NGA Explores Sharing Cloud-Based GIS Information to Aid in Disaster Recovery
One of the biggest challenges that first responders face when dealing with the aftermath of a disaster is sharing GIS data across disparate IT systems. It’s a problem we discuss extensively in this free ebook – Google Emergency Management Tools for Govies.
In response to the very same challenge, GCN recently reported that a government/industry group – the Network Centric Operations Industry Consortium – has demonstrated how to rapidly assemble and manage a cloud-based disaster response infrastructure that will allow emergency responders to share geospatial and other critical data, despite having disparate IT systems.
The demonstration was held at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in McLean, Va., and centered on a disaster response simulation based on the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Seeking to improve communication in disaster response situations, NGA wanted to see how the private sector could deliver open standards-based geospatial data to first responders using multiple interoperable cloud infrastructures. The cloud would allow NGA to share non-classified information with its partners, but protect access to sensitive information.
The platform is based on Amazon Web Services with geospatial data and data translation capabilities provided by the Google cloud. Savvis provided back-up and business continuity services while identity access management and security capabilities were delivered by an OpenStack cloud offering.
One of the goals of the demonstration was to show how first responders “are able to get access to data without establishing authentication to separate data repositories,” said said Todd Myers, NGA’s lead global computer architect at the event.
Outcomes and lessons learned from the demonstration will be presented to NGA in October, GCN reports. Based on the demonstration, a new open process known as NCOIC Rapid Response Capability (NRRC) will be made available to international, federal, state and local governments as well as nongovernmental organizations and businesses that need to build a federated cloud environment. NRRC will include checklists, rules and patterns designed to help these organizations quickly achieve interoperability.
Read the full article here and download Google Emergency Management Tools for Govies to understand more about Google’s role in helping government officials prepare for and respond to disasters.
Image courtesy of GCN
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