Sector(s)
In our lives, maps and location information are often used in various fields. In recent years, there are various services using location information such as car navigation and even games using the GPS information of smart phones. These location information is called G space information (geospatial information).
The General Association of Infrastructure Information Distribution Promotion Council develops the collection, distribution and utilization of these G space information and creates new industries and supports the resolution of regional issues.
As a national project, the G Spatial Information Center will further accelerate these efforts and integrate valued diverse data across organizational barriers regardless of industry, government and the academe. It is a data catalog site that creates and provides a one stop place where you can freely combine G space information contributed by public and private sectors.
Why Drupal was chosen
ANNAI has been involved in the development of the site starting from the investigation stage on the current status of data catalog sites around the world. As a result of the survey, we have developed a data catalog with scratch development, customization of existing CMS like Drupal and WordPress. In addition, we have also developed the use of open source software CKAN for constructing the data catalog site, and the combined use of CMS and CKAN such as CKAN + Wordpress or CKAN + Drupal. It was also apparent that there are various mounting methods such as the case of using a package called DKAN which reproduced the function of Drupal.
Each of these configurations had pros and cons. As a result of considering between advantages and disadvantages, we decided to adopt CKAN + Drupal.
The reason for choosing this configuration is that it is necessary to divide the unit in order to store huge GIS data, preview the data, and also to develop a complex system to divide and sell in multiplayer. Drupal plays an important role which serves as the key to the integration of multiple systems such as CKAN, LDAP, Redmine, map display system, cart system, etc.
As a result, Drupal's user information can also be used by other systems, enabling an environment that allows seamless exchange between different systems. In other words, Drupal is used as the core of data integration.
In addition, by using Drupal as front end, it has become a specification that can respond flexibly to customization such as change of design and show contents. In contrast, CKAN stand alone is difficult to deal with.
Technical Specifications
Key modules/theme/distribution used:
In this project, Drupal is used as front-end CMS. CKAN is used as back-end data catalogue engine. These 2 systems have no integration in general, but this time, information such as user info, cart info, favorite etc needed to be synchronized on both sides, so we developed special module for this. Also Drupal can display information from CKAN.
For user integration, we used LDAP. Contact from Webform is integrated through Redmine API and managed as ticket.
In this case, Drupal became sort of HUB of various integrations.
