[mapserver-users] PostGIS or Mysql and GeoMoose.

[Nelson Soto]

For performance reasons, I may need to convert SHP's into a spatial
database. I loosely understand the concept of how this work but my
questions to anyone reading are:

1. Has anyone looked into specifically doing the above with their
working demo of GeoMoose using SHP files previously? I would hate to
scrap the work I've done utilizing the excellent usability of GeoMoose
in favor of utilizing a spatial database.

2. If users are typically accessing data but not writing it, will I
realize a performance upgrade *typically*.

3. Is there any functionality I can expect to break and essentially
head into an 'uncharted territory' if I did indeed attempt this. Can I
basically expect to find in my way a high level of techincal issues
(I'm very technical, but I am trying to find an efficient approach)

Also, here is a description of what I had attempted to do...

We have an OS X server which contains 2 dual core Xeons processors and
4GB of ram. We are mainly a Windows house and had aquired the hardware
in an anquisition and would like to utilize this hardware as best as
possible. This is one of our more ambitious products we one day would
like to offer our clients (we currently offer an Access product that
is quite dated.).

Originally, I had suggested perhaps getting Parellels VM software and
just bringing a copy of Windows Server 2003 to the table, but my
performance almost seems better on my test machine... I'm not sure if
that will apply to concurrent users which is certainly an aspect of
the issue at hand, but the VM software only detects 1 core... not
good. We are not looking at VMWare or anything where the license will
exceed or approach the cost of a new server otherwise we will do so.

If I host PostgreSQL or MySQL on the server and away from the server
that would host GeoMoose (a new server) I would hopefully like to
utilize the Mac in this way seeing as how I can not get the
performance I would like out of virtualized hosting.

Yes, I realize I can just set up Mapserver for OS X but, in my
oppinion, it is a very laborious task and I am foreseeing I will be
the one having to maintain this server and while I myself and
relatively comfortable maintaining OS X and its Unix skeleton, I want
to minimize the work I need to do to this server...

I will post this on GeoMoose mailing list as well as Mapserver as I
realize there is some overlap in exactly what area's this does cover.
While the context of this topic does cover my use of GeoMoose with
Mapserver, I'm thinking there are users on both of these lists that
have experience with the advantages vs disadvantages of Spatial DB
Data vs SHP on disk.

At any rate, any input is appreciated.

Thanks,
Nelson