1. A method for operating a map server comprising: receiving, by a processor, a map request from a map client, the map request in a first map request format and having map properties including coordinates, symbology style, and projection; converting, by the processor, the first map request format into a second map request format, the second map request format including the map properties; generating, by the processor, a map signature using a hash function, the map signature based on map properties identified in the second map request format; associating, by the processor, the map signature with the map request; accessing, by the processor, a cache memory; and when the cache memory includes the map signature, retrieving, by the processor, a map associated with the map signature from the cache memory.