Using spatial data to implement location intelligence in SQL Server 2008

1. Introduction

Today's information workers and consumers deal with a large number of different types of information, from traditional spreadsheets and commercial data tables in spreadsheets and databases, to online, web-based data such as videos, photos, and music. Recent trends towards mash up solutions (mash up solutions that incorporate information and content from multiple sources to create generic online applications) show that computer users use highly integrated solutions to leverage the vast amount of information they can make available.

At the same time, technological advantages lead to the development of geographic services and equipment, including online mapping solutions, such as Microsoft®virtual earth™, and cheaper Global Positioning System (GPS) solutions. Technologies that once used only geographic information systems (GIS) Experts are now widely used by everyone.

These two factors create new expectations and opportunities for software applications. The universality of geographic services, and the increased mix of users using data, means that this spatial information is just another component of the solution, and a basis for making better decisions and delivering higher value services.

Spatial data can be used in a variety of ways, as described in the following example list:

· A retailer's website can display all the storage locations as a point on a map and find the nearest storage location according to the ZIP code given.

· A sales manager can define geographic sales areas and use them to match customers and sales reps, and to analyze sales.

· An architect can plan for creating a new architecture and overlay these plans onto a given site map.

· A drive can find distances between two locations and route routes.

· A real estate broker can quickly find a matching house based on a customer's request, such as more than 20000 square feet of house on the shores of Lake Washington.

· A mobile application can find a gas station within a 10 km range of all given locations.

These examples show only a few possible cases of spatial data integration into software applications.

SQL Server 2008 provides support for geo-data by introducing new spatial data types that you can use to store and manipulate location-based information, and space support in SQL Server 2008 can help users make better decisions by analyzing location data in scenarios such as the one shown below:

· Focus on the consumer's location-based information

· Customer-based management and development

· Impact, analysis, and planning of environment-related data

· Financial and economic analysis in the company

· Based on the government's Planning and development analysis

· Market Segmentation and Analysis

· Scientific research design and analysis

· Real Estate development and analysis

This white paper provides a high-level overview of the full range of spatial data support in SQL Server 2008 and describes its scalability for high-performance space capabilities and location intelligence applications.