Massive 100 Terabytes (TB) Update to Virtual Earth

Microsoft is no stranger to multi-Terabyte data updates for its mapping, search and location platform in the Cloud, but in January 2009 the company simply outdid itself. In this context, the software giant introduced 100 TB of new data to Virtual Earth and Live Maps. The January 2009 Virtual Earth update contains fresh imagery from around the world, but with a focus on Europe and the United States. The 100 TB Virtual Earth imagery update introduced the past month is a direct result of the new content Microsoft was able to access from DigitalGlobe.

“The engine has been churning for a few months and we’ve finally pumped out another imagery release – a massive ~100TB worth of data!!! Here’s where you can see the latest and greatest including our first use (and a HUGE amount) of the Digital Globe satellite imagery we licensed a few months ago. Plus, don’t miss the long awaited Bird’s Eye photos of Paris, France,” stated Chris Pendleton, Virtual Earth Tech Evangelist, Microsoft.

Back at the start of October 2008, Microsoft announced that it had inked a partnership with DigitalGlobe, and that as a direct consequence it would be able to deliver fresh premium, high-resolution satellite and aerial imagery via Virtual Earth. Per the agreement, the software giant was granted access to the existing library of content from DigitalGlobe, featuring in excess of 460 million square kilometers of earth imagery, but also to the new items added by the company's satellites.

The 100 TB update to Virtual Earth has introduced new content ranging from Obliques (Bird’s Eye), to High Resolution Orthos and to Satellite imagery (via Digital Globe). Obliques (Bird’s Eye) photographs feature locations worldwide including France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and U.S. High Resolution Orthos also covers U.S. and international territories, while the Satellite imagery comes from all continents.