SQLBits 2011

Google Maps? Build your own Mapping, Geocoding, and Routing service

SQL Server spatial features have not yet made it into mainstream usage and many developers still ask "But *why* would I use them?". In this session, I hope to answer that question by replicating the functionality of Google Maps using only SQL Server.
In this session, I'll try something a bit more ambitious instead - using nothing but SQL Server 2008 and some free data from the Ordnance Survey, I'll show you how to create a standalone database application that replicates all the key spatial functionality of Google Maps/Bing Maps/Mappoint, namely: a.) Retrieving and displaying features on maps b.) Geocoding addresses into coordinates