Open Geospatial Consortium web services in complex distribution systems

Abstract

The short review of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) web service with regard to Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Feature Service (WFS) has been given in this work from the perspective of server and client applications. The problems of the exchange of spatial data in the complex systems as municipal service have been described. Based on analysis of data exchange between employees in the same company and exchange between municipal services the existing condition has been schematically shown. Having this in mind, the proposal of measures has been given to improve communication by implementing distribution OGC web service with assumption that improvement of communication initiates the progress of overall system as well. Suggested solution is based on open source WMS/WFS servers and clients, but with remark that large number of commercial desktop GIS systems has inbuilt support for OGC web service. In the end it has been pointed out to some possible specialized client's requests in regard to data safety and control of data access, as well as some extended types of data such as topological structures, surfaces and alike. Described model of distribution exchange can be applied to all complex systems, but within smaller systems such as companies which consist of more sectors.