15/6/2020 A Guide to Open Source GIS Software for the Public Sector | Public Sector Digest

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JUN 2020 | MAY-JUNE ISSUE

A GUIDE TO OPEN SOURCE GIS SOFTWARE
FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR

CLIFF PATTERSON, PSD

F ree and open source software (FOSS) is increasingly being used by public sector
organizations. Recently, the Canadian government issued the directive that
wherever possible open source software and open standards should be leveraged over
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software and proprietary technology. Specifically, their
Directive on Management of Information Technology, which took effect on April 1,
2020, stipulates that “where possible, use open standards and open source software
first”[1] and “all source code must be released under an appropriate open source software
license"[2].

At the provincial level, British Columbia has long been a champion of open data and
open source software. BC’s Citizens’ Services’ Guidelines on the Use of Open Source
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Software provides guidance to users who wish to adopt open source technologies. At the
municipal level, PSD’s annual Geospatial Maturity Index found that in 2019 just over 20
percent of respondents use open source GIS software within their organization, a
number that likely will grow as open source GIS gains popularity.

As governments become progressively open and budgets are increasingly constrained,

the time is ripe to start considering open source software as a viable alternative to COTS
solutions. This guide is meant to give public sector organizations some background
information about open source GIS software so they can make more informed decisions
moving forward.

I. DEFINING OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE

Fundamentally, open source software can be obtained for free whereas COTS software is
mostly sold with strict licensing. One can download and install open source software on
innumerable workstations, whereas COTS software often limits the number of
workstations per license. With open source software, one can also download the source
code and modify or customize the application since it too is freely released and
distributed. With COTS software, the source code is usually a company secret, rarely if
ever seen by end users.

There are also differences in the development process of open source software versus
COTS software. Open source software is developed by dozens or even hundreds of end
users, academics, “paid volunteers,” and companies, whereas COTS software is
developed by a finite group of employed developers. The main difference here is that
with more eyes scrutinizing open source code, bugs and security issues are often (though
not always) identified and addressed quicker within open source software.

Additionally, with the larger workforce supporting the applications, mature open source
software often has a rolling release, meaning that the software is updated and released
more regularly, possibly daily. In contrast, except for the bug fixes, major releases of
proprietary software can be years apart.

Another interesting caveat about open source software is that it cannot contain
proprietary code under a different license. According to the criteria for open source
software established by the Open Source Initiative, an organization that promotes the
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use of open source software, the entire application must be under the same open source
license, such as the MIT or GNU General Public Licenses. This implies that all features
within the software must be freely available to use and modify, so end users will never be
prompted to pay for access to specific tools or features – unless, of course, the software
is licensed with a free and paid tier.

Conversely – and this is where it gets nebulous – COTS software can actually contain
open source code if the license for that code permits redistribution, modification, and
sale, which is permitted under many of the open source licenses. For example, the MIT
License states that:

“Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this
software and associated documentation files (the “Software”), to deal in the Software
without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons
to whom the Software is furnished to do so…” [3]

The implication here is that many of the software developers building COTS software
will leverage open source tools under this licensing, be it a database management
system, a specific library to visualize graphs in a web application, or a wiki application to
facilitate documentation. Consequently, we are all users, knowingly or unknowingly, of
open source software. The majority of web servers online are Linux-based, the operating
system in our smartphones contains open source code, and even some of the very
expensive software we purchase likely contains some open source code.

II. BENEFITS OF OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE

Open source software has a number of benefits for public sector organizations. Of
course, the lack of licensing fees is a primary benefit. It is not uncommon for public
sector organizations to pay upwards of $100,000 annually for GIS software licensing, so
the prospect of paying $0.00 annually is often quite appealing. Although the software
license is free, one should be aware that there are always still costs associated with
training, implementation, and development time to customize the solution. It should
also be noted, however, that these costs may exist even with COTS software.

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Beyond the main financial benefit being a lack of license fees, there are a number of
secondary benefits, namely eliminating the time, effort, and red tape associated with
software purchasing and the ability to put software on every desk without additional
costs. Over time, migrating to open source software also eliminates any surprise license
fee increases. As a result, open source software tends to be more sustainable over time
by minimizing operating costs and removing barriers to software adoption.

In addition to cost, open source software has a number of additional benefits.

Functionality and technical capabilities are a key benefit. Since the software is developed
by and for end users, it can be more intuitive and feature rich. It is often more
customizable and supported through a large user group that includes end users and core
developers. Since mature open source software is often built using the most up-to-date
standards, the software tends to have a high level of interoperability, which means that
except for highly proprietary file formats, most open source software can read and write
any file formats from COTS software.

Lastly, another major benefit is extensibility. Through customization, the software can
be extended with new features and capabilities.

III. OPEN SOURCE GIS SOFTWARE

The open source GIS software landscape is vast. For example, whereas there are only a
few mature open source office software suites (e.g. OpenOffice and LibreOffice), there
are dozens of mature GIS applications, many of which have been in active development
for decades and are the core modules within even COTS GIS software. Open source GIS
software can be categorized into seven broad categories, namely (1) content management
systems, (2) metadata catalogs, (3) desktop applications (and associated geospatial
libraries), (4) web-based GIS, (5) GIS servers, (6) spatial databases, and (7) mobile data
collection applications.

(1) Content Management Systems and (2) Metadata Catalogs

Geospatial content management systems (GeoCMS) and metadata catalogs are closely
related technologies that are increasingly fused into a single solution. A GeoCMS will
display an organization’s GIS layers, documents, and other multimedia on a map and
perhaps allow users to create customized map layouts.

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A metadata catalog is a database application containing information about each layer

(e.g. date created, owner, data license). These catalogs often conform to international or
national standards, such as ISO 19115/-1 for vector data, ISO 19115-2 for raster data, or
the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM).

For example, GeoNode and GeoNetwork are two applications that function as both a
metadata repository and a portal for geospatial data. The fundamental purpose of these
applications is to make data discoverable, and in so doing allow users to interact with the
data on a webmap, through web services, and/or via downloads. These are core
applications within any enterprise GIS.

(3) Desktop GIS Applications

There are numerous open source desktop GIS applications on the market, and many of
which have been in development for decades. These mature applications are often quite
robust and include a collection of geoprocessing tools that rival COTS GIS applications.
The oldest and most widely used among them is GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis
Support System), which has been in development since 1982. It currently has over 350
core modules that can perform even the most advanced GIS functions, such as complex
3D point cloud analysis and terrain analysis. However, the learning curve to work with
GRASS is definitely a barrier for some as it does not have the same look and feel of more
common GIS desktop applications, thus it is often used most by advanced analysts and
researchers.

A similar desktop GIS application is SAGA (System for Automated Geoscientific

Analyses), which has been in development at the University of Hamburg since 2001.
Like GRASS, SAGA has a modular framework with hundreds of tools to conduct a wide
range of analysis, including terrain analysis, simulation, image classification,
geostatistics, and hydrological analysis. It is used most commonly as a remote sensing
tool since the majority of its modules focus on image processing and analysis.

Again, like with GRASS, SAGA does require a learning curve for traditional GIS users
since it is more akin to remote sensing software in its layout and functionality. Novice
users may also be overwhelmed by the sheer number of processing modules available
within the application.

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Perhaps the most commonly used open source desktop GIS today is QGIS, which has
become a major competitor to COTS GIS software since its development began in 2002.
Today, QGIS is in version three and it is a robust application with hundreds of core
geoprocessing tools and functions. It also integrates tools from GRASS, SAGA, and other
3rd party open source and proprietary solutions to extend its functionality.

Anyone can further enhance its functionality by building custom plugins and share them
with the whole user community via the Plugin Library. Since QGIS’s layout and
functionality is similar to that of traditional COTS GIS software, it is often easy for users
to adapt and migrate workflows. This process is aided by high quality documentation,
various third party training options (e.g. workshops, books, online tutorials), and a
supportive user and developer group. Hence, the migration to QGIS can be quite
painless with a wide range of tools and extensive support available.

(4) Web-based GIS

Web-based GIS (or webGIS) is a prominent feature of most enterprise GIS deployments
today. Almost every public sector organization wants some form of web-based GIS
application to enhance public engagement and to share open geospatial data. There are
two open source frameworks that can be used to build advanced web-based GIS
applications, namely OpenLayers and Leaflet. Both are built using JavaScript, a
programming language used mainly for web application development, and each give
developers access to a range of basic functionality to build dynamic webGIS
applications.

For the standard end user without programming skills, QGIS offers a plugin called
qgis2web that converts any map project into a web application. Other applications
leveraging these webGIS frameworks include GeoMoose and Map Bender, two
applications that allow users to deploy webGIS applications without writing code. Thus,
webGIS technologies are becoming increasingly accessible in open source GIS and there
are a range of options available for enterprise deployments.

(5) GIS Servers

GIS servers support webGIS applications, such as mapping applications, GeoCMS, and
geospatial metadata applications. The fundamental purpose of a GIS server is to share

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geospatial data using a series of standardized services, which were established by the
Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC).

For example, when serving aerial photographs, one would typically use a Web Map
Service (WMS) that can serve imagery quickly as a series of smaller tiled images. For
vector data (e.g. point, line, polygon), the data can also be served as a Web Feature
Service (WFS), which has various capabilities, notably to facilitate editing. There are
various other standard services available, and most GIS servers, open source or COTS,
implement them all.

There are three main open source GIS servers on the market, namely Geoserver,
MapServer, and QGIS Server. These applications support all standardized web services,
advanced authentication, and other industry standard functionality. Although setting up
a server usually takes advanced IT knowledge, the documentation for these applications,
notably for Geoserver, is superb. As with any GIS server, there is always a learning curve
that often requires professional support and training.

(6) Spatial databases

There are two core architecture types for geodatabases, namely client-server and file-
based. Client-server architecture is similar to COTS platforms like Oracle Spatial and
Microsoft SQL Server, and are an integral part of an enterprise GIS. There is usually a
centralized relational database management system (RDBMS) that manages data access
roles/users, backups, and other tasks. Users can access the data via a number of clients,
such as a desktop, mobile, or webGIS platforms.

The premier open source spatial RDBMS is PostgreSQL with the PostGIS spatial
extension. PostgreSQL, or Postgres for short, was first developed in 1980 at the
University of California, Berkeley, and the initial release was in 1996. Although the
RDBMS is used widely today, it was adopted by the GIS community in 2001 with the
first release of PostGIS, a spatial extension.

With PostGIS, users have access to hundreds of geospatial functions. In addition to

centralizing data within an organization and managing data access, PostgreSQL/PostGIS
has the added advantage of streamlining spatial analysis. Although an essential
component of an enterprise GIS, PostgreSQL/PostGIS requires considerable expertise to

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configure properly, but once set up even novice users can easily access an organization’s
data through a desktop client.

Open source file-based geodatabases are quickly becoming popular alternatives to the
proprietary Esri shapefile format. Geopackage (.gpkg), for example, is the most popular
file-based geodatabase. It can store multiple layers and customized styles, so anyone
loading the layers will see the exact same map. Geopackages can also be shared easily
since they are a single file. The other advantage for smaller organizations is that users
get most features of an RDBMS without the requirement of a server. Either way, the use
of a database system is critical within an enterprise GIS.

(7) Mobile data collection

Recently, GIS has moved to the field thanks to a range of data collection applications. On
the COTS side, Esri has two main applications, namely Survey123 and Collector for
ArcGIS, while other applications like Fulcrum App have gained popularity, especially
among those not committed to the Esri platform. These COTS applications allow users to
create customized data collection forms and collect data either online or offline.

As a newer development in the GIS sector, many of the open source mobile applications
are fairly new. QField, for example, allows users to create a project in QGIS and then
transfer it to an Android mobile device. Data can be collected online or offline but the
results have to be manually transferred to a desktop, which can be cumbersome for some
users.

Alternatively, Lutra Consulting developed a subscription-based application called

Mergin that can be used to store QGIS projects in the cloud. These can be accessed from
the desktop or from a mobile device using their Input App. For many users the costs
associated with something like Fulcurm App or Mergin is acceptable, especially when
licensing and service costs for an enterprise GIS are minimal.

IV. ENTERPRISE OPEN SOURCE GIS

Having reviewed the various types of open source GIS applications, it is possible to
assemble an enterprise GIS solution. For example, PSD’s Enterprise GIS merges
Geoserver, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, QGIS, QField, and customized software while offering

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extensive support and training. It is this type of solution that allows public sector
organizations to build a more sustainable GIS department without the burden of
excessive software licensing costs. For many organizations, taking the plunge into open
source GIS is a big step, but a necessary one to advance their organization’s GIS and
asset management strategy.

To learn more about our solutions, register today for our free Virtual
Solutions Showcase June 17th & 18th

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION

CLIFF PATTERSON is a Senior GIS Consultant at PSD and the project lead for the
Enterprise GIS platform. He holds a PhD (2016) from the University of Otago’s School
of Surveying where he studied the process of tropical deforestation in Northern Belize.
He is a specialist in geospatial analysis, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and GIS
development. During his previous work at a Conservation Authority in Ontario, he
leveraged his expertise in open source GIS to develop a widely recognized GIS, UAV,
and surveying program. Since then, he has helped many organizations create
sustainable spatial data infrastructures by migrating to open source GIS solutions.
Cliff has also worked over the past 15 years in academia, archaeology, municipal
government, and as a private consultant.

[1] https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=15249, C.2.3.8.1

[2] https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=15249, C.2.3.8.4

[3] https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT

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