A review of the Arizona AZGeo Data Hub
Recently, the Arizona Geographic Information Council (AGIC) and the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) launched a new data portal named the AZGeo Data Hub. AZGeo Data Hub is a cloud-based platform built on Esri’s ArcGIS Online functionality. We have written about other platforms based on ArcGIS Hub here and here. Together with the AZGeo Data Hub, these articles show that in a few short years, ArcGIS Hub has been adopted by many organizations as a viable, easy-to-configure way of serving their data and related resources.
The AZGeo Data Hub is designed to provide GIS users with links to online map services, FGDC compliant metadata, and geospatial data downloads. Data on AZGeo includes GIS layers for administrative boundaries, demographics, environmental factors, hydrology, imagery, indices, mining, natural features, transportation, and more. AZGeo is hosted by the Arizona State Land Department and staffed by the Arizona Land Resources Information System (ALRIS).
As we have documented in this blog, sharing data is more than just setting up and maintaining a website. Today’s modern web GIS architecture is very much tied to a vibrant community, of which AZGeo Data Hub is an excellent example. I have been a member of the Arizona GIS community since the mid-1990s and they have long been a wonderful source of technical assistance and are lifelong colleagues. Their schools have been among the USA’s most vibrant in terms of promoting geographic literacy, and their universities and community, technical, and tribal colleges have long been trailblazers in the use of GIS in GIScience, geography, and environmental science programs, and more recently in university libraries, schools of education, and in schools of business.
Anyone can view, search and download the data via the AZGeo Data page as a Public User with no login required for access. But in addition, AZGeo utilizes groups to help GIS professionals throughout the state streamline their work processes and share data layers that might be restricted from public access. People can join these groups and then take advantage of the data and applications shared within groups, as well as gain access to ArcGIS Online applications via an AZGeo Hub account. An AZGeo User account is required for this level of access. This is detailed in a helpful graphic, shown below.
My test of the AZGeo Hub’s data page was fruitful. I was able to find a variety of data sets on hydrography, population, land use, and other themes, at a variety of scales. I intend to check back often to see additional data sets that get added over time, and I encourage you to do the same.
Perhaps more important than the data serving is that these Hubs help foster community amongst their users. Many have feedback loops and forums and other means by which the community can interact, strengthening the notion that GIS is not just a set of data and tools, but a system of engagement.
–Joseph Kerski
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As far as I can tell, it is only possible to download GIS *data* rather than a map image if you have an ArcGIS license. If it is possible to download without an ArcGIS license, it is not obvious how to do so.
Thanks Michael. Really? That is very strange. How would the portal know if you have a license or not? I am just using the portal anonymously. If you want to dig deeper, contact one of the folks at AGIC such as Jenna Leveille.
Thanks for the response Joseph. I’ve done more exploring and it seems like it depends on which map you choose and in what interface. I was initially looking in the ‘new’ map view interface. When I wanted to download something, it directed me to sign in with my ArcGIS online account. This may be because of the data layer I was looking at. When I used the older list interface and filtered by AZGeo Data Hub, it gave me a download button. If I include different sources, there may or may not be a download button.