SQL Server & BI blog by Andreas Wolter (Microsoft Certified Master): Database Engine - Reporting - Integration - Analysis Services

Addresses for geographical Data, ESRI-Shapefiles and other SQL Server geographical related stuff

SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services supports the visualization of geographical data in 3 ways.

• Datasets, based on the built-in .Net System-datatypes “geography” and “geometry”, which have been around since SQL Server 2008
• via built-in maps – but only for the United States
  
• via ESRI-Shapefiles, which one has to provide on his own

Now, where can you get those Shape-files?

Other, than in the USA where gathered data belongs to the people, with no cost (Census Bureau Geography), in other countries, such as in Germany, it is by far not easy, to even get such datat all.

In the following, I am collecting internet-sites, where one can find geographical data. I'd be happy to include more URLs, if you found a good one, to share.

Miscellaneous:

• Map Projection
  http://www.anychart.com/products/anychart/docs/users-guide/map-projections.html
  An overview over map projection types
  

Other:

Further good articles concerning geographical data and SQL Server:

Creating your own SSRS map using Visio

http://blog.oraylis.de/2010/07/creating-your-own-ssrs-map-using-visio/

Using Visio and SSRS Map Reports for Store Layouts etc.

http://blog.oraylis.de/2010/06/using-visio-and-ssrs-map-reports-for-store-layouts-etc/

Using ESRI ShapeFiles with SSI

http://ssis-components.net/post/2010/04/11/ESRI-ShapeFiles-verarbeiten.aspx

For importing shape-files into SQL Server, see this blog-post at MSDN: http://blogs.msdn.com/seanboon/archive/2009/11/17/sql-server-2008-r2-map-tips-how-to-import-shapefiles-into-sql-server-and-aggregate-spatial-data.aspx

Achieve Spatial Data Support in SSIS:
http://www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/biz/spatial_data_support_ssis_p1.aspx

Bridge The Gap between Bing and Google Maps using SSIS
http://www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/biz/bing_google_maps_p1.aspx 

Heat Maps as Reports

http://prologika.com/CS/blogs/blog/archive/2009/08/30/heat-maps-as-reports.aspx

Stacia Misner shows in her blog, how to include your maps in the Map-Gallery for the Map-Builder-Wizard:

http://blog.datainspirations.com/2010/08/31/do-it-yourself-map-gallery-in-sql-server-2008-r2-reporting-services/

http://sqlblog.com/blogs/rob_farley/archive/2010/05/23/fetching-latitude-and-longitude-co-ordinates-for-addresses-using-powershell.aspx

Have fun with Reporting Services 2008 R2

Andreas

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