Unit 1: An overview of Geo-Database
A database can be thought of as an integrated set of data on a
particular subject.
Databases can be physically stored in files or in specialist
software programs called database management systems (DBMS).
Database like a GIS, is a software package capable of storing and
manipulating data
The core of a GIS is therefore a database management system
(DBMS) handling the storage and management of the data, as well as
interaction with users.
Database is good for :-
storing and managing large quantities of data,
multiple users at the same time,
data integrity,
data backup & recovery ,
easy to use data manipulation language,
reduces/control redundancy,
maintenance costs decrease,
Data sharing is facilitated and a corporate view of data can be provided
to all managers and users,
security and standards for data and data access can be established and
enforce
instructed to guard over some levels of data correction
manipulating the database
Control querying the database to retrieve specific data.
updating the database (changing values)
create, modify, and delete data structures
Shortcomings of DBMS
The cost of acquiring DBMS software can be quite high
A DBMS adds complexity to the problem of managing data,
especially in small projects
Database Architecture
• Database architecture is logically divided into two types.
• Logical Two-tier Client / Server Architecture
• Two-tier Client / Server architecture is used for User Interface
program and Application Programs that runs on client side.
Database Architecture
Types of Geodatabases
Work
Desktop
Personal File group Enterprise
Original Desktop Improved Distributed data Departmental Large capacity and
Functionality projects or small
format Desktop format or project-level user base
use organizations
File folder; SQL Server,
Storage Microsoft Access Microsoft SQL Microsoft SQL
Displays Oracle,
mechanis database (.mdb) Server Server Express
.gdb extension PostgreSQL, DB2,
m Express
in ArcCatalog Informix
2 GB per 1 TB per Limited by
Storage limit geodatabase; 10 GB per 10 GB per database
object; relational database
effective limit database server server
configurable to and hardware
~500 MB 256 TB
multiple users ,One One editor per Three concurrent Ten concurrent
User limit users, one of Unlimited
editor per object users, all can edit
database which can edit
Platform Windows Any Windows Windows Any
ArcGIS for Desktop ArcGIS for ArcGIS for Desktop ArcGIS for Server ArcGIS for Server
Licensing - Any Desktop - Standard - Workgroup - Enterprise
- Any - Advanced
Personal Geodatabases(single user geodatabase):
used in ArcGIS since their initial releases
All datasets are stored within a Microsoft Access data file, which is
limited in size to 2 GB.
Can be viewed by multiple users but edited by only one user at a
time
Have a maximum size of 2 Gigabytes (GB)or less.
only supported on the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Enterprise geodatabases(ArcSDE geodatabases)
Also known as multiuser geodatabases, they can be unlimited in size
and numbers of users.
Stored in a relational database using Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM
DB2, IBM Informix, or PostgreSQL.
Require ArcSDE and a DBMS ( Data Base Management Systems).
Can be read and edited by multiple users at the same time.
Better storage capacity than single user geodatabase
Implemented within Relational Database Management System (RDBMS)
software
Required for archive, replication, SQL querying, multi-user editing
File geodatabase:
is a relational database storage format. It’s a far more complex data
structure than the shapefile and consists of a .gdb folder housing
dozens of files.
is the latest, greatest file-based format from ESRI.
Stored as folders in a file system.
Each dataset is held as a file that can scale up to 1 TB in size.
store multiple feature classes and enabling topological definitions
(i.e. allowing the user to define rules that govern the way different
feature classes relate to one another
File geodatabase:
provide a portable geodatabase that works across operating systems
Scale up to handle very large datasets
use an efficient data structure that is optimized for performance and
storage.
use about one third of the feature geometry storage required by
shapefiles and personal geodatabases.
allow users to compress vector data to a read-only format to reduce
storage requirements even further.