Why Use ArcGIS Image Server?
As federal agencies and other larger organizations are very aware, the volume of imagery is growing at a rapid rate. The importance of updated imagery, from aerial photography and satellite capture, is also growing. Decision makers need current, high-quality images to visualize and analyze data for applications, such as land use, forest quality, storms, military operations, and emergency situations.
When images are needed, they are needed quickly. The expectation is that imagery will be accessible in the same amount of time it takes a Web page to appear. This immediacy requires that the imagery be stored on a server where users can easily access it without downloading or storing large files locally. ArcGIS Image Server is a unique and powerful tool that provides quick access to vast amounts of imagery.
ArcGIS Image Server also diminishes the interval between when an image is collected and when it is available to users. Traditionally, image processing and distribution were considered two separate stages in image utilization. Imagery was first processed and mosaicked into a large dataset, then put on servers for dissemination. This separation has caused many problems for users—long preprocessing and loading times and data redundancy that exacerbates data storage issues and hinders efficient data management. With ArcGIS Image Server, these two stages are combined into one. The data received from an imagery supplier can be directly served. This enables administrators to maintain only the primary imagery as well as create multiple specialized products on the fly when required. This is a significant and unique paradigm shift in how imagery is managed, processed, and distributed.
Because ArcGIS Image Server is integrated with ArcGIS Server, data can also be distributed to Web-based, mobile, and Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc.-compliant clients. This enables an agency to share its valuable imagery with more people, maximizing its investment in imagery.
A few of the many benefits of implementing ArcGIS Image Server:
- Direct use of multiple file formats and compression
- Fast access to both imagery and important image metadata
- Data security and access logging
- On-the-fly processing, including reprojection, mosaicking, and enhancements
- Multiple representations of the same imagery reduces duplication and storage needs
- Simultaneous viewing of imagery by multiple users
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