1. OpenGeo 1

2. Overview
Who is OpenGeo?
Product
How to Engage

3. In The Beginning (The Open Planning Project)
Founded by Mark Gorton in 2001
Makes his money with Hedge Funds, Brokerage Firm, Limewire
Wants to improve New York City with better urban planning
In to technology and open source (limewire was released as OS after he read Cathedral and Bazaar)
(The Open Planning Project)

4. From a side project of TOPP To sustaining contract work
Towards OpenGeo
From a side project of TOPP
To sustaining contract work
And the push to grow
Up until this point GeoServer had just been one of TOPP's projects, kept up since people were using it, it was doing good in the world.
There were three people working on it, and since TOPP had the core developers they would be contracted by people who wanted to improve the software.
My goal was to be completely self sustaining by doing contracts
Near the middle of 2007 we got really close, and told the good news to our funder. Who responded: 'Great! You should hire more people.' I protested: 'But I'm just about to reach my goal of sustainability, more people will cost more'. Mark responded: 'Well it will be more sustainable in the long run'. To which I could say nothing.
Grow!

5. Overview
OpenGeo is a product company
We provide support and customer focused development for our products
We are 501(C)(3) corporation with a dot.org business model

6. The OpenGeo Suite
What we've done is assemble what we believe are the best of breed components for web-based geospatial work.
We provide support and improvements on them, and we invest heavily in making each of them the best, and in making the whole work seamlessly.
It's an open suite, interoperating with Open Standards, and working great with proprietary solutions as well. We don't believe in locking you in, we want it to work with your existing system. You can flexibly migrate over
PostGIS can be used as backend by ArcSDE 9.3, and most every desktop and server GIS can read it directly or with a plugin
GeoServer works with every major data format. Outputs all standards plus KML for Google Earth, pdf, geojson
GeoWebCache outputs to WMS, Google Earth, Virtual Earth, Google Maps
OpenLayers works with Google Maps, Virtual Earth, Yahoo! Maps, other tiles, plus WMS, GeoWebCache. New support to read ArcIMS and ArcGIS Server directly
Is it good? Talked to some guys from GBIF the other day, working with a partner who had been spending months on an ArcGIS Server client. In one day Javier set up a GeoServer/PostGIS/OpenLayers that was clearly better. Way faster, nicer interface.

7. The Geo Stack
At this point we could have just hired ten more developers to work on GeoServer and have it be a huge package solution.
This would be awesome for GeoServer, but would likely kill the growing community, by sucking all the air towards TOPP.
But we decided the best way was to leverage existing Open Source communities to improve the whole story around GeoServer. Hiring key developers in great projects to help steer them towards where we wanted to go.
Our philosophy is to keep each piece architecturally independent, using open standards, to grow the maximum community around it.
That way our investment can go much further than if we tried to grow communities on our own.

8. The Rich Client
While OpenLayers provided the map, we wanted to extend the interface to give a rich desktop type feel
A number of OL developers had found Ext.js, and made rich mapping applications with it.
We decided to help grow a community, forming GeoExt with Camp to Camp and others
Our goal is to be able to provide rich GIS functionality, but in applications that anyone can use. No need to buy a GIS and then train someone on it when you can just make a web application that has the five GIS features they need in an intuitive interface
* No need for a ‘buffer’ operation when you can have a ‘show all radio towers within 5 miles of this stream’

9. GeoExt is built on OpenLayers and Ext.js
OpenLayers is the defacto standard for javascript mapping clients
Ext.js is a widely used javascript library for rich internet applications

10. GIS-based Applications
Create tools to let developers make rich GUI desktop-like applications that leverage GIS operations
But designed for their users who may not know ‘GIS’
Many users get trained on GIS and then use the same 5 operations
GeoExt plus Web Processing Service plus local storage (Gears or GeoServer)
‘ArcView 3 for the web’

11. Through the Web Editing
Vector editing in a javascript client
Desktop application look and feel
Around this time OpenLayers had emerged as clearly the best of the web mapping clients clients.
And GeoServer could use a facelift - servers without nice clients are just a bunch of XML.
Hired Tim Schaub, one of the top three contributors to the library.
Work with WMS, WFS, WFS-T, Google Maps, Virtual Earth, GeoRSS
Easy to swap out base map providers, not locked in
Tiled Mapping
Advanced editing, versioning
Very flexible API, used as the basis of web apis for IGN France and Ordnance Survey in UK. Great to develop against

14. The Cache
Next we needed something to accelerate our maps, dividing in to tiles.
Started just recommending TileCache, but hard to install with GeoServer. Jython was just too slow.
Built GeoWebCache on JtileCache, a Google Summer of Code Project
Have reached 1.0.1, and has a growing community.
Features
Integrated with GeoServer
Expose layers on Google Earth, Virtual Earth, Google Maps, OpenLayers
Very fast, different backend options for scalable caches
Metatiling, Built in seeder, accessible from web, restful configuration interface
Next improvements will be to cache dymanic maps efficiently
But we keep it architectually independent, and it has its own community, people use it with MapServer and others.

15. Persistent raster/KML
GeoWebCache Integration
Caches tiles as used by most common slippy map interfaces
Ideal for layers that rarely change
Delivers raster/KML tiles to:
OpenLayers
Google Maps/ Earth
Microsoft Virtual Earth
Speeds up data delivery by a factor or
GeoServer
GeoWebCache
Persistent raster/KML
tile cache

16. Scalability
Already serving IGN France’s full infrastructure: 50 servers total, external ones serve on average 30,000 unique visitors a day
No license fees makes things friendly for the cloud
Burst tile creation - EC2 or other to process tiles in hours, not weeks
Clustering and fail over best practices and advice

17. GeoServer Features
Best standard implementations (WMS 1.1.1, WCS 1.0, 1.1 (RI), WFS 1.0 (RI), 1.1 (RI), SLD, Filter, WFS-T (RI), KML, GeoRSS)
Great Google Earth support (funded by Google)
Versioning features
Integrated Security
Web 2.0 output - GeoRSS, GeoJSON, KML - on Google Earth and Maps, Virtual Earth
Web admin console
64-bit, built on java, scalable with J2EE
Fast
Restful API for programmatic configuration of services
PostGIS, Oracle, DB2, ArcSDE (raster and vector), MySQL, Shapefiles, GeoTiff, ArcGrid, JP2K, MrSID, ECW

18. GeoWebCache GeoServer 1.7.x
GeoWebCache
GeoServer
Shapefile
Shapefile.zip
GML2
GML3
GeoRSS
GeoJSON
CSV/XLS
WFS 1.0
Vector files
Raw vector
data
PostGIS
DB2
Oracle
MySql
WFS 1.1
PNG, GIF
JPEG
TIFF, GeoTIFF
SVG, PDF
KML/KMZ
DBMS
WMS 1.1.1
ArcSDE
WFS
Styled
maps
WCS 1.0
GeoTIFF
ArcGrid
GTopo30
Img+World
Servers
GeoTIFF
ArcGrid
GTopo30
Img+world
Mosaic MrSID
JPEG 2000
ECW,Pyramid
WCS 1.1
Raw raster
data
Raster files
GWC
KML superoverlays
Google maps tiles
1.7.x

19. Problem: you have a huge data set you want to display on Google Earth
KML SuperOverlays
Problem: you have a huge data set you want to display on Google Earth
the generated KML is simply too big
the features you want to display have a clear hierarchy
zoomed out, you want to display only the most important ones,
less important should appear progressively, as you zoom in, while leaving the important ones visible
of course, everything should happen in the most fluid way

20. This requires GeoServer 1.7.3 and above
KML SuperOverlays
Solution
create a pyramid like structure
have Google Earth regions drive what is visible at each scale
use a tile cache to maximize delivery speed
This requires GeoServer and above

21. Versioning and Advanced Workflow
The GeoWeb node should easily encourage participation on datasets
Some may choose to use versioning and open their layers for all to edit, like butterfly parks
Others may keep it closed, but let users comment and spot bugs, which go through extensive workflow process like emergency roads
Should be easy to configure the workflow, to encapsulate the norms of different communities.

22. Improved Presentation Options
Play with tiling, antialiasing, format and map size
Issue dynamic filters on your data

23. Improved Format Support
Significant ArcSDE improvements
Fewer connections used during normal operation
Supports versioning, read and write against the default version
Uses native ArcSDE transactions on write
Full ArcSDE raster support
Oracle Spatial datastore rewrite, now fast and robust, full transactions
DB2 and SQL Server 2008 read and write (WFS-T)

24. WFS Reference Implementation WFS, WFS-T 1.0
Standards Support
WFS Reference Implementation
WFS, WFS-T 1.0
WFS, WFS-T and WFS Xlink 1.1
WCS 1.0 compliant and 1.1 Reference Implementation
WMS and full SLD
SLD is native style format
KML with Super Overlays
GeoRSS, GeoJSON, Shapefile, PDF, WMS-C, CSV, XLS 24

25. REST Configuration
Prototype worked on during the last year
Allows full programmatic configuration using simple REST calls (e.g., mass configuring 100 layers, adding new data as it comes in, etc.).
Most programming languages have REST bindings, can script control of GeoServer
Will be further developed in the 2.0.x series

26. SLD Visual Editor

27. Forget Flat Rasters. . .
Support for N-dimensional coverages (3d + time)
Full WCS support, mapping slices using WMS time and elevation parametersBeing coded right now in a branch

28. On Google Geo Search Can publish data to be crawled by Google
Shows up in search results on Maps/Earth 28

29. The Database
The final major piece came at the beginning of the year, with Paul Ramsey joining OpenGeo.
PostGIS was always our preferred database, as it's clearly the gold standard in the Open Source Geo world.
We only want to provide support if we are actively contribute and employ at least one core developer.
Paul has already pushed out a number of great PostGIS improvements.
Features
Simple features for SQL
Built on Postgresql - acid compliance, referential integrity, stored code, triggers
Spatial indexes
All common spatial operators - buffer, union, intersection, bbox, etc

30. By the Numbers (Annual)
Downloads
Source = 41,600
Win32 = 70,000
Web Site
Visits = 212,000
Visitors = 136,000
Subscribers
User List = 1,700
Developer List = 270

31. Published benchmarks against “leading brand” not allowed.
Performance
Published benchmarks against “leading brand” not allowed.
Anecdotally...
Vendor loaded PostGIS and “leading brand” with UK Ordnance Survey (500M objects)
“PostGIS was faster to load and query, easier to manage.”

32. Published benchmarks against “leading brand” not allowed.
Performance
Published benchmarks against “leading brand” not allowed.
Anecdotally...
Government ArcSDE instance hung when Oracle patch applied, so they brought up emergency PostGIS clone
“PostGIS saved our ass, and while we were on PostGIS the queries actually ran faster.”

34. ETL Tools Graphical workbench Command-line tool (ogr2ogr)
Hundreds of formats
Database connections
Schema transformation
Embedded scripting (TCL, Python)
Spatial transformations
Proprietary
Command-line tool (ogr2ogr)
Tens of formats
Database connections
Minimal schema transformation
Embedded SQL engine
Open source

35. Supported Types POINT LINESTRING POLYGON MULTIPOINT MULTILINESTRING
MULTIPOLYGON
GEOMETRYCOLLECTION
CIRCULARSTRING
COMPOUNDCURVE
CURVEPOLYGON
MULTICURVE
MULTISURFACE

36. Supported Functions (Predicate)
ST_DWithin(geom, geom, radius) => boolean
ST_Intersects(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_Contains(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_Touches(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_Overlaps(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_Crosses(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_Covers(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_CoveredBy(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_Relate(geom, geom, pattern) => boolean
...

37. Supported Functions (Analytic)
ST_Distance(geom, geom) => real
ST_Distance_Sphere(geom, geom) => real
ST_Distance_Sphereoid(geom, geom, spheroid) => real
ST_Area(geom) => real
ST_Length(geom) => real
ST_Length_Spheroid(geom, geom, spheroid) => real
ST_Equals(geom, geom) => boolean
ST_IsValid(geom) => boolean
...

38. Supported Functions (Constructive)
ST_Union(geom, geom) => geom
ST_Intersection(geom, geom) => geom
ST_Difference(geom, geom) => geom
ST_SymDifference(geom, geom) => geom
ST_Buffer(geom, distance) => geom
ST_Centroid(geom) => geom
ST_ConvexHull(geom) => geom
ST_PointOnSurface(geom) => geom
...

39. Supported Functions (I/O)
ST_GeomFromText(wkt) => geom
ST_GeomFromWKB(bytea) => geom
ST_AsText(geom) => string
ST_AsGML(geom) => string
ST_AsKML(geom) => string
ST_AsGeoJSON(goem) => string
ST_AsSVG(geom) => string
ST_AsBinary(geom) => wkb-bytea
...

40. Used by Mass market real estate information
MySQL couldn't do complex spatial joins fast enough
Now using PostgreSQL / PostGIS
erformance

41. Used by Mass market imagery web services
Oracle couldn't serve queries fast enough
Informix got too expensive as they grew
Now using only PostgreSQL / PostGIS

42. Used by Manage federal topographic database (over 100M features)
Tested Oracle, DB2, and PostGIS
Found no technical advantage to Oracle or DB2
Proceeded using PostGIS, no procurement process required

43. Business
Our funding has been primarily an investment from Mark Gorton, who continues to put money in as he sees the potential for us to reach a point of sustainability - recovering all our costs.
We are set up in a not for profit structure, so he will never see financial returns.
But by pushing us towards sustainability his money goes much farther in the world.
Once we reach profitability the investment will go back to TOPP, to start other initiatives to help the world

44. OpenGeo.org
To get to full cost recovery, our next step is to transition from a services / consulting company to a 'product' company.
We plan to compete head to head with expensive proprietary solutions.
Creating a premium brand, turning the open source assumptions on their head by focusing on the fact that you get applications tailored to your needs, and direct contact with core developers.
Hiring traditional biz dev and sales, doing marketing and PR, to sell a product that we define and improve

45. Building the Open Geospatial Web
Making Geospatial Information Open and Accessible
By bringing Open Source Principles to Geo
Working by building OS software that gets used by all
In the context of a hybrid organization
As a mission driven organization, our goal is to play a key role in creating the Open Geospatial Web
We feel the best way to accomplish the most impact for the least amount of investment is to create a hybrid organization, combining the best of the for profit and non-profit worlds
Our software is built with values of openness
We emphasize the latest advances, google earth, etc, but always stay rooted in the standards.
Focus on data and users, not metadata, building the infrastructure bottom up instead of top down as most traditional SDIs have
The core goal of OpenGeo is not to make profit, but to make great software to advance the Open Geospatial Web.
We just compete in the market providing services so that we can build more software.

46. Software Business before Open Source
Proprietary Software sold boxes of ‘software’
Customer thought they were just buying the code, but there is far more to software:
Manuals, Support
Bug fixes, new features
Training, integration, custom solutions
Software companies made huge profit margins

47. Software Business after Open Source
High quality code is now free
A new class of Open Source companies has emerged
There is a market for everything around the code
Support, manuals, training, integration, additional development, services
Profit margins on code are lower and lower
Smart companies move up the value chain

48. Full Cost Recovery for OpenGeo Spin off like Mozilla Corporation
Towards the ‘dot-org’
Full Cost Recovery for OpenGeo
Spin off like Mozilla Corporation
Reinvest profit in similar ‘dot-orgs’
Make Capital viral like the GPL
Require complete transparency
Business built on Open Source principles
Once we get to full cost recovery, our plan is to spin off OpenGeo as it's own company, fully owned by The Open Planning Project.
This will include profit sharing for employees, so they can share in the success of what they built
And for practical reasons, we don't want our best employees going to do a start up on the same software because the organization is making tons of money and they aren't
OpenGeo will also then be in a position to 'incubate' other similar types of organizations, for example transit or land use planning, that will start as OpenGeo projects, but then spin off to have their own control, making money in the market to support themselves.
TOPP will take any profit and start other, new social ventures that are structured similarly.
A long term goal of mine is to make this type of structure a new type of entity in the world.
Drawing inspiration from Open Source Software, applying the principles to running a business
Should have a higher level of transparency
Open Books, you can read all our team coordination lists
Any profit made by a dot-org has to be invested in other dot-orgs
Using capital like the GPL used copyright law - to create a 'logic of the wedge', where any success is encoded to engender future success.
I believe this type of structure is more appropriate to creating and maintaining Open Source software than a for profit company or a non-profit foundation - employ the core developers and find a business model that works for them.

49. OpenGeo The Full Solution Enterprise
Next step is to launch OpenGeo Enterprise, a full solution that large enterprises can purchase to support their full deployments
It will be based completely on open source software, contributing back as much as possible.
The benefit to them will be a package solution, we will custom tailor the packaging to their needs, provide a professional face to the OS world.
Our aim is to leverage Mark's investment to grow to an organization size where we can complete a 'win-win-win' situation for all involved
OS Software wins, as developers are employed full time to work on improving the code
Institutional customers win, with access to a one stop shop to support their deployments
Open Source Users win, as there is a sustainable funding stream
Core developer win, by getting to do what they love.

50. How to Engage
Basic Edition
Professional Edition
Enterprise Edition

51. Basic Edition Core Support for OpenGeo Enterprise Unlimited bug fixes
20% discount on services rate
1 day response time, support during business hours
$15,000 / year

52. Professional Edition Core Support for OpenGeo Enterprise
Unlimited bug fixes
120 service hours (Upgrades, Training, Configuration, Installation, Performance, Core Development)
Oracle, ArcSDE, SQL Server support
25% discount on services rate
1 day response time, & phone support during business hours
$30,000 / year

53. Enterprise Edition Core Support for OpenGeo Enterprise
Unlimited bug fixes
250 service hours (unrestricted)
Oracle, ArcSDE, SQL Server support
Clustering and security support
40% discount on services rate
4 hour response time, & phone support 24/7
$70,000 / year