- Spatial Data Infrastructure
A Spatial Data Infrastructure or SDI is a framework of spatial data,
metadata , users and tools that are interactively connected in order to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way. Another definition is "the technology, policies, standards, human resources, and related activities necessary to acquire, process, distribute, use, maintain, and preserve spatial data" [http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/a016/print/a016_rev.html#background] .Some of the main principles are that data and metadata should not be managed centrally, but by the data originator and/or owner, and that tools and services connect via
computer network s to the various sources. AGIS is often the platform for deploying an individual node within an SDI. To achieve these objectives, good coordination between all the actors is necessary and the definition of standards is very important.Due to its nature (size, cost, number of interactors) an SDI is usually government-related. An example of an existing SDI is the
National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) in the United States. At the European side,INSPIRE is aEuropean Commission initiative to build a European SDI beyond national boundaries and ultimately the United Nations Spatial Data InfrastructureUNSDI will do the same for over 30 UN Funds, Programmes, Specialized Agencies and member countries.External links
* [http://www.gsdi.org GSDI Association]
* [http://www.gsdi.org/SDILinks.asp Links to SDI initiatives] from the GSDI Association website
* [http://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi/nsdi.html US National Spatial Data Infrastructure]
* [http://www.ec-gis.org/inspire/ The European INSPIRE initiative]
* [http://www.idee.es The Spanish National Spatial Data Infrastructure (IDEE)]
* [http://b5m.gipuzkoa.net/web5000/?lengua=2&actu=0 Gipuzkoa Spatial Data Infrastructure]
* [http://www.ungiwg.org/unsdi The United Nations Spatial Data Infrastructure (UNSDI)]
* [http://www.anzlic.org.au/infrastructure_ASDI.html Australian Spatial Data Infrastructure]
* [http://www.maanmittauslaitos.fi/paikkatiedot/default.asp?id=866 Finnish National Spatial Data Infrastructure]
* [http://www.geoportal-idec.net/ Catalonia Spatial Data Infrastructure]SDI related journals
* [http://ijsdir.jrc.it/ International Journal of Spatial Data Infrastructure Research]
SDI related books
* [http://gis.esri.com/esripress/display/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&websiteID=122&moduleID=0 Research and Theory in Advancing Spatial Data Infrastructure Concepts]
* [http://gis.esri.com/esripress/display/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&websiteID=89&moduleID=0 GIS Worlds: Creating Spatial Data Infrastructures]
* [http://gis.esri.com/esripress/display/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&websiteID=119&moduleID=0 Building European Spatial Data Infrastructures]
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