The latest release of Oracle Utilities Work and Asset Management will allow utilities to take advantage of out-of-the-box integration with Oracle Application Server MapViewer, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware. Oracle Application Server MapViewer displays geospatial data from a number of sources, including Oracle Database, Oracle Spatial, utilities' GIS systems and external geospatial Web sites accessible through Web services.

The integration will enable utilities to use the spatial query capabilities within Oracle Utilities Work and Asset Management to identify assets of interest, including those associated with work orders, and then "see" these assets in a map context with a single click. This capability is important for utilities that manage widespread infrastructure assets like lines and piping.

With assets and customer locations spatially defined and linked to the application, users can select assets in the map viewer, check preventative maintenance history and view various work activities. They can then easily schedule new work orders using familiar application capabilities -- allowing utilities to plan more effectively for asset repairs, enabling better customer service and reduced costs.

Utilities can also leverage the integration to select and display multiple asset layers -- such as roads and underground utility infrastructure -- in a spatial context. These capabilities help utilities improve asset analysis, work planning and execution. For example, by being able to view all asset layers at once, a utility can determine if it needs to conduct maintenance on underground pipes as it is beginning a road maintenance project -- preventing it from needing to dig up the road twice in a short time period.

Oracle Spatial is an enterprise spatial database widely used throughout the world. It provides advanced geospatial data models and analyses to support applications in utilities, defense, homeland security, energy and business geographics.