
design by committee that evolves at a glacially slow pace only in directions
that do not threaten the agendas of the OGC players. It's a good way to
choose a product architecture that ends up being many years behind modern
progress in software technology.
Regards,
Dimitri
To unsubscribe, write to gislist-unsubscribe@geocomm.com
________________________________________________________________________
GeoCommunity GeoBids - less than $1 per day!
Get Access to the latest GIS & Geospatial Industry RFPs and bids
http://www.geobids.com
Setup a GeoCommunity Account and have access to
the GISDataDepot DRG & DOQQ Catalog
http://www.geocomm.com/login.php
|
|
Sponsored by:
For information
regarding
advertising rates
Click Here!
|
