GCS Research Application Provides a Cloud-Hosted, Data-Driven, Decision-Making Tool for Strategic Planning and Business Development
July 23, 2012 -- Missoula, Montana – Site Selector, a web application created by GCS Research that integrates commercial real estate with community and market analysis into a powerful economic development tool, is now running live on the Windows Azure Cloud. GCS, a long-time Microsoft Gold-level Partner, began serving Site Selector from the Azure cloud for better application performance and stability. Users never risk downtime from power outages or server crashes and are able to support an unlimited number of users with the extra redundancy and storage of a distributed Cloud-based system. “We have always had a strong relationship with Microsoft, so when we wanted to take Site Selector to the next level and really make it a scalable, versatile application, Azure was the clear choice,” said Michael Beltz, President of GCS Research.
The Azure-hosted version of Site Selector is the ideal tool for a diverse range of business users. Denver McKelheer, Azure Platform Strategy Advisor for Microsoft, described the application as “a unique and elegant combination of an enterprise GIS application within the Azure cloud that provides GCS’s customers with a comprehensive, data-driven tool for economic development planning across any scale.”
Site Selector delivers fundamental information needed at every step in the site selection process through one central portal. “The Montana Site Selector tool my office put together through GCS provides a wealth of strategic information and analysis for both individuals and businesses looking to locate and do business in Montana. We are proud to continue working with GCS in taking this unprecedented application to the next level,” said Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer. Now with the power of the cloud behind it, the application is strategically and technically equipped to serve an even broader base of existing and future customers.
Site data garnered from a variety of sources is pooled with the expansive set of Esri Business Analyst Online data for a complete set of reporting capabilities and GIS analytical tools that were previously unobtainable from any single application. “The partnerships forged through Site Selector bring together data sourced from local and regional governments and commercial real estate professionals, reinforced by the power of Esri’s demographic analysis, to create an incredibly powerful and dynamic economic development tool,” said Brit Fontenot, Director of Economic Development for the City of Bozeman, a key partner in the implementation of the Southwest Montana Site Selector.
About GCS Research
GCS Research is an internationally recognized leader in advanced geospatial technology solutions. We specialize in creating high-end GIS applications that combine leading edge technology and high-performance analytical ability with a streamlined, intuitive user experience. Our company focus is on the communication needed to deliver intelligent human interfaces for geospatial analysis, while simplifying access and control for increasingly distributed geographic information.
To learn more about Site Selector, GCS Research or our other GIS solutions, please contact our Director of Sales, Bryant Ralston at Email Contact, call us at (406) 532-3254, or visit our website: www.gcs-research.com.
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