OLAP is a technology that extends conventional database technology by enabling rapid analysis of aggregated data. Whereas data in a conventional database is stored in two-dimensional tables, OLAP databases store data in multi-dimensional ‘cubes’ that enable people to quickly change their view of aggregated data with less effort.

While OLAP systems have been used in large businesses to analyze sales and other data for many years, their use with geospatial data has been limited. Geospatial information has special properties that are not captured in traditional OLAP systems, such as proximity and non-cadastral hierarchies (like various zoom levels). By incorporating these special properties into traditional OLAP, more powerful data analysis can be performed, revealing new and important patterns in information. Dave Felcan is working to integrate geographic data with OLAP technology, in particular for analysis of real estate data.