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Google Earth Enterprise Goes 2D in the Browser

Announcement
July 26, 2007

Today, Google announced that business and government users of Google Earth Enterprise will be able to view their organization’s geospatial data in 2D on a browser, behind the firewall. Through a special version of the Google Maps API (the programming interface for Google Maps), administrators can also embed this 2D view into any web application (much like a Google Map) and create mashups with information from external databases, spreadsheets and other data sources.

"Not only is it now easier for employees who need to access their organization’s geo data – whether it be satellite images, terrain and elevation data or aerial imagery – to do so from almost anywhere, but they can integrate additional layers of information within their existing web applications without ever having to leave the browser," said Matthew Glotzbach, Product Management Director, Google Enterprise. "Because businesses and government organizations can leverage the browser in addition to the downloadable Earth Enterprise client, they can share their geo data more easily across teams and departments, create mapping overlays for improved data analysis and ultimately, deliver a greater return on their technology investment."

"By visualizing global website traffic at www.dell.com in Google Earth, we are building a stronger sense of community with our internal and external partners through awareness and better visibility around traffic trends and patterns," said Jamie Wills, vice president of sales and marketing systems for Dell, an early adopter of the latest release of Google Earth Enterprise.

"In addition, our global Enterprise Command Center gains a global view of customer activity at a glance, ensuring optimum responsiveness for customers with Enterprise Silver, Gold and Platinum Plus support. Google Earth gives us the intuitive yet powerful interface to critical business information that we need to manage effectively in today’s fast paced business environment."

Energy and government are also natural industry sectors that have gained immediate benefit from the latest release of Google Earth Enterprise.

"With Google Earth’s intuitive 3D geo-browsing experience, researchers can visualize data more effectively, allowing us to explore areas of interest more efficiently than ever," said Ole Martinsen, Head of Exploration Research for Norsk Hydro a Norwegian oil, energy and aluminum company. "Deployed in our Research Centre in Bergen, Norway, the Google Earth Enterprise system is used to synthesize large quantities of global data high resolution imagery and terrain models and dozens of vector layers that are relevant to Hydro’s interests. It’s an eye opening experience to see years of accumulated geological and geophysical data appear with just a few clicks."

Alabama’s Department of Homeland Security is using the latest release of Google Earth Enterprise as a platform for Virtual Alabama, a department program to support information sharing across Alabama’s county, municipal and state agencies for emergency response, disaster assistance and the protection of public assets.

"Google Earth Enterprise enhances our ability to identify, track and update critical infrastructure throughout Alabama," said Jim Walker, Alabama’s Homeland Security Director. "Our Virtual Alabama information sharing database is anchored by Google Earth Enterprise. The incorporation of Google Earth Enterprise into the Virtual Alabama model will dramatically improve the speed and accessibility of Virtual Alabama to our user population."

The new release also improves processing of images and mapping information, and enhances support for industry-standard security protocols such as LDAP and SSL.

Key features include:

  • Browser view lets anyone in the organization securely access Google Earth Enterprise through a browser. In addition, organizations can embed a map view with proprietary data into any web-based application. (A real estate firm, for example, can now publish 2D images of all properties in a given area and overlay those images with a spreadsheet’s pricing data or availability notes – all on the firm’s website.)
  • Enhanced search framework allows integration with multiple search services through Java plug-ins, including the Google Search Appliance. (A manufacturer might use this feature to find a set of customers with certain product preferences using the Google Search Appliance, and view the geographic distribution of those customers in Google Earth.)
  • Regions-based KML imagery data processing tool for creating super-overlays. These overlays enable organizations to easily publish large collections of images. (A government agency would be able to publish local aerial photography to citizens.)
  • Faster data processing and serving performance produces time savings of up to 10x for vector processing (points/lines/polygons) and computational savings of more than 2 xs for server responses to imagery data requests.
  • Industry standard security methodologies are supported for easier implementation of LDAP and SSL.
  • User interface improvements make the process of ingesting, previewing and publishing data easier and more efficient.

Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to make the world’s geographic information easily accessible and useful to businesses and government organizations. For more information about Google’s geospatial solutions for businesses and organizations, visit www.google.com/enterprise/geospatial.html. To contact a sales representative, please visit services.google.com/enterprise/g.

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