North River Geographic Systems Inc

Spatial Problem Solving

GeoServer

Boundless Suite 4.9.1 Virtual Machine

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It’s been a while since I’ve dabbled with anything Boundless. So I had some time on my hands and decided to take a look at the newest community suite. I had intended to write up a review full of acronyms and and technical babble. I became a bit sidetracked so this is more of a soft review of the Suite and more of a “there’s a lot of stuff up there” post.

Anyway – for those of you who have no idea what a Boundless is: they are a commercial firm that provides support for open source products like postgis, geoserver, etc. They have built those components into a product called “Boundless Suite” (or Boundless Server). They have other offerings they’ve developed to help folks with geospatial data (like Boundless Connect). You can purchase support for the Boundless suite. If you don’t you can get the last release which is a community release for free. I downloaded 4.9.1 and my only complaint will be it is a bit dated. It was release in Dec 2016 if I’ve read everything correctly….BUT – I’m using it as we speak and loading data into it so it’s usable.

The nice thing with the suite is you get a feel of “how things work”. I get a lot of questions when I’m out and about on “What is an “Open Source GIS Server?”. The ESRI folk are a bit confused as that’s a Product you buy. Here it’s something you put together to fit your needs. In this case the Suite is:

  • Geoserver
  • PostGIS
  • GeoWebCache
  • GeoComposer
  • WPSBuilder

I won’t get into all the technical of what I did but in short:

  1. Download the ISO file from Boundless after creating a login into Boundless Connect
  2. Import it into VirtualBox
  3. Start the Dashboard

I’ve been exploring. The Geocomposer feature is something new and nice to play with. The Web SDK isn’t functional as downloaded but I’ve been digging and I think I can download the needed components. Which really highlights the documentation.

If you’ve been curious as to how all these components work together now is your chance to download the suite and READ THE DIRECTIONS. Which has pretty much derailed my techobabble post. I get bogged down enough in things that I sometimes miss software happenings outside of PostGIS/QGIS.  All the components have also made me dig back into web mapping. I know – not that big of a deal but for a one man shop I have to learn when I’m not doing everything else.

So on the blog post I ask myself a question. Would I run it? Yes and No. It works well. I’ve got a server capable of storing data, running services, and it’s functional within about 15 minutes. I hooked QGIS (2.18.14) to it and loaded data. I can also download the components and start building my own server setup after learning how all this works together to get more current components. Of course there’s always the support question – You can run a more current setup by paying support to Boundless. I have 0 idea of what that runs.

Anyway – I’m going to continue messing around with the VM and reading more of the documentation.  Learn some new software!

In between writing this – I loaded data into a map running from the VM

OSGEO Live 11.0 Released

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I’m a little late to the game as this was released right before FOSS4G 2017. If you have a Open Source GIS itch to scratch – here is your chance without installing any software.

From: http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Live_GIS_Disc_Press_Release_79

You can test drive geoserver, qgis, gvsig grass, open layers, qgis, cesium, geomoose, geonode, mapserver etc……..

Download

Download the OSGeo-Live 11.0 image at http://live.osgeo.org/en/download.html

Release Highlights

This release has been a major reboot, with a refocus on leading applications and emphasis on quality over quantity. Less mature parts of the projects have been dropped with a targeted focus placed on upgrading and improving documentation.

Dropped
  • Windows-only applications/installers
  • Overviews of OGC Standards
  • Some applications that did not meet our review criteria
  • We now only support a 64 bit distribution (32 bit is built but not officially supported)
Added
  • Support for isohybrid ISO images with UEFI

About OSGeo-Live

OSGeo-Live is a Lubuntu based distribution of Geospatial Open Source Software, available via a Live DVD, Virtual Machine and USB. OSGeo-Live is pre-installed with robust open source geospatial software, which can be trialled without installing anything.

It includes:

  • Close to 50 quality geospatial Open Source applications installed and pre-configured
  • Free world maps and sample datasets
  • Project Overview and step-by-step Quickstart for each application
  • Lightning presentation of all applications, along with speaker’s script
  • Translations to multiple languages

Homepage: http://live.osgeo.org

Download details: http://live.osgeo.org/en/download.html

 

OpenGeo Suite 4.6 and a rambling review

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Writer’s Block is a terrible thing. Between clients, life, and trying to figure a few things out I haven’t posted much over the last week and a half.

Saturdays have turned into “quiet time”. I’ve really stopped answering the phone except for a few people and I do what I like to do – explore software, go to the local grocery store and people watch, and eat burritos. Not in that order though. For the record I’ve had a one year love affair going with postgis. It’s been pretty abusive as I learn to be a “database person”.  I’ve also been stalking geoserver. Sprinkle that with QGIS and my determination to do everything the slight hard way by using Linux on every computer and well – there’s never a lack of things to do.

About two months ago while driving back from some family functions I had a panicked email from a young lady (a student) and she was diving into the open source GIS side of life. She wanted to make a web map and CartoDB and the usual suspects were off limits. She wanted to do it from PostGIS, Geoserver, and either leaflet/openlayers. I cursed. We spent the next day Google chatting “why” and what I could do to help. She was left with a windows workstation and several installs of software.

  • We installed PostGIS/Postgresql. Got an error and I think the error was some sort of Windows admin crap brought on by their IT department.
  • We installed Geoserver. It ran for 15 minutes before something hosed it up and we couldn’t get to the admin interface. I have a windows machine and I followed along – mostly things worked on my end.
  • We installed QGIS just for fun to see what that would break.
  • I even got into installing Java thinking that had something broken in Geoserver. I no doubt made it worse.

Out of our frustration I ended up remotely logging into her computer and I did two things that in hind sight may not have been the best thing to do but it worked. I installed a Linux virtual machine. I installed OpenGeo Suite 4.5 (I think). In 20 minutes I had a fully functioning server. I walked her through loading data over email. Map made. She passed.

So – all of that brings me to OpenGeoSuite 4.6. It was released just a few weeks ago. I could go into a pile of explanation and overkill on SDKs and scripting and PostGIS and things. I won’t. I’ve been playing around with it and loading data and here’s my rambling take on it.

I’ve one client and I’m about to make it two where I’ve been slowly decreasing their ESRI footprint. This isn’t something I’m doing haphazardly or doing to “stick it to the man”. They are better off with this mixed environment. Actually they are getting more done than they were a year ago with regards to data and data maintenance and we’re still using ESRI Software. It can be a bit daunting for the client though to go “well everyone is saying arcserver and what can I do in it’s place”. By the time I say “Well postgis, geoserver, geowebcache, etc etc” I can say OpenGeoSuite and cut down on a lot of the technical jargon. My clients enjoy technical but I can lose them quick once I start tossing acronyms. Granted with one client we are tackling their issue with PostgreSQL/Postgis and QGIS and not OpenGeoSuite. I hope with client 2 it gets a bit more involved.

With OpenGeoSuite 4.6 you’re getting:

  • PostGIS/PostGresql 2.1/9.3.6
  • Geoserver 2.7 (snapshot release)
  • Geowebcache
  • OpenLayers 2 and 3
  • GeoExplorer
  • Boundless SDK for scripting
  • Runs on Windows/OSX/and Linux

So you get an install that is comparable to ArcServer. In some ways it’s more complicated than an ArcServer install. In others it’s more “sound” (to me). I once had an arserver upgrade go south in a terrible way. By the time it was done crashing I had lost a database, most of the arcserver install, a bunch of extensions and what not.  I’m a big fan of “not integrated”. In other words I can toss Geoserver and PostGIS is fine. I can lose PostGIS/PostgreSQL and if I’m not pulling data from there Geoserver is fine. The good thing with the OpenGeoSuite is it’s just one install. A lot of tweaks happen during that one install. For instance Java is installed on Linux. Ubuntu Server comes with Open Java but Geoserver really likes the Oracle Version. That’s done for you.

Boundless has a lot of tutorials on their website. I always believe desktop is the gateway drug. Install QGIS. Start formulating questions of “What if I….”. Maybe you find an underutilized server and get a project no one cares about. Load it into Postgis. Access it through QGIS. Serve it out through Geoserver. Learn.

I know this is probably not the best review of the technical of this software release. I’m running my copy in a Linux VM on my main workstation. I’m debating pushing some imagery into it as well as one project just to kick the release a bit. I never expect glamorous. I just want things to work. It works so far.

Download the community edition today. Play around with it. Read up on a few tutorials. At the absolute worst you’ll learn something and you might find some use for a new piece of software in your organization.

Boundless does offer support packages for OpenGeoSuite – I have no clue what they cost or how that works. Contact them and find out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOSS4G 2014 Live Streaming

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Probably the one conference I hated missing more than other other – FOSS4G.

Well – from the email bag:

The FOSS4G 2014 live stream site is up: https://2014.foss4g.org/live/ [1]

Starting *at 8am PDT tomorrow, 9/10* we will be livestreaming the
conference. (Yep, everything. All at once. Eight tracks of sessions,
plus invited speakers/keynotes. Herein lies a veritable firehose of geo.)

Recordings will be archived after the conference; we’ll keep you posted
on details on that front.

Hope to see you in person, or virtually, tomorrow.

cheers –
-k.bott

Kristin Bott
member, 2014 FOSS4G Organizing Committee

[1] FOSS4G Live Stream: https://2014.foss4g.org/live/

Announcing Spatial Connect

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Consulting is always a mixed bag. For me it’s always been a bit inconsistent – but there have been incredibly piles of consistency from clients:

  • Don’t sell me more software
  • I’m tired of paying maintenance
  • We bought a pile of software and it’s not helping

Over the last year or so there have been several interesting things happen:

  • The Intro to QGIS class   has actually gotten wildly successful. When it’s presented in a “You can edit your data and make a map” easy to understand way – People get excited.
  • There was a unexpected detour into the US Virgin Islands which led to a talk called “Expand your GIS Toolbox”. The work down there lead to an idea of process over software because we used about every software under the sun to produce data for the client.
  • I’ve moved to a point where I’m using Open Source for more and more clients with no degradation of data or increase in cost for anyone. In fact – it’s lead to things getting cheaper and people being happier. I’m still using commercial GIS products (like arcgis) and always will – but I’ve gleefully expanded the GIS toolbox.

All of this has (plus a bit more) led to the formation of Spatial Connect. In essence Spatial Connect is process over software. You don’t need to buy more extensions/software (in some cases you do if it’s a specialty extension). You don’t have to eliminate software you have already purchased. If you’ve got a full ESRI Enterprise implementation – this isn’t for you. If you’re working along with a budget that won’t allow a full commercial GIS – this will work. Especially if you’re struggling with Arceditor, a pile of shapefiles, and a budget that won’t allow more software. Even better – you’ve nothing. If you have no clue where to start – why not start here.

Software supported in Spatial Connect:

  • QGIS – Open Source Desktop editing Package. It runs on Mac, Linux, Windows and is a very capable at manipulating and displaying GIS data.
  • PostGIS/Postgresql – Spatial Database for maintaining your data. PLus it gets you out of shapefiles and into something more enterprise worthy.
  • Geoserver – Share your data through standard OGC services to other software.
  • Fulcrum – Mobile data collection. It’s not open source but it is the best mobile data collection software out. We aren’t a reseller for this software…but it is the only one we will support in Spatial Connect.

Before you go “YOU’RE SELLING MORE SOFTWARE”. NRGS is selling a service. Let us help you maintain and grow your GIS using this software. Money normally used for software purchase, software maintenance, etc, can be used for equipment, services, and software you might need but couldn’t afford before.  The best part is we try to take the pain out of the setup. We can help you set it up, maintain it, and grow it. We’ve moved one client into this setup and will be moving a second shortly.  It’s also flexible. Nothing is locking your data away or making it unusable by other software.

There are classes to support the concept of Spatial Connect:

  • Introduction to QGIS
  • QGIS: data and editing – Coming Soon
  • QGIS: Serving, Storing, and Sharing Data – Coming Soon
  • Introduction to Fulcrum Mobile Application – Coming Soon

So what does this cost? I’m currently looking at different models for pricing for services.  Right now I’m leaning into a “size of the client” model. Larger clients will pay more – smaller clients pay less. Ultimately – it’s all about cost. This has to be affordable for you. To that end we will work to make sure it is affordable.

Who are we targeting? Everyone. You are the expert on what you need to do – let us help you push that knowledge into a GIS.

Finally – this isn’t a static product. It’s going to change as the software grows changes. We hope to continue adding software, ideas, and pieces to Spatial Connect to better serve you.

Contact