EDIT

Evaluate CartoDB as alternative to GeoServer + EDIT Map Services

At the TDWG 2017 conference Andreas K, Andreas M & Walter discussed the possibility to use CartoDB as a replacement for the EDIT Map services with Javier de la Torre.:

Dataflow between cdm and cartodb¶

Possibilities of integrating CartoDB with the cdmlib at the data level:

1. CartoDB is using postgis as database engine. This offers the option to use the Foreign Data Wrappers (FDW) which are available for a couple of database engines. MySQL, Postgress, MS SQL and JSBC are supported among others). Using a FDW carto can in principle directly access the data in the cdmdb even if this is running on a remote machine.
   • updated periodically or on request time?
2. According to Javier it is possible to directly request CartoDB to fill polygons & set markers. CartoDB creates map tiles in response to a request which contains a sql query and a CartoCss file. I the following I try to reproduce Javiers suggestion as far as my memory goes: As preparation you need to import a the named area and distribution status terms into cartodb for the specific project. Then it is possible to send a sql query to cartodb which specifically selects the areas and status. The css for the styling of the base map must also be sumbitted in the request.

Pros&Cons of the above strategies:

• ....

General considerations¶

CartoCss¶

It is NOT recommended to retrieve the cartoCSS dynamically from the system. Better copy paste, download the css from cartodb to a file. This locally stored css will then be submitted to the carto server with each request. This way the whole system will be more stable and will have a more predictable response time.

This means that users will use carto to design, style their map but the cartocss will finally be transferred to a file.

CartoDB response time¶

The expected response time for one request to cartodb should be <= 100ms

Open questions¶

• how big is the effort to install a cartodb instance
• effort to maintain cartodb?
  • periodically updates?