Accelerating Geospatial Projects with our Cloud Development Workbench

In the world of geospatial analysis, access to powerful software and the robust hardware needed to run it can be a significant hurdle. Individual licenses are costly, and processing large datasets can incapacitate a personal computer for hours. To overcome these challenges and foster a more dynamic and collaborative environment, Xentity developed the GeoWorkbench (GWB), our centralized, cloud-based platform for geospatial work.

The need was clear: Xentity staff, ranging from early to late phase needed a training and lab environment to advanced developers creating new tools, required a unified space to access licensed software like Esri's ArcGIS suite and for higher processing power with GPUs for massive analytics, workflow, and AI Training data creation. The GWB was created to be this central hub, supporting easier collaboration on projects, internal training, client demos, and research and development.

A Collaborative Platform in the Cloud: The GeoWorkbench is a virtual, cloud-based Windows desktop environment built on Amazon Cloud (AWS). Additionally, we expanded a second environment in the Google Cloud (GCP). This architecture allows multiple users to access the same powerful software from their own devices without needing to install or license it individually. At its core, the GWB combines three key components:

  • Remote Desktop Access to instances with essential mapping software like ArcMap, ArcGIS Pro, and QGIS for integration with cloud native components as well (e.g. for serverless data pipeline).
  • Flexible Compute Power: Multiple GWB instances are available, including a GPU-enabled machine for advanced processing, ensuring users have the right amount of power for their tasks.
  • Centralized Cloud Storage: An AWS S3 Bucket acts as a shared drive, allowing users to easily transfer data between their local computer and the virtual environment.

Leveraging our partnerships with AWS< GCP, ESRI, and the power of FOSS4G, we extend our partner capabilities into the GWB. This powerful combination provides a flexible, collaborative, and cost-effective solution that empowers our team to push the boundaries of geospatial analysis and deliver exceptional value to our clients.

The GeoWorkbench is designed to be accessible and straightforward. The workflow ensures that this shared resource can be used efficiently and fairly by the entire team.

What can you do on the Workbench?

The GeoWorkbench comes equipped with a versatile toolset to support a wide range of advanced tasks, tools and capabilities:

  • Geospatial Analytics and Mapping: Users can leverage industry-standard software like ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, and QGIS to perform a wide array of geospatial analyses, conduct data processing, and create compelling maps and visualizations.
  • ArcGIS Online (AGOL) Integration: The workbench provides a direct pathway to Xentity’s organizational AGOL account, enabling users to publish feature services, develop web applications with Experience Builder, and utilize other cloud-based Esri tools. All GWB instances are provisioned with Publisher roles in AGOL.
  • Model Building and Automation: With Python and NodeJS pre-installed, the GWB is a powerful environment for developing new tools, creating custom models, and automating complex workflows and batch jobs to improve efficiency.
  • 3D Visualization and Digital Twin Development: The platform provides the necessary processing power, including a GPU-enabled option, to render complex 3D scenes in ArcGIS Pro and create high-fidelity digital twins.
  • AI and Machine Learning Labs: The GWB serves as a sandbox for exploring AI applications in geospatial contexts. Users can experiment with deep learning for feature extraction using plugins like Geo-SAM in QGIS or develop novel solutions leveraging Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with the installed scripting tools.

How It Works: The Basic Workflow

  • Reserve Your Time: We manage time and access to ensure cost management through reservations.
  • Connect to the Workbench: with the workspace client, access your reserved instances via approved credentials
  • Manage Your Data: Getting data into the GWB is simple via GWB's web browser or transfer files from their local machine. Access is setup through project and personal folders.
  • Perform Your Analysis: With data loaded, users can launch ESRI or FOSS4G products (e.g. ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, ArcMap) and begin their work—creating maps, running analyses, and developing new solutions. The platform is robust enough to handle complex tasks, such as analyzing the relationship between septic systems and at-risk streams using public data.

What's Next in the Workbench

The GeoWorkbench has already proven its value as a platform for collaboration, training, and project development. Our vision for the future is to expand its capabilities even further by:

  • Continue to use it to help jumpstart Labs, POCs, and development work for clients where approved.
  • Creating customized GWB images for specific GIS and data science tasks.
  • Integrating the GWB directly into client business processes.
  • Using it as a sandbox to explore and develop new server technologies and custom extensions.

The GeoWorkbench is more than just a tool; it's a core component of our strategy to foster innovation and empower our team with the resources they need to succeed.