Check out the latest Smallworld GIS solutions-focused iFactor Informer newsletter, and don’t forget to sign up for updates!
iFactor’s Web Maps Connector (WMC) product has established itself as an accomplished and adaptable product used throughout the United States and worldwide. By providing access to cloud-hosted map data, WMC enables the use of high resolution street and aerial imagery in any GE Smallworld-based solution. With WMC, users have access to regularly and automatically updated maps from a variety of vendors, now including Bing Maps, Open Street Map, Digital Map Products, WeatherBug, Google Maps, Longdo Maps, and Navteq.
Piedmont Natural Gas originally implemented WMC to meet geocoding requirements, but eventually realized its benefits for 
aerial imagery as well. “Piedmont first purchased the Web Maps Connector to address important geocoding requirements, allowing us to replace the manual maintenance of street centerlines,” said Andrew Vondrak, Manager of Asset Management Systems. “WMC allowed us to meet these requirements without any need for ongoing data management or storage. Thanks to ongoing updates to Bing Maps imagery, we found that WMC also offered the best solution for access to aerial imagery. As a result, Piedmont was able to save money by eliminating the costs of additional 3rd party subscription services for imagery.”
While WMC is typically used to access cloud-based map data, it is also versatile enough to meet more unique needs. Xcel Energy purchased WMC to enable access to ArcGIS Data Appliance tile layers from their Smallworld applications. “Xcel Energy is able to leverage the WMC to support data access from our core basemap reference data, the ESRI Data Appliance, within the Smallworld GIS,” said Scott Bundy, Xcel Energy Senior Solutions Consultant. “This enables data consistency across many software solutions throughout the company where we are able to utilize a single solution to support our work processes and minimize our software and data footprints. iFactor’s WMC solution enabled us with rapid development and deployment of the product within our environments with excellent performance results.”
The WMC implementation team also has the flexibility to provide access to regional data vendors. While Bing Maps boasts coverage in 72 countries, WMC can enable locally maintained data layers, giving you the most accurate map imagery possible. For example, Petroleum Authority of Thailand recently implemented WMC to gain access to LongDo Maps from their Smallworld Gas Transmission Office application.
Other unique data layers available in WMC include Digital Map Products, which allows users to view parcel boundaries, and 
WeatherBug, which displays current and historical weather information. Users also have access to a variety of tools within the WMC product, including address lookup, reverse geocoding, and turn by turn driving directions.
With implementations in seven countries, access to an ever-increasing list of data vendors, and partners across several continents, the Web Maps Connector continues to save its customers time and money while increasing user efficiency and productivity.
Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) has joined the growing list of utilities enjoying the benefits of Web Maps Connector (WMC). PTT recently purchased WMC to enable access to LongDo Maps from their Smallworld Gas Transmission Office application. Once the WMC implementation is complete, PTT users will be able to view raster imagery and also utilize Point of Interest (POI) search and Driving Directions. iFactor is also developing customizations to PTT’s Smallworld Internet Application Server (SIAS) to expose the POI search and Driving Directions to their web client users. WMC is typically used to access map data from sources such as Bing Maps, Open Street Map, Google Maps, and Digital Map Products. This particular implementation illustrates the versatility of WMC in accessing additional data sources and also providing specific solutions based on customer needs.
About Petroleum Authority of Thailand
PTT is Thailand’s biggest petroleum company. PTT and PTT Group engage in fully integrated natural gas business covering the full spectrum of natural gas businesses i.e. exploration and production from both domestic and oversea sources, transportation of natural gas via pipeline system, gas separation as well as marketing of natural gas. By operating pipeline system both onshore and offshore, PTT fulfills its mission in strengthening energy security for the nation. PTT maximizes value of natural gas through its five units of gas separation plants which extract raw material and gas products for petrochemical plants.
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iFactor Consulting’s Web Maps Connector (WMC) seamlessly integrates data and services from various mapping platforms with your existing Smallworld-based applications, eliminating costs for landbase and aerial image maintenance by leveraging the power of internet web services. The iFactor team is always hard at work finding additional providers to deliver access to high-resolution imagery and up-to-date street maps. We are excited to announce that WMC now supports Google Maps (Satellite, Road, Hybrid, and Terrain layers) and Google Web Services (Geocoding, Reverse Geocoding, and Driving Directions)!
WMC currently supports Microsoft Bing Maps, Digital Map Product’s ParcelStream, and OpenStreetMap, among others. Enabling access to Google Maps will allow WMC users the flexibility of another data source option in areas that might not be as well served by these existing data vendors. With access to such a variety of mapping vendors, you no long need to acquire, host, and maintain this type of data internally.
Current WMC customers with a Google Maps Premier account may configure their own Google Maps Premier transactions for use with WMC. iFactor is able to sell map and web service transactions to WMC customers who do not have access to a Google Maps Premier account. For the ultimate in WMC coverage, ask us about our Web Maps Connector Premier User licensing, which includes a combination of Google, Bing, and various other open layers in one license.
