Connecting a Non-GeoDatabase to a GeoServer

Question

As you know, the architecture of a simple GIS is as follows:

GeoDatabase->MapServer->Client.

Between mapServer and Client, there is some amount of standardization:

MapServer -> (OGC Standard adapter) -> Client.

I want to know if something similar exists between GeoDatabase and mapServer, something like:

arbitraryDatsource -> (X Standard adapter) -> MapServer.

I know I can create views inside any relational database for being accesible to the mapServer. But my problem is, the database I have is not a relational or standard data source. So, if an standard interface (Web service) between databases and mapServers exist, my problem is solved as I can implement that service to access my database and plug it into the MapServer.

Do you know if such standard exist?

Thank you in advance,

Esteban.

Answer 1

No idea about MapServer but in geoserver you can connect with WMS service. GeoServer has the ability to proxy a remote Web Map Service (WMS). This process is sometimes known as Cascading WMS.

http://www.onterrasystems.com/storage/mapsavvy/Geoserver%20as%20Admin%20and%20setup%20a%20WMS%20Cascade.pdf

http://docs.geoserver.org/stable/en/user/data/cascaded/wms.html