How to Handle Big Raster Data in GeoServer - ImageMosaic and WMTS with GeoWebCache

Today’s session was all about handling big raster data the right way.
Instead of fighting with huge images that crash software or load forever, I walked through a practical GeoServer workflow using ImageMosaic, GeoWebCache, and WMTS.

We started with raw imagery sitting in folders, stitched it smartly, avoided useless empty tiles, and turned heavy raster data into fast, web-friendly tiles. Watching a 20–40 GB raster turn into smooth, lightweight WMTS tiles is honestly satisfying 😄

There were a few real-world hiccups along the way — cache settings, zoom levels, formats — exactly the kind of things GIS professionals face in actual projects. No theory talk, just what works and why.

This is the kind of setup used in enterprise and national-scale GIS systems, and once you get it right, everything downstream becomes faster and cleaner.