Topics in Cloud GIS

Imagine that all the GIS tools, imagery, basemaps, and databases you need to do your work are organized for you somewhere out there on the web. You can access those resources at any time, from your desk at work, from home, while you’re traveling; your data storage capacity increases automatically as you need it; and you can share your work instantly with colleagues or customers across the globe.

This is idea behind Cloud GIS – seamless access to GIS capabilities from anywhere.

What Is Cloud GIS?

Cloud GIS is the combination of running GIS software and services on cloud infrastructure and accessing GIS capabilities using the web.

Cloud computing offers an alternative to traditional methods of delivering and consuming GIS software and services to your customers.

Instead of running GIS on your own compute systems and operations, with Cloud GIS, your software and services reside on infrastructure – commonly (but not always) maintained off premises by a third party vendor – and made available through web technologies.

For a more detailed definition of cloud computing, see The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

Online Spatial Data Sources - FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: (http://www.usgs.gov/). Home of the National Mapping Division, host for the Federal Geographic Data Committee (http://fgdc.er.usgs.gov/), the National Spatial Data Infrastructure, and headquarters for the data archive at the EROS Data Center (http://edcftp.cr.usgs.gov/).
THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU,  Department of Commerce: Home of the TIGER data for computer mapping.  (http://www.census.gov/)
TERRASERVER: An amalgam of government and private-sector companies, this site is part of the Microsoft network, in collaboration with the USGS, Compaq, Storage Works and Spin-2.  The site allows users to download aerial photos and satellite images, searchable by name or location in a variety of scales.  Claiming to be the largest online database, it contains over 3 TeraBytes of digital information. Very cool!  (http://www.terraserver.microsoft.com/)
NATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL DATA CENTER: Location for all sorts of geologial and earth resources information and data. (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/ngdc.html)
NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE: Center of information for mapping and charting of ports and oceans etc. (http://www.nos.noaa.gov/)
NATIONAL IMAGERY AND MAPPING AGENCY. The Agency's site provides ready access to the world's imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial information.  (http://164.214.2.59/)
DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY TERRAIN MAPPING PROJECT OFFICE: Data collections and information on terrain mapping. (http://164.214.2.53:8001/)
NASA: Source of much existing data, and includes details of planned future systems. Many links
to follow, including a master data base to facilitate searching. (http://www.nasa.gov/)