Google Maps

CHAPTER
13	SQL Spatial: Backend Databases for Spatial Data

We’re at a point now to discuss the storage of large volumes of spatial data in databases. What good is it to annotate maps with markers and shapes if you can’t store these features into a central database and reuse it as needed? While KML will serve you well for isolated features and small-scale applications, as you accumulate more and more data the need for central storage will become pressing. The question of storing large sets of data isn’t unique to spatial data; it’s a universal problem and it’s addressed with databases.

Database Management Systems (DBMS) are special systems designed for storing large volumes of data. You can also use very large files to store data, but ...