There is little doubt in most enterprise circles that there can be some significant cost advantages to adopting cloud computing. Accordingly, most vendors make certain that they have SaaS and cloud alternatives available but for Georgraphic Information Systems (GIS) the issue of cloud adoption is trickier. Some in the GIS community wonder if they should try to reformulate their software approach or just tear what exists down and build again from scratch–this time starting in the cloud rather than dealing with legacy headaches. One member of the GIS community stated, “GIS and the mapping software companies need to stop thinking like software companies and start thinking and acting like service providers” in order to keep pace with changing needs and demands. Like other data-intensive industries, those involved with GIS want to look at the cloud and find new ways to leverage its potential for cost savings and scalability.
How Will GIS Companies Weather the Cloud Computing Storm?
April 30, 2010