5.1 Participating in Spatial Data Infrastructure

This Chapter is one of three (Chapters 3-5) that explain how organisations and their supporting systems can participate in Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI).  Systems participate in one of three ways:

1. They can contribute to SDI by providing services of geospatial information.  These systems are then acting as ‘Provider Nodes’.
2. They can contribute to SDI by providing catalogues of geospatial information. These systems are then acting as ‘Catalogue Nodes’.
3. They can benefit from SDI by utilizing the catalogues and services of geospatial information.  These systems are ‘User Nodes’.

The relationship between different nodes is show in the diagram below:

This chapter outlines how an organisation can benefit from participating in the New Zealand SDI. It is not intended for those who are already experts in the use of geospatial data, although they may find certain parts useful in the preparation of RFPs. It is intended more for those who understand the concepts and might benefit from the first stage of participation - a raised level of awareness of the benefits and first level practical advice for developing user systems that can consume the evolving infrastructure being provided.

The success of a sptial data infrastructure flows from it being widely used. If it is not used, it is literally useless and there is a risk that provider and catalogue nodes become irrelevant. This chapter therefore outlines the benefits that flow from an organisation's use of SDI in business terms. It then provides a structure for the types of applications and users of the SDI, and then finally outlines the functionality required and sources of further advice.

The guidance provided as part of this Cookbook is inteded to define SDI participation characteristics in technology-agnostic terms.

In this section:

• 5.1.1 The Benefits of pariticipation in SDI
• 5.1.2 User Nodes
• 5.2 Using SDI
  • 5.2.1 Geospatial Information
  • 5.2.2 Applications
  • 5.2.3 User Tasks
  • 5.2.4 Enterprise GIS
• 5.3 User system characteristics
  • 5.3.1 View Systems
  • 5.3.2 Analysis Systems
  • 5.3.3 Maintenance Systems
  • 5.3.4 Administration Systems
  • 5.4 Where to obtain specialist assistance during implementation

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