What's in the Stacks?
In summary, a DAM solution takes existing content, assigns metadata, converts it or stores it in a format that can be repurposed for distribution to multiple channels, and assigns rights and permissions to control who gains access to that content.
You can envision DAM as one part in the assembly line of a content factory.
The creators of content, such as a graphic designer, a technical writer or a videographer, design digital content or convert it from another source, such as video. Once the assets have been created, the creators will enter descriptive information about the content into the DAM solution. This metadata is similar to the metatags on a Web page.
Part of that metadata describes rights and permissions of the asset. The DAM solution will control who has what type of access to the contentâ€"that is especially important in B2B scenarios so third parties can have access to specific content without jeopardising the entire database.
Check the bibliography
Entering the content into the DAM solution can be done either manually or automatically. Many of the solutions tie into video-logging programs such as Virage, so that video can be parsed and the placeholders can be indexed. The resulting metadata is entered into the DAM interface via XML, as well as manually. DAM solutions can handle most any type of rich media content. Storage-intensive files, such as video, generally are stored in an external database or a videotape library with an XML interface to the solution, which represents another integration opportunity. Other, smaller-sized files are stored directly within the DAM database.
But DAM solutions also work well with more conventional types of media, integrating with workflow management products such as Documentum and FileNet. Text documents and rich media can be referenced from a common interface, which is the DAM solution.
The next step in the assembly line is an optional oneâ€"assigning (and enforcing) digital rights management (DRM) with products from InterTrust and Digimarc. DRM handles the rights and permissions to the content after it has been transferred from the DAM repository, but the access control defined in the DAM component governs the DRM system. Not all content has to have DRM, but it's important to protect copyrights for material that is for sale or has a high valueâ€"a brochure for a car probably wouldn't need DRM and, in fact, the company would want it to be distributed as far and wide as possible.
Also, as an alternative to DRM, Alchemedia's Clever Content platform is a digital image to which a variety of attributes have been attached and related to the contentâ€"a high-resolution image, for exampleâ€"and then the content owner can track the image to minimise pirating.
Once the asset has been created, and metadata has been assigned and converted to the proper format, it is ready for integration with almost any application that can distribute it to another entity. The asset can be distributed in the form of broadcast or cable television videotape, radio, PDAs, Web browsers or print.
It's now distribution time, and this is where the opportunities are for you, your client and the recipient of the digital assets are endless. A primary feature of DAM solutions is interfacing with content-management tools such as Interwoven, Openpages and Vignette. Such interfacing allows one to easily assemble assets into a finished product for distribution.
