spatial databases and mapserver

[Norman Barker]

Hi,

not something I am working on at the moment, but a question that keeps arising is how to
utilise a spatial database with rasters (and in turn link this to MapServer WMS / WFS).

I have used a spatial database (MySQL spatial) to store an image extents and metadata and retrieve
this through a WFS before, but that was of little use (in terms of performance) and the data was
still external to the database.

Is there a way to store image chips (preferably in PostGIS or MySQL Spatial), and utilites this through
MapServer WMS/WFS/WCS?  Or any way of storing rasters in a database?

This thought was triggered by the idea that if I have an archive of data which is several terrabytes in size it
is going to need a database to index and manage it.

Any thoughts by anyone who has done this kind of thing would be appreciated.

Many thanks,

Norman Barker