Collecting intelligence

A special SAEON supplement is due for release in the September/October edition of PositionIT. The supplement contains articles on data and information management systems relevant to ecological, environmental and earth observation disciplines.  Send your postal address to avinash@saeon.ac.za if you’d like to receive a copy. “With the current exciting developments in bandwidth connectivity in South Africa, the information management sector of long-term ecological research and environmental observation in South Africa should begin to galvanise.” - Avinash Chuntharpursat (Picture © Mitzi du Plessis)

Over the past few years that the SAEON e-newsletter has been running, the reader has been exposed to a wide range of data and information management technologies and processes.

These systems are developed and used in different environmental data management situations, locally and across the world.

So far, the articles presenting this information have been written mostly by me in my capacity as SAEON’s Information Management Scientist, with one or two co-authors in certain cases. These articles often have been a summarisation and simplification of a complex process.

Bandwidth mania

South Africa is in the grip of bandwidth mania. Entire streets are being dug up for the laying of fibre optic cable and associated infrastructure. The legalisation of value-added networks (VANS) which operate independently from the Telkom monopoly is another boon for bandwidth in SA. Several submarine cable initiatives hold the promise of better connectivity to the rest of the world.

With these exciting developments in mind, the information management sector of long-term ecological research and environmental observation in South Africa should begin to galvanise. Organisations that were shy to implement bandwidth-intensive information management systems can now consider resuming development with confidence.

Special SAEON supplement in PositionIT

SAEON, along with the technical GIS journal PositionIT, is in the process of preparing a special supplement containing articles on data and information management systems relevant to the ecological, environmental and earth observation fields.

These articles are written by the developers and power users of the systems and will give a local and international perspective on information management. The aim of the supplement is largely to share knowledge with the information management community of practice.

PositionIT is probably the only specialist magazine in this field. Articles are of a popular nature and this also applies to the SAEON supplement. Browse to PositionIT for more information.