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Part - IV

Hardware: Hardware comprises the equipment needed to support the many activities of GIS ranging from data collection to data analysis. The central piece of equipment is the workstation, which runs the GIS software and is the attachment point for ancillary equipment. Data collection efforts can also require the use of a digitizer for conversion of hard copy data to digital data and a GPS data logger to collect data in the field.

Software: Different software packages are important for GIS. Central to this is the GIS application package. Such software is essential for creating, editing and analyzing spatial and attributes data; therefore these packages contain a myriad of GIS functions inherent to them. Extensions or add-ons are software that extends the capabilities of the GIS software package. For example, XTools is an ArcView extension; Component GIS software is the opposite of application software, etc.

Data: Data is the core of any GIS. There are two primary types of data that are used in GIS. A geodatabase is a database that is in some way referenced to locations on the earth. Geodatabases are grouped into two different types: vector and raster. Coupled with this data is usually data known as attribute data. Attribute data generally defined as additional information, which can then be tied to spatial data.

People: Well-trained people knowledgeable in spatial analysis and skilled in using GIS software are essential to the GIS process. There are three factors to the people component: education, career path, and networking.

GIS stores information about the world as a collection of several thematic layers. These layers can be suitably linked together by geography. This simple but extremely powerful and versatile concept has proven invaluable for solving many real-world problems from tracking delivery vehicles, to recording details of planning applications, to modeling global atmospheric circulation.

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* Contributed by -
Saurabh Singh,
MBA Global,
IMT Nagpur.