iVAULT provides an open architecture which has been designed for integration. You can easily design and configure your own components into the system. Using iVAULT Administrator module, you can define how your existing data models and applications are integrated. This approach maximizes the return on your organizations software investments by leveraging existing data sets and systems.
The architecture has a modular structure so that you can clearly define your data sets as required. Compatibility is provided for the leading database vendors Oracle and SQL Server.
The applications are developed using the latest Microsoft technologies and enable 
you to further develop custom forms and templates to satisfy your business requirements. iVAULT provides platform independent web delivery via Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer.
iVAULT provides implementation flexibility on a solid, scalable foundation for web-based mapping.
Benefits
- Connectivity between spatial and non-spatial data is made easy
- Implementation is not limited to a specific data model
- Easy integration with other systems and custom applications
- Compliments mapping functionality with powerful database interfaces
iVAULT features a configurable, multi-tiered software architecture that utilizes our iVAULT product integrated with a Publishing Engine and a consolidated database. Following industry standard best practices, we architect our solutions with the following logical tiers:
- Client Tier: consists of the GIS web mapping interface and each client’s current CAD/GIS software for data maintenance.
- Application Tier: includes the web-mapping publishing engine to host the GIS web application using Microsoft’s Internet Information Server. The web-mapping publishing engine interacts with this tier to allow administration and authorship of the mapping content.
- Data Tier: we use a dedicated Oracle, SQL Server or MySQL database (dependent on discussions with IT personnel) for the GIS application. The architecture aggregates the best possible data sources for use by each client, to meet their requirements. Access to required data sources is provided through direct access and “views” into your stakeholder’s databases, as required. Possible data sources are:
- Base maps from Google Maps, Bing Maps and other widely-used sources
- Stakeholder datasets through common web-mapping protocols like WMS/WFS services, where exposed
- Proprietary datasets
- Server Tier: typically we consolidate proprietary-managed data onto the GIS server. However, where files are located in existing systems, we integrate these systems. New files uploaded to the system reside locally on the GIS server. Updating the maps in the application or adding new mapping data/layers is a matter of saving that data in the appropriate folder on the File Server. If the data hasn’t been published through iVAULT previously then the iVAULT Administrator will need to be used to point iVAULT at the new data source.
The logical separation of these tiers during the design phase of each project will allows for scalability for the future requirements. From iVAULT 3.08 forward, data is encrypted using 128 bit encryption when transferring data from the web server to the user over the internet. iVAULT provides authentication through either form-based login or Microsoft Active Directory integration. iVAULT’s authorization module provides role-based security. The roles are managed through the iVAULT user interface allowing role-based access to data, reports, themes, etc.
