top of page
Search

Running Out of Rack Space? How this GIS tool Solves Data Center Congestion

  • Writer: Anvita Shrivastava
    Anvita Shrivastava
  • 14 hours ago
  • 3 min read

Data centers are under constant pressure to do more with less—more data, more users, more performance—yet with the same physical footprint. One of the biggest challenges infrastructure teams face today is rack space congestion, driven by explosive growth in geospatial data such as satellite imagery, aerial photography, and LiDAR datasets.

.

If your organization works with GIS data, you already know: these files are massive, complex, and expensive to store and manage. The good news? There’s a smarter way to handle it—without expanding your data center.


Let’s explore how advanced geospatial compression tools like GeoExpress and the MrSID format can dramatically reduce storage demands and eliminate rack space bottlenecks.



The Root of the Problem: GIS Data Growth


A high-definition digital image with geographic information is crucial in many different sectors and disciplines, including:


  • Defense & Intelligence

  • City Planning

  • Environmental Monitoring

  • Utilities & Infrastructure

  • Agriculture


However, these datasets require many resources to store:


  • Massive amounts of data (usually ranging from tens to hundreds of GB per picture)

  • Multiple copies/versions of data (for backup and for workflow purposes)

  • Slow transfer speeds of data

  • Large amounts of hardware are necessary to work with the data.


Thus, data centers will quickly reach capacity and will require either a costly increase in physical capacity and/or an inefficient way to work around these capacity limitations.


Why Traditional Storage Scaling Fails


When a team runs into storage limitations, the knee-jerk reaction tends to be:


  • Expanding your number of servers

  • Adding to your storage array (increased capacity)

  • Moving your data to an external/cloud provider


The long-term impacts of these options are:


  • Increased capital and Opex costs

  • Complexity in infrastructure management

  • Performance bottlenecks when moving data


Simply scaling storage will not eventually resolve the problem; rather, you need to reduce the size of the data footprint on the existing infrastructure.


Enter GeoExpress: Intelligent Compression for GIS Data


GeoExpress is engineered to resolve issues related to how to store geospatial data.


Major Characteristics:


  1. Extremely High Compression Ratios


GeoExpress will allow you to compress raster images using compression ratios as high as 20:1 (or greater), which reduces the size of the raster image file while maintaining the same image quality.


  1. Lossless versus Visually Lossless


You can select your compression method of choice:


  • Lossless compression for data integrity

  • Visually lossless compression for maximum storage efficiency


  1. Batch Processing at Scale


GeoExpress makes it easy to automate the process of compressing your data on a large scale, making it an ideal tool for organizations with large amounts of geospatial data.


  1. Improved Data Access


Smaller raster image files will produce faster read/write speeds and provide improved performance within your applications.


The Power Behind It: MrSID Format


At the core of GeoExpress is the MrSID format.


Why MrSID Matters:


  • Multi-resolution architecture: Access only the resolution you need, reducing processing load

  • Efficient streaming: Faster data delivery across networks

  • High-quality compression: Maintain visual fidelity even at high compression ratios

  • Wide compatibility: Supported by major GIS platforms


This means you’re not just compressing files—you’re optimizing how data is stored, accessed, and used.


How This Solves Rack Space Congestion


Let’s break it down:

Challenge

Traditional Approach

GeoExpress + MrSID Solution

Large file sizes

Add more storage

Compress data by up to 95%

Rack space limits

Expand data center

Reduce storage footprint

Slow data transfer

Upgrade bandwidth

Smaller files transfer faster.

High costs

Invest in hardware

Optimize existing infrastructure


Real-World Impact


Organisations using MrSID and GeoExpress have seen:


  • Storage savings of as much as 80% to 95%

  • Quicker performance for GIS applications

  • Lower infrastructure costs

  • Improved data sharing between teams


In data centres, this means:


  • Fewer servers

  • Less power/ cooling needs

  • Better use of rack space


Best Practices for Implementation


To get the most from these benefits:


  1. Identify Your High-Volume Datasets


Target large raster images and archives that take up the most storage.


  1. Use the Right Compression Type


  • Use lossless compression for critical datasets.

  • Use visually lossless compression for everything else (general use and analysis)


  1. Automate Workflows


Utilise GeoExpress batch processing for ongoing data ingestion.


  1. Integrate with Existing GIS Systems


Ensure that it will work well within your GIS system (like ArcGIS, QGIS, etc.).


Future-Proof Your Data Center


The continued growth of geospatial data requires smarter—not larger—solutions.


By installing GeoExpress and utilising the productivity gains of MrSID, you can:


  • Eliminate the constraints of your racks.

  • Lower infrastructure costs

  • Enhance performance and scalability.


Running out of rack space isn’t just a hardware problem—it’s a data optimization problem.


Instead of expanding your data center, consider transforming how your data is stored. With the right GIS compression strategy, you can unlock significant savings, streamline operations, and stay ahead of growing data demands.


For more information or any questions regarding the LizardTech suite of products, please don't hesitate to contact us at:



USA (HQ): (720) 702–4849


(A GeoWGS84 Corp Company)

Comments

bottom of page