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The developments in the field of GIS technology are going very fast. The basis for this can be found in the ICT developments regarding Database Management Systems (DBMSs), (mobile) communication/Internet, computer graphics (Virtual/Augmented Reality), development of object oriented software (e.g. based on the Java platform) in general and specifically in the geographic area. For a university it is impossible to keep track of all these developments by its own and to anticipate on new developments as well. In order to become one of the five top universities in the world in the field of GIS Technology, the Section GIS Technology has established the Geo-Database Management Center (GDMC) including participation of industry. The GDMC is a research and development center for all activities related to the modelling, storage, retrieval, analysis, presentation and distribution of geo-information. The GDMC is located at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology. The GDMC includes the research activities of (the staff members and students within) related to GIS technology. Besides there exists an intensive co-operation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science resulting in an active participation of a number of students of this Faculty. Staff members of the participants from the industry form the last group of GDMC 'occupants'. Participation of other organisations and companies in the GDMC is actively pursued. Although the structure of the GDMC is an open one, it is not sensible to let the number of participants grow in an unlimited way. For this the capacity is not sufficient. Moreover the added value would be too low.
Partners
The GDMC started in 2000 with four participants: Sun, Oracle, CA and PGS. Later on, more participants joined the GDMC, in 2001 ESRI and Bentley and in 2003 Intergraph. During the start-up phase of the GDMC the emphasis was on the creation of a good basis: server hardware, geo-DBMS and Internet infrastructure. In later years GIS/CAD (frontend-oriented) system developers completed the industry participation. In 2008 ESRI stopped as participant, in 2009 Tele Atlas joined as GDMC partner.
The GDMC is an 'Oracle Spatial DBMS Center of Excellence'. The Oracle DBMS offers at each version more functionality for supporting spatial data. Supported by consultants of Oracle the GDMC builds up expertise of Oracle spatial by using it in its research and by participating in beta testing programmes.
The GDMC takes part in the 'Academic Partner Programme' of Computer Associates. Through this the GDMC has the relational DBMS Ingres (first commercial DBMS which supports spatial data and used by the Dutch Cadastre at the moment) and the object DBMS Jasmine (very promising as far as the storage of complex objects and the execution of complex operations are concerned) at its disposal.
Sun Microsystems has provided a 'hardware grant' and participates in the GDMC because of its - also for GIS - very suitable Java-platform and its stabile and powerful server hardware.
Thanks to the co-operation with Professional Geo Systems (PGS) the GDMC can make use of the data model driven GIS front-end GEO++ (originally developed by TNO) and the Internet GIS software Magma/Lava.
The 3D capabilities and the spatial connection to Oracle of MicroStation GeoGraphics are the main reasons for the partnership with Bentley.
The Intergraph partnership, based on an registered research laboratory (RLL) agreement, focuses on topics such as interoperability, location based services and connecting to Oracle Spatial.
Tele Atlas, nowadays a part of TomTom, is a worldwide leading supplier of digital maps and dynamic geographic material for navigation and location services.
