On the map

Case study
Streamlining government
On the map
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality makes the most of GIS data.
Customer snapshot
Agency: Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Mission: The DEQ oversees
environmental resources throughout
Louisiana. The DEQ, in concert with
a variety of other state agencies,
helps oversee wildlife and fisheries,
parks and recreation, wetlands,
scenic streams, litter control, drinking
water, and agriculture and forestry.
Business case
Requirement: Create a central
GIS system to archive state
geographic data and conveniently
deliver the information to government work forces and citizens.
Solution: Develop a consolidated
GIS solution based on HP servers
and storage area network technology, and ESRI mapping applications.
The solution includes a web portal
that delivers electronic access to
thousands of GIS images and an
interactive online service that allows
users to create custom maps.
Results: Louisiana state and local
government employees gained faster
and more comprehensive access
to GIS data. Policy-makers and
managers have the geographic
information they need for effective
decision-making. And the public
“Make-A-Map” website receives
more than 250,000 hits each month.
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Sophisticated geographic data—once
restricted to a relative handful of specialized
Paul Zundel,
deputy director
of the DEQ GIS
Center, has worked
to centralize
geographic data.
users—is reaching a broader audience in
investments, according to Paul Zundel,
deputy director for the DEQ’s GIS Center.
“We have already spent the money to set
Louisiana, thanks to the state Department of
this up,” said Zundel. “It doesn’t make sense
Environmental Quality (DEQ).
for other agencies or municipalities to do it
The DEQ’s GIS Center recently launched
a web portal that connects state and local
government users and the public with a
too. We can store the information in one
spot and everyone gets to use it.”
Now policy-makers and department man-
central repository of GIS maps dating back
agers throughout the state gain immediate
to 1999. Previously users requested this
access to geographic data required for
data from the department’s Baton Rouge
executive-level decisions. Code enforcement
“We’re putting extensive data that the state has purchased back into
the hands of the people who paid for it.”
Paul Zundel, deputy director, GIS Center, Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana
headquarters, and it took as long as several
officials use GIS data to improve the
days to produce. Now the information is
accuracy and effectiveness of their efforts.
available almost instantly to anyone.
The DEQ GIS Center even delivers geo-
The GIS user base grew larger still when
graphic data to HP iPAQ handhelds carried
the DEQ opened its interactive Make-A-
by the department’s field staff, boosting
Map service to the public last year. The
productivity of the DEQ work force.
tool—which the department has used
Citizens reacted enthusiastically too.
internally for several years—now enables
The DEQ estimates the public version of
citizens to easily create custom GIS maps
the Make-A-Map site (http://map.ldeq.org)
online by choosing the location they
receives more than 250,000 hits each
want to map and the information they
month, Zundel said.
want to include.
These capabilities are part of an initiative—
“We’re putting extensive data that the
state has purchased back into the hands of
powered by advanced HP hardware and
the people who paid for it,” he said. “Our
sophisticated ESRI software—to put geographic
goal was to give it to state agencies, and
data into the hands of new classes of users
then give it to the world.”
throughout government and local communities.
By using GIS data collaboratively and
increasing access to that information, the
Photo by David Humphreys
Self-service GIS
These GIS capabilities may be relatively
DEQ improves government efficiency and
new, but they stem from a longstanding
maximizes its return on GIS technology
DEQ initiative to consolidate and standardize
33
HP Integrity rx2620
Enterprise GIS solution
• 2U rack
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• Up to 24 GB PC 2100 SDRAM
• HP-UX 11i version 2.0
• Three-year limited warranty
Simple Configuration starting at $5,730
The Louisiana Department of
Environmental Quality’s central
GIS system uses HP servers and
SAN to supply geospatial data
to state, local and federal agencies. HP technology provides a
solid foundation for enterprise
information solutions.
days, depending on the complexity of the
map and the size of our workload.”
The DEQ released Make-A-Map internally
three years ago to better support these
remote offices and give the state’s work
force easy access to relatively simple maps.
“What we really hoped to do was cut
down on a lot of the routine maps we
HP StorageWorks Modular
Smart Array 1500
geographic information. The department
make. We wanted to put a product out
created a central GIS resource in the mid-
there that anyone could use with a minimal
part no. AA986A
1990s, then turned its attention to delivering
amount of training,” said Holmes. “If the
maps electronically to staff members in eight
person at their desk could fulfill their need
DEQ field offices.
with Make-A-Map, then it’s a lot cheaper
• Fibre Channel SAN
• Attached 2U controller shelf connects to HP
StorageWorks disk enclosures and provides users
with a low-cost, high-capacity storage solution
“We tried to design a high-availability system with no single
point of failure.”
Paul Zundel, deputy director, GIS Center, Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana
• Up to 8 attached SATA enclosures can provide
the user with up to 24 TB of raw capacity
$8,545
$291/mo. ITFlex price
HP ProLiant ML350 G4
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www.hp.com/go/govcatalog
or call 888/887-2081.
34
“In the past, you had to come to the GIS
Center in Baton Rouge and ask us to bring
than us using a GIS analyst’s time to produce a hard-copy map.”
up the data set on our machines and per-
Now in its fourth version, Make-A-Map
haps create a specialized map,” said Joe
offers powerful capabilities in an easy-to-use
Holmes, GIS manager for the department.
package. Users choose the amount of area
“That didn’t work very well if you were in
they want to map, the type of imagery they
one of our field offices. And the process of
want to use and the type of data they need
producing a map might take three or four
to include. Behind the scenes, the system
Worth a thousand words …
sorts through terabytes of data and in a
matter of seconds, produces a simple JPEG
map image that’s viewable through an
Internet browser.
Make-A-Map is supplemented by the
DEQ’s new online GIS archive, which holds
thousands of maps and other information
produced since 1999. Users may search the
database by keyword or date, and they may
retrieve highly detailed PDF files or smaller
Even with broader availability of electronic GIS images, there’s still
demand for high-quality printed maps. The DEQ’s GIS Center relies
on three HP Designjet large-format printers to create hard-copy maps
for a number of uses.
DEQ staff uses high-quality printed maps to convey information in
meetings with citizen groups, businesses, farmers and others. These
maps are a key tool for identifying challenges, exchanging intelligence
and educating various constituent groups.
HP printing and imaging technology gives government agencies an
array of information display options.
JPEG images.
“We are the imaging archive for Louisiana,
so we have other state agencies, local
governments and the federal government
that we give a password to,” said John
Dixon, technical support specialist for the
DEQ. “They can go directly into our imagery
in a read-only mode and get a download back
to their screen in just a couple of seconds.”
Solid foundation
The DEQ’s GIS Center leverages a clustered
set of HP servers equipped with dual Intel
Itanium 64-bit processors running the Microsoft
Windows Server 2003 operating system.
HP Designjet 4000
HP Designjet 815mfp
part no. Q1273A#A2L
part no. Q1279A
• Media size: up to 42”
• Copy resolution:
300 x 300 dpi black
and color
• Print quality:
2400 x 1200 dpi
maximum resolution
• Maximum print length: 295 ft.
• Ink supplies of 225 and 400cc for CMY, 400cc for K
• Embedded processor and 256 MB memory expandable
up to 512 MB, 40 GB hard disk
• Support for HP-GL/2, HP RTL, TIFF, JPGE, CALS G4
• Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps), FireWire
(IEEE-1394a compliant), 1 EIO slot
• Add $1,799 for three-year, next-day on-site response
warranty part no. H5655E
• Print quality: 2400 x
1200 dpi black and
color (on HP premium
photo paper)
• Media size: 8.3” to 42” wide sheets, 24”,
36” and 42” rolls
• Maximum print length: 150 ft.
• Print speed: 36 sq. ft. per hour
• Memory: 160 MB (printer), 2 MB (touchscreen)
• Scan resolution: 2400 x 2400 dpi
• Connectivity: printer: Centronics parallel IEEE,
1284 compliant (ECP), HP Jetdirect 615n EIO internal
print server for Fast Ethernet 10/100 base TX scanner:
Fast Ethernet 10/100 base TX network card
Starting at $9,995
$340/mo. ITFlex price
$18,956
A Louisiana DEQ
employee uses an
HP Designjet printer
to produce a GIS map.
$645/mo. ITFlex price
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Photo by David Humphreys
35
HP Rugged Notebook nr3610
part no. PN683AW#ABA
• Intel® Pentium® 4 processor 1.8 GHz
• 512 MB (266 MHz) DDR
Field GIS solution
Some members of the Louisiana
DEQ’s work force use HP iPAQs to
access GIS information in the field.
HP mobile technology enables
advanced field data solutions.
SDRAM standard (expandable to 2 GB)
provide advanced mapping capabilities.
The newly installed HP 64-bit servers are
part of an upgrade meant to ensure that criti-
• Shock-mounted 40 GB hard drive
• 12.1” TFT XGA outdoor transmissive
• ATI Mobility Radeon graphics with 64 MB SDRAM
HP Photosmart R717
Digital Camera
• Up to 3 RF modems can be integrated at one time
part no. L2840A#A2L
• ColorVue® display with touchscreen
The DEQ uses GIS applications from ESRI to
• Three-year warranty (mail-in): Case parts,
cal GIS resources always are available. “We
have designed a high-availability system with
no single point of failure,” Zundel said.
In addition, the DEQ uses an HP ProLiant
DL360G3 server to operate its database soft-
electrical components, connectors
• Exceeds the standard military spec for ruggedness
ware. Clustered HP ProLiants handle web
(MIL STD 810F) and meets the Ingress Protection
• Resolution: 6.2 megapixels
server duties. The DEQ’s massive GIS image
• 7.9 lbs./3.6 kg
• Memory: 32 MB internal
archive resides in an HP storage area
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
• Zoom capability: 24x (3x optical, 8x digital)
network that currently holds 4 TB of data.
rating of IP54
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter
and dock included
$4,058
$138/mo. ITFlex price
• Connectivity: 1 USB; external IO ports: 1 USB,
1 dock port
• Exceptional quality; HP Instant Share™
technology included
HP Notebook nc6220
part no. PU983AA#ABA
$329
$11/mo. ITFlex price
“For any sort of agency data you
can imagine doing a query on,
we can create a layer for that,
and it can be put on a map.”
Paul Zundel, deputy director, GIS Center,
Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana
Most end-users access DEQ geographic
maps using standard desktop PCs and web
• Intel® Pentium® M
740 processor, 1.7 GHz
browsers. But the department’s GIS analysts
• 512 MB 400 MHz DDR
SDRAM shared memory
use higher-performance workstations directly
• 40 GB hard drive (5,400 rpm)
HP iPAQ Pocket PC h6315
• DVD/CD-RW combo (multi-bay)
part no. FA239A#ABA
sophisticated spatial mapping.
“All of our analysts are using the HP
• 14” XGA display
xw8000 workstation,” said Leo Foretich, the
• 56K modem
• 10/100/1000 NIC
department’s GIS database administrator.
• 6-cell lithium-ion battery
“They’re using software that’s very memory-
• Integrated Intel Pro Wireless 2200BG
®
and processor-intensive, and they may
• HP TPM embedded security chip
• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
• Three-year worldwide limited warranty
• Add a lithium-ion 8-cell common travel battery for $149
part no. PB993A
$1,399
$43/mo. ITFlex price
For the latest contract and
pricing information, see
www.hp.com/go/govcatalog
or call 888/887-2081.
36
attached to large capacity storage to perform
• Texas Instruments OMAPTM 1510 processor
• 75 MB user available memory (includes
up to 20 MB iPAQ file store)
• Integrated quad band GSM/GPRS, WLAN 802.11b,
Bluetooth®, IrDA and USB
• Integrated SD slot supports SD/MMC type standard,
SDIO ready
• 1,800 mAh removable lithium-ion battery
be pulling in original images that can be
150 MB or bigger.”
Providing intelligence
The DEQ’s advanced GIS platform gives
Louisiana a reliable central repository for
• 3.5” transflective TFT display
critical data. The technology also enables the
• Integrated 640 x 480 pixels camera
DEQ’s GIS Center to gather information from
• Microsoft® Windows® Mobile 2003 Phone Edition
other parts of the organization and make it
$587
available on a map.
$18/mo. ITFlex price
For instance, the Make-A-Map service
allows users to plot the locations of facilities
operating with federal Clean Air Act Title V
air quality permits.
HP Workstation xw9300
GIS analysis solution
“Title V is a layer of information that
someone in the business area of the agency
requested,” Zundel said. “So every night
we set up a batch job that actually pulls the
location of all the Title V permit holders from
GIS analysts at the Louisiana DEQ
use HP workstations to perform
sophisticated modeling and other
functions. HP desktops and workstations deliver flexible computing
power for memory and processorintensive tasks.
With its current GIS infrastructure, the DEQ
HP Workstation xw6200
part no. PY943UA#ABA
can spatially enable virtually any data that
includes accurate location coordinates.
“It’s really not that difficult once we’ve done
the groundwork and set up the piping,” Zundel
said. “For any sort of agency data you can
imagine doing a query on, we can create a
layer for that, and it can be put on a map.”
Over the past several years, the DEQ
worked diligently to put valuable GIS
• AMD® Opteron™ 250/2.4 GHz
800 MHz bus CPU processor
• 1 GB (2x512 MB) DDR-400
ECC memory
• 16X DVD RW dual layer drive
• 250 GB SATA/150 7200 hard drive
• Microsoft® Windows® XP
Professional media
a separate database on the business side
of DEQ.”
part no. PY947UA#ABA
• Intel Xeon processor 3 GHz/1 MB
®
™
• 1 GB (2x512 MB) DDR2-400
ECC memory
• Three-year limited warranty
• Add $25 for an installer kit for Linux (xw9300) media
part no. PP648AV
• Add an HP L2035 TFT monitor for $814
part no. P9614A#ABA
$2,999
$102/mo. ITFlex price
• 160 GB SATA/150 7200
hard drive
• NVIDIA Quadro NVS 280 64 PCI-E
• 16X DVD+/-RW, dual layer (win)
• Microsoft® Windows® XP
Professional media
HP Compaq dc5000 Small Form Factor
part no. PJ353UA#ABA
• Three-year limited warranty
data into the hands of government employees
$1,849
and citizens. Given the flexibility and scalability
$63/mo. ITFlex price
of the department’s mapping solution,
• Intel® Pentium® 3.0 GHz with HyperThread
it’s likely the DEQ’s GIS resources will play
• 512 MB PC3200 DDR memory
to an even wider audience in the future. ■
• 40 GB Smart III Ultra ATA/100 hard
drive (7,200 rpm)
• 48X CD ROM
Paul Zundel,
deputy director,
DEQ GIS Center
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• Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
• Three-year limited warranty
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$759
$26/mo. ITFlex price
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37