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End user interaction with the Compass software is typically done through a standard Web Browser. The user interface is light and built on HTML, Javascript and CSS standards. The application does not require the end user to download any special plug-ins such as Flash or Silverlite thus ensuring the continued security and integrity of the end user machine.
Application business logic that control the flow of information between the end user and GIS and database back end through the work flow processes applicable in K-12 transportation operations, have been implemented as .NET object classes that are housed on a Microsoft Windows Internet Information Server (IIS). The IIS is also the primary engine responsible for pushing out the Compass application front end to the end user browser.
GIS specific capabilities such as mapping, spatial searches, network analysis, routing etc. are provided by ESRI ArcGIS Server. Application code at the IIS level connects with ESRI ArcGIS Server for spatial and network processing of application data for GIS functionality.
All application data is stored in an industry standard Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) such as Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle. This includes non-spatial (tabular) application data as well as spatial (GIS layers) data. Web Compass leverages the ESRI ArcSDE gateway available with ArcGIS Server as the conduit for storing/retrieving geospatial data (such as route paths, student or stop locations etc.) from the back end RDBMS.
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