MoreAutodesk Inc., San Rafael, Calif., announced it will provide integrated geospatial solutions with Oracle to enable customers to maximize operational efficiencies, based on a wealth of location and structural data. Autodesk will work with Oracle to market solutions in strategic markets such as government, utilities, telecommunications and transportation. The combined solutions, which include Autodesk geospatial software and Oracle database and spatial technology, offer customers the ability to create, manage and share geographic information system (GIS) and computer automated design (CAD) data throughout the organization in a single, open, standards-based environment without costly additional investment or expertise in proprietary software and systems.
"For many organizations, the process of creating useful spatial information and maps involves the time-consuming process of requesting information, then transferring or translating it from one system or format to another," said David Sonnen, Consultant to IDC for Spatial Information Management. "The combination of Autodesk and Oracle technology will help their customers save time and will enable broad spatial data sharing across the customer's organization."
GIS tools based on proprietary data formats require manual data entry by GIS and engineering staff to keep information up-to-date. When CAD and GIS data are locked in department-specific systems, paper maps serve as the primary means for sharing information, putting teams at risk of using outdated materials and requiring laborious, error-prone re-mapping to achieve any sort of integration with other systems. By enabling customers to work with both CAD and GIS data in a new way, Autodesk and Oracle are helping organizations eliminate conventional barriers to inter-departmental collaboration, and facilitating communication of vital data for informed, efficient and cost-effective decisions.
The expanded development and business alliance builds on Autodesk and Oracle's history of successfully developing and deploying software solutions to address critical business needs. Autodesk's geospatial solutions including Autodesk Map 3D, Autodesk MapGuide, and Autodesk Topobase software are optimized to work together with Oracle Spatial, the leading database management system for spatial and 3D data, as well as Oracle Database technology. Together they can provide users with greater capacity for analysis and synchronization of large volumes of geospatial data.
"Autodesk's market reach is an important part of our strategy for customers who use geospatial and design data, as we pair our complementary business and technological strengths to serve large, medium and small organizations alike," said John Gray, vice president of North America Channels, Oracle. "Together, we're putting geospatial data management and control into the hands of more customers than we could, separately - and we're giving them the power to do much more."
Autodesk, a Certified Partner of the Oracle PartnerNetwork and reseller of Oracle Database and Oracle Spatial products, will serve as a one-stop resource for organizations seeking the advantages of a single platform and a nonproprietary solution to use design data across multiple divisions. In addition, Autodesk Consulting can help customers design and quickly deploy geospatial solutions that minimize risk of disruption and make the most of new and legacy software and hardware systems.
"Autodesk and Oracle are working to simplify complex system customizations that leverage investments in infrastructure and location," said Chris Bradshaw, vice president of Autodesk's Infrastructure Solutions Division. "By partnering with Oracle, Autodesk can ensure that customers have a secure, central repository and a simple, affordable means to get the greatest return from their geospatial data."
Autodesk solutions are optimized to integrate seamlessly with Oracle Spatial technology so customers can use Oracle tools instead of third-party middleware to access and use GIS data. Oracle's native spatial data type lets customers access data with any application that is based on standard SQL query language and standard database application interfaces such as ODBC, JDBC and OLE DB. This design also makes it possible for users to run applications for add-on or complementary functionality. Finally, Oracle Spatial's table-based administration simplifies adoption and administration by IT staff.
Autodesk and Oracle, together with other leading geospatial application and tools vendors, offer solutions based on an interoperable and open spatial data management technology platform, the Open Spatial Enterprise, which enables multiple applications to access the same spatial data in an enterprise IT environment.
Source: Autodesk, September 7, 2005
