Issue link: https://geospatial.trimble.com/en/resources/i/1415711
Trimble Software: Working With Large Datasets 2 Trimble's suite of software for surveyors, including Trimble® RealWorks® and Trimble Business Center™, offers an array of functionality that saves time and produces high quality deliverables; however, very large data sets can prevent the user from maximizing the full potential of the software. With some pre-planning, the most advantageous configuration of computers and storage devices can be selected to facilitate the transfer and processing of large data sets. Large Data Sources Modern tools and techniques available to surveyors today have revolutionized our ability to capture the world and recreate it in 3D. Along with these advances comes the burden of working with larger datasets and a greater need for rapid data transfer, storage, and processing capabilities. Surveyors have many "new" data sources for their projects, such as: ● Cameras in total stations ● Terrestrial and airborne laser scanners ● Unmanned Aerial Systems ● Mobile mapping systems ● Snapshot images and videos from hand-held controllers and smartphones ● CAD programs that generate surface and structural models Projects that contain data from these sources may exceed hundreds of Gigabytes in size. A day's worth of data collection can easily overwhelm the modern surveyor's computer drives and processing capabilities unless care is taken in the selection of the computer's components and in management of the data. To understand what is meant by "Large Datasets", consider these factors: ● Trimble high speed laser scanners can produce as much as four to eight Gigabytes of raw scan data and images per-hour when using typical settings. ● Mobile mapping is even more extreme. An hour run of Trimble's mobile mapping systems, using common settings, can include more than 60 Gigabytes of scan data and pictures. ● While the field data itself is large, keep in mind that most processing software dramatically increases the size of data during import. ● Also, it is recommended to have an additional two to three times the project size after import as available space on the working drive. This provides the software enough room to make copies of various data during processing, if necessary.