The GeoStor Platform enables state/local government entities to create applications with the GeoStor hardware and software. Hardware, software, and hosting are provided in a robust physically and cyber secure environment for no fee. Applications are required to provide access to the GIS data that is used. Applications that are available from GeoStor in this manner are signified by APP in the type column.

The GeoStor Platform is architected to provide for the quick ingestion of data to support natural or manmade events. Users will be able to quickly locate information for an event using common keywords specific to the event. Data that are available from GeoStor in this manner is signified by EMG in the type column.

The GeoStor Platform provides users with the capability to search for data and receive (the area of interest) in the format, projection and coordinate system they desire. This is often times referred to as clip, zip, and ship. Data that are available from GeoStor in this manner is signified by DL in the type column.

The GeoStor Platform provides users with access to raster files that are larger than the downloadable limit. Data that is available from GeoStor in this manner is signified by FTP in the type column.

The GeoStor Platform provides publishers a wide range of options for maintaining their data in the database. The updates can be performed via database connection, and/or automated processes. The publisher is in control of the refresh rate for their data. Contact the GeoStor Staff for more information.

Documents that provide GeoStor users with helpful information about the GeoStor Platform.

The GeoStor Platform is powered by metadata. Information about all of the applications, disaster events, ftp, offsite publisher, web services, feature services, web map services, and even the help documentation are stored in xml metadata files.

The GeoStor Platform provides users with links to known data that resides outside the GeoStor architecture. Additional links to ‘off site publishers’ are added regularly. Offsite published information, that are available from GeoStor in this manner are signified by OFF in the type column.

The GeoStor Platform is architected to provide a range of web services.

The GeoStor Platform provides an interface allowing requests for geographical features across the web using platform-independent calls. One can think of geographical features as the "source code" behind a map, whereas the WMS interface or online mapping systems like Google Maps return only an image, which end-users cannot edit or spatially analyze. WFS that are available from GeoStor in this manner are signified by WFS in the type column.

The GeoStor Platform produces open access to maps of spatially referenced data dynamically from geographic information. This international standard defines a "map" to be a portrayal of geographic information as a digital image file suitable for display on a computer screen. A map is not the data itself. WMS-produced maps are generally rendered in a pictorial format such as PNG, GIF or JPEG, or occasionally as vector-based graphical elements in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) or Web Computer Graphics Metafile (WebCGM) formats. This is in contrast to a Web Feature Service (WFS), which returns actual vector data, and a Web Coverage Service (WCS), which returns actual gridded data. WMS that are available from GeoStor in this manner are signified by WMS in the type column.