[postgis-users] scalable raster query support for PostGIS: rasdaman 8.2 released

[Peter Baumann]

Hello list,

it is our pleasure to announce the release of rasdaman v8.2 to the PostgreSQL 
and PostGIS users.

Rasdaman ("raster data manager", see www.rasdaman.org) is a matured database 
extension to support query-based retrieval on multi-dimensional arrays of 
unlimited size stored inside relational databases.

The query language is safe, still it allows n-D raster processing up to, eg, a 
Discrete Fourier Transform. Or generate map overlays, including dynamic 
classification.

As a new feature, v8.2 supports a beta version of raster/relational QL 
integration, for now called IQL (Integrated Query Language). IQL allows to 
combine relational, array, and user-defined functions to be combined in one 
query, hence unites - from a GIS perspective - vector, raster, and meta data 
retrieval. An array of unlimited size (such as a seamless hyperspectral mosaic 
of a country) can be treated like a single relational attribute value, albeit 
with the full raster query functionality available.

Tiling is done internally, and transparent to the query. A flexible storage 
layout language allows large degrees fo freedom to tune storage partitioning 
towards access patterns in query workloads.

We believe that rasdaman is highly scalable in terms of data volume and query 
complexity, from laptop to cloud farms. To prove it, this fall EU project 
EarthServer will start where, based on rasdaman, four multi-dimensional 100+ TB 
databases on Earth Sciences will be established and queried in a distributed way.

On www.earthlook.org we provide some n-D demos, among them a Web Map Service 
(WMS) interface to bathymetry / dive data. Further, we provide OGC WCS 2.0 and 
WCPS 1.0 interfaces, for which rasdaman is reference implementation. In OGC, we 
are developing the corresponding specifications based on the long-standing 
experience in developing rasdaman.

Should you be interested in the research area behind this, "Array Databases", 
you may want to look at the proceedings of the Array Databases Workshop held in 
conjunction with EDBT this year: www.rasdaman.com/ArrayDatabases-Workshop/

For any questions, on rasdaman or beyond, you are invited to contact the team 
directly or subscribe to the user/developer mailing lists.

regards,
Peter

-- 
Dr. Peter Baumann
  - Professor of Computer Science, Jacobs University Bremen
    www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann
    mail: p.baumann at jacobs-university.de
    tel: +49-421-200-3178, fax: +49-421-200-493178
  - Executive Director, rasdaman GmbH Bremen (HRB 26793)
    www.rasdaman.com, mail: baumann at rasdaman.com
    tel: 0800-rasdaman, fax: 0800-rasdafax, mobile: +49-173-5837882
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