Experience with big Digital Asset Management systems?
October 28, 2014 7:46 AM
What experiences have you had with big (a.k.a. "enterprise") digital asset management systems? Good or bad, I want to know it all.
I have paralyzing quantities of images, video, and page layout files to sort, search, tag, and archive among various departments. I need to be able to have separate collections; access controls (Active Directory integration would be ideal); Adobe integration; and the ability to group together various versions of one file, or the various files of a print job or video-editing job.
I think I will be hosting it internally, and doing ILM migration of the oldest data to a tape device on the back end.
I have some rather out-of-date prepress skills, and current sysadmin skills, so I know the vocabulary. :7) But I no longer know the real players and issues in this space -- and I distrust the ability of salespeople and consultants to be objective.
Thanks in advance!
I have paralyzing quantities of images, video, and page layout files to sort, search, tag, and archive among various departments. I need to be able to have separate collections; access controls (Active Directory integration would be ideal); Adobe integration; and the ability to group together various versions of one file, or the various files of a print job or video-editing job.
I think I will be hosting it internally, and doing ILM migration of the oldest data to a tape device on the back end.
I have some rather out-of-date prepress skills, and current sysadmin skills, so I know the vocabulary. :7) But I no longer know the real players and issues in this space -- and I distrust the ability of salespeople and consultants to be objective.
Thanks in advance!
Mostly chiming in to say I've only found unsatisfactory solutions for our 10-15 person shop (print, web, photo, communications) with 20 years of legacy files. (So not quite "enterprise", not quite small business either)
What we've got going now relies on people sticking everything on a server. (A packaged design file with source material, in an intelligently named folder with client name and project name.)
The location of those folders and assets is then linked to a custom developed File Maker Pro database which contains job jacket data, dates, hours worked, notes, client info, design briefs, etc. Even generates a thumbnail which is nice.
The workflow goes like this: job comes in→ FMP job is created → team works locally on job → Someone files assets on server → that person records the location of assets in the FMP job.
It's been an ongoing development process for about 2 years, and we just keep a running list of bugs and issues and features and have our developer in every 3 months or so. I have no idea how much this cost. I think our developer is competent, though we're the first system like this he's developed. (He previously did inventory system development.)
It's not awesome, got lots of room for errors. Searching can be done on any field in the FMP job. It was also compatible with our legacy files, (and a filing regime was imposed at some point in 2005ish that makes this not-so-horrible) though the legacy files aren't indexed by the FMP, they are living side-by-side, and could be brought into the fold if anyone had the time or need.
So thats what we do with assets that are part of a discrete job.
We still have a big pile of resources, video, photos, stock photos, that are just crawled through by hand in a Finder window with coverflow view. Getting basic meta-data for these files would be a pretty heavy lift and we've never had the time to dedicate someone to that. You can metatag this stuff, especially with OSX Mavericks+. Of course, if you're running a PC+Mac shop, you can forget about it.
We've tried to keep Adobe Lightroom databases, but they're prone to corrupting, not very flexible, (but are good for shoots where you need to keep alternates, but want to select some finals.) This is what our photographers do when we need to get shots of an event that might go into a book or a newsletter or something in the future. Searching these relies on you knowing the name of the event (or what the photographer decided to name the event) and isn't great when you just need a generic photo of "CEO at podium" or "researcher doing lab work". And that also assumes the photographer knows the name of everyone he/she photographs! (and our photo releases are just paper stored in a big file cabinet in the legal department. They might be alphabetized? Luckily its never come up.)
We've tried Extensis Portfolio, but it was pretty spectacularly borked when our IT department switched our server over to Active Directory without really checking out what was going on. It was fairly abandoned at the time so we've let it die. It still relies on you inputting dat metadata.
We've also looked at web-based solutions, but these are more applicable for small teams, teams that only do web-based projects (and small file sizes). We've also got the burden of a big enterprise level IT department who is phobic of everything cloud based and locks down ports pretty tight.
In summary, digital asset management is a land of contrasts.
posted by fontophilic at 1:26 PM on October 28, 2014
What we've got going now relies on people sticking everything on a server. (A packaged design file with source material, in an intelligently named folder with client name and project name.)
The location of those folders and assets is then linked to a custom developed File Maker Pro database which contains job jacket data, dates, hours worked, notes, client info, design briefs, etc. Even generates a thumbnail which is nice.
The workflow goes like this: job comes in→ FMP job is created → team works locally on job → Someone files assets on server → that person records the location of assets in the FMP job.
It's been an ongoing development process for about 2 years, and we just keep a running list of bugs and issues and features and have our developer in every 3 months or so. I have no idea how much this cost. I think our developer is competent, though we're the first system like this he's developed. (He previously did inventory system development.)
It's not awesome, got lots of room for errors. Searching can be done on any field in the FMP job. It was also compatible with our legacy files, (and a filing regime was imposed at some point in 2005ish that makes this not-so-horrible) though the legacy files aren't indexed by the FMP, they are living side-by-side, and could be brought into the fold if anyone had the time or need.
So thats what we do with assets that are part of a discrete job.
We still have a big pile of resources, video, photos, stock photos, that are just crawled through by hand in a Finder window with coverflow view. Getting basic meta-data for these files would be a pretty heavy lift and we've never had the time to dedicate someone to that. You can metatag this stuff, especially with OSX Mavericks+. Of course, if you're running a PC+Mac shop, you can forget about it.
We've tried to keep Adobe Lightroom databases, but they're prone to corrupting, not very flexible, (but are good for shoots where you need to keep alternates, but want to select some finals.) This is what our photographers do when we need to get shots of an event that might go into a book or a newsletter or something in the future. Searching these relies on you knowing the name of the event (or what the photographer decided to name the event) and isn't great when you just need a generic photo of "CEO at podium" or "researcher doing lab work". And that also assumes the photographer knows the name of everyone he/she photographs! (and our photo releases are just paper stored in a big file cabinet in the legal department. They might be alphabetized? Luckily its never come up.)
We've tried Extensis Portfolio, but it was pretty spectacularly borked when our IT department switched our server over to Active Directory without really checking out what was going on. It was fairly abandoned at the time so we've let it die. It still relies on you inputting dat metadata.
We've also looked at web-based solutions, but these are more applicable for small teams, teams that only do web-based projects (and small file sizes). We've also got the burden of a big enterprise level IT department who is phobic of everything cloud based and locks down ports pretty tight.
In summary, digital asset management is a land of contrasts.
posted by fontophilic at 1:26 PM on October 28, 2014
There are over 150 different companies selling DAM systems in the US alone - some are great, some are good, some are mislabeled CMS or WCM systems - and some just stinkers.
TBH, I've seen great DAMs fail and mediocre ones thrive based on the quality of staffing alone. DAMs are only as good as the managerial will to make them work and the budget to give them full time staffing.
Invest some time in reading books on the subject and know that DAMs run on project calendars of 3, t, and 7 years - there are no quick solutions.
Check out Henrik de Gyor's "Another DAM Podcast" for some great interviews with people current in the field.
posted by EinAtlanta at 1:57 PM on October 28, 2014
TBH, I've seen great DAMs fail and mediocre ones thrive based on the quality of staffing alone. DAMs are only as good as the managerial will to make them work and the budget to give them full time staffing.
Invest some time in reading books on the subject and know that DAMs run on project calendars of 3, t, and 7 years - there are no quick solutions.
Check out Henrik de Gyor's "Another DAM Podcast" for some great interviews with people current in the field.
posted by EinAtlanta at 1:57 PM on October 28, 2014
Full disclosure: I published a book on this subject last March with APress media, and I own a DAM consulting and metadata business.
posted by EinAtlanta at 1:59 PM on October 28, 2014
posted by EinAtlanta at 1:59 PM on October 28, 2014
Feel free to expound, EinAtlanta. :7)
posted by wenestvedt at 4:52 PM on October 28, 2014
posted by wenestvedt at 4:52 PM on October 28, 2014
Ok.
Digital Asset Management is a discipline that blends library science, records management, and information science. Throw brand management and people management skills in there too.
The field is evolving rapidly, and I like to compare the deployment of DAM in the workplace to the deployment of email in the workplace 20 years ago. Remember those older folks in the office that refused to use email? You will have those for DAM. Remember when email used to crash every few months, and everyone might as well go home until it was fixed? This will happen with your DAM. Remember how email costs tons of money and has no direct ROI, yet must be deployed in order for a current office to work? Ditto.
To echo fontophilic's comments above, Adobe is great for content creation but isn't great at DAM. This hasn't stopped Adobe from selling their WCM product as a DAM, with sad results.
SharePoint is an online shared drive that can plug into a DAM, but is not a DAM itself. Microsoft uses the product ADAM as a DAM. Sharepoint has created so many document dumps across the american workplace that Accenture just became an official ADAM reseller; it's their answer to the problem, but that's far from the only answer to the issue. ADAM is a solid product, but overkill for smaller shops.
If you're in a smaller shop, start small and buy a midlevel or small scale DAM just for graphics and images to get started. There are many on the market, and so long as you make sure that all assets uploaded are given a unique ID code on ingest and that all metadata can come out as XML, you'll be fine. Being able to yank all metadata out as XML with a unique ID to match up to the asset means you can migrate to a bigger or better system when needed.
If you're in a larger scale operation, may god have mercy on your soul. The wrangling that is deploying an ECM (Enterprise Content Management) system is nothing short of a herculean effort that involves just as much people management as system knowledge. People know information is power, and they will do anything to keep their information silos private. The best DAMs in big corps have a DAM team that sits separate from any other division - they have a director or VP of DAM.
I have seen many deployments, and it always, *always* comes down to people. DAM deployment success is doomed without pressure and support from top levels. Staffing - full time, dedicated individuals - are needed to manage assets. Asking creatives or IT to make it part of their job never works. But creatives or IT people can train to do DAM full time if they like.
Don't get me started on rights management. I can, and have, written a whole book on this. Good luck on the start of your DAM adventure. I actually love the practice of DAM. It's cutting edge information science at its best. At its worst, it's a bunch of people arguing with each other over distribution and workflow control...which is why I love being a hired gun.
Make sure you get your staff in place. The DAM Foundation is a professional org for those working in the field, and they have a whole HR section on their home page.
posted by EinAtlanta at 6:23 PM on October 28, 2014
Digital Asset Management is a discipline that blends library science, records management, and information science. Throw brand management and people management skills in there too.
The field is evolving rapidly, and I like to compare the deployment of DAM in the workplace to the deployment of email in the workplace 20 years ago. Remember those older folks in the office that refused to use email? You will have those for DAM. Remember when email used to crash every few months, and everyone might as well go home until it was fixed? This will happen with your DAM. Remember how email costs tons of money and has no direct ROI, yet must be deployed in order for a current office to work? Ditto.
To echo fontophilic's comments above, Adobe is great for content creation but isn't great at DAM. This hasn't stopped Adobe from selling their WCM product as a DAM, with sad results.
SharePoint is an online shared drive that can plug into a DAM, but is not a DAM itself. Microsoft uses the product ADAM as a DAM. Sharepoint has created so many document dumps across the american workplace that Accenture just became an official ADAM reseller; it's their answer to the problem, but that's far from the only answer to the issue. ADAM is a solid product, but overkill for smaller shops.
If you're in a smaller shop, start small and buy a midlevel or small scale DAM just for graphics and images to get started. There are many on the market, and so long as you make sure that all assets uploaded are given a unique ID code on ingest and that all metadata can come out as XML, you'll be fine. Being able to yank all metadata out as XML with a unique ID to match up to the asset means you can migrate to a bigger or better system when needed.
If you're in a larger scale operation, may god have mercy on your soul. The wrangling that is deploying an ECM (Enterprise Content Management) system is nothing short of a herculean effort that involves just as much people management as system knowledge. People know information is power, and they will do anything to keep their information silos private. The best DAMs in big corps have a DAM team that sits separate from any other division - they have a director or VP of DAM.
I have seen many deployments, and it always, *always* comes down to people. DAM deployment success is doomed without pressure and support from top levels. Staffing - full time, dedicated individuals - are needed to manage assets. Asking creatives or IT to make it part of their job never works. But creatives or IT people can train to do DAM full time if they like.
Don't get me started on rights management. I can, and have, written a whole book on this. Good luck on the start of your DAM adventure. I actually love the practice of DAM. It's cutting edge information science at its best. At its worst, it's a bunch of people arguing with each other over distribution and workflow control...which is why I love being a hired gun.
Make sure you get your staff in place. The DAM Foundation is a professional org for those working in the field, and they have a whole HR section on their home page.
posted by EinAtlanta at 6:23 PM on October 28, 2014
I'm sorry this is second-hand, but I know someone in an organization that uses ResourceSpace (the self-hosted free version) and they seem quite happy with it. I believe it ticks all your boxes, although I don't know about the Adobe integration.
posted by kristi at 8:57 AM on October 30, 2014
posted by kristi at 8:57 AM on October 30, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
So that's my lesson-- make you you've got someone more-or-less onsite who can write code to fix that system when it breaks or is inadequate.
posted by 4th number at 10:00 AM on October 28, 2014