FAQs /
Hosted Web Services
What are the advantages of web services?
Most developers would agree that web services provide numerous benefits, such as:
- Web services provide excellent interoperability between various software applications running on disparate platforms
- Web services use open standards and protocols. Protocols and data formats are text-based where possible, making it easy for developers to comprehend
- By utilizing HTTP, web services can work through many common firewall security measures without requiring changes to the firewall filtering rules
- Web services allow software and services from different companies and locations to be combined easily to provide an integrated service
- Web services allow the reuse of services and components within a well-defined infrastructure
These features translate into higher-quality applications, greater developer productivity, faster time to market and lower development costs.
How does the Developer Zone relate to Hosted Web Services?
The Developer Zone is a web portal that supports the community of deCarta developers building applications using both DDS Web Services and deCarta's JavaScript API. By signing up for the devZone, you not
only join an online community, but also get free access to a shared instance of DDS Web Services. The Developer Zone portal includes discussion
forums, client software downloads and FAQs. devZone users also have access to a web based console and sample applications that assist in rapidly
prototyping Internet and mobile applications.
Hosted Web Services is a production quality web service that is suitable for supporting deployed applications, once prototyping has been
completed against the devZone's web service. A number of pricing plans and service levels are available to meet the needs of both small and large customers.
What is the difference between Hosted Web Services and deCarta's standalone DDS software product?
Hosted Web Services is simply a shared cluster of DDS servers that deCarta provides via a commercial-grade hosting facility.
This is sometimes referred to as "software as a service". From a software standpoint, there is no difference between
the hosted product and the "shrink-wrapped" version of DDS Web Services. With Hosted Web Services, you just don't have to worry about installing,
configuring and running the server hardware, software, map and POI data.
What is deCarta's JavaScript API?
deCarta's JavaScript API is a development tool offering a simple and fast way to add customizable draggable maps to web-based applications. It is designed as the underpinnings of web applications focused on Enterprise and consumer Internet applications. It supports all standard browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari) and map data providers (NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas). The API is freely available on the devZone.
What is DDS Web Services?
DDS Web Services is a standard add-on to deCarta's flagship geospatial software platform, the Drill Down Server™ (DDS). Designed according to
the OpenLS 1.0 standard, DDS Web Services abstracts common location-based functionality with easy-to-use XML and Java interfaces.
Built on the well-known scalability of the DDS, it is an implementation of XML-over-HTTP web services.
What is a "web service"?
You can think of a web service as a web site for a computer. People use web sites, computers (or more precisely, applications running on computers)
use web services.
On Hosted Web Services and the devZone, deCarta's Drill Down Server (DDS) is accessible over the Web. But like most application web services,
DDS needs to "talk" XML. XML stands for eXtensible Markup Language and is by far the most prevalent standard for application-to-application communication
over the Internet.
With DDS Web Services, DDS appears to the developer as a simple URL to which his or her application can post XML requests. DDS returns XML containing
URLs for images and standards-based XML elements for representing addresses, routes, POIs and a variety of other structures common to location applications.
What do you mean by "fluid" maps?
Fluid or "draggable" maps refer to a style of map user interface made popular by Google on their Google Maps site,
where maps are delivered to the browser as individual tiles rather than as a single, static image. Users can click and drag the map around while additional
tiles are loaded as needed to populate the map window, providing a sense of fluidity to the interface.
This style has become the de facto standard for a modern, more elegant way of interacting with digital maps on the Internet and is often
presented as a prime example of an AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) application. Fluid maps are
quickly replacing traditional "click-and-wait" applications for web-based maps, local search, driving directions and other map-centric
applications on the Internet and other media.
What is OpenLS?
The Open Geospatial Consortium devised the Open Location Services Initiative (OpenLS). The goal of OpenLS is to accelerate the availability
of robust location services that respond to diverse market needs. Please see http://www.opengeospatial.org
for more information.
What is XML-over-HTTP?
A style of web service in which XML is sent from client to server using HTTP Post, and the server responds with XML.
What are the economics of using HWS vs. buying your DDS software and running it on our own servers?
The economics will vary from customer to customer and are dependent upon a variety of factors. The Software as a Service (SaaS) industry
in general is growing rapidly in part because many companies have discovered that there are a lot of hidden costs associated with hosting
their own applications. There can be advantages to using a specialized expert in hosting and in taking advantage of the economies of scale
of the hosting company. In the case of geospatial applications, there is a lot of specialized expertise associated with procuring and
integrating geospatial data into a platform and application. deCarta is happy to work with customers who are trying to decide between
HWS and DDS, and is happy to help them implement a solution based on either.
How is deCarta Hosted Web Services priced?
There are several different pricing plans available which are tailored to small, medium, and large numbers of transactions
being generated by the application. All of the plans have a fixed per-month fee and a per-transaction fee.
Contact deCarta Sales at +1.408.294.8400 or e-mail us at 'salesteam at deCarta dot com'.
Are ads required to be a part of the maps?
No, deCarta's model is not ad-based.
Is the deCarta brand on the map?
No, deCarta customers are free to brand the map with their own name and logo. Please note that for licensing reasons, map data vendors generally
require that a copyright notice be placed on the map in a specific manner.
How is deCarta's method of tiling different from competitive approaches?
Fluid map implementations vary significantly. Some are not really fluid. For example, some "draggable" or fluid maps are simply large maps
that are downloaded to the browser such that map areas are downloaded around a viewable "window" which is visible to the user. If the user
tries to drag to an area outside of the hidden area, then another large map needs to be downloaded (as opposed to just small tiles).
The user is more likely to experience sluggish response times, and such an approach does not scale up to high volumes very well due to the time
and effort it takes to produce and download large maps (as opposed to tiles).
deCarta has developed its fluid maps with a number of innovations. As just one example, tiles are rendered "on the fly" (i.e. only as needed)
as opposed to pre-rendering all possible tiles and then downloading particular tiles when needed. This approach allows deCarta to more flexibly
have many customized map styles being served off of the same hosted service. This would not be practical with pre-rendered tiles, since they
would have to be pre-rendered in all possible combinations of area, map style, and multiple zoom levels.
Can I develop my own unique map style to match the rest of my web site?
Yes. deCarta allows you to develop your own unique style to match your map style requirements (map designs colors, type fonts, etc.).
Is deCarta Hosted Web Services just for Internet sites? I am developing mobile applications.
Not at all. Many mobile developers are using deCarta's Hosted Web Services. A significant percentage of the developers on the deCarta
Developers Zone are also developing mobile applications using DDS Web Services.
Some are using deCarta because they want the same branding, same look and feel, same maps and directions on both the web site
and the mobile phone. Most mobile applications also have a companion Internet map site, in which case both can be implemented
using the same service to achieve better economies of scale.
