Prepress Technology March 2000
New DAM solutions launched at Seybold
By Lisa Larson
Prepress Editor
BOSTON -- How to manage digital assets and make them readily available for reuse on the Web was a hot topic at Seybold Boston this year.
To that end, several companies announced new digital asset management systems and storage solutions.
Most notable was North Plains Systems Corp.'s TeleScope.web digital asset management solution, which the company expects to complete beta testing on next month. The final product is scheduled for release in May.
The Java-based DAM interface uses Apple's WebObjects 4.0.1 application to provide a scalable platform designed to meet new performance requirements as demands increase.
"Apple's object-oriented programming in this solution enables users to minimize code maintenance, build libraries of reusable components, localize applications in different languages and connect directly to customer databases," said Neville Wilson, district sales manager with Apple Enterprise Software.
Cygnet Storage Solutions Inc. introduced the Digital Librarian, a combined digital asset management solution for workgroups based on Canto Software Inc.'s Cumulus 5 DAM software, FileLink Corp.'s BAM library management software and its own DVD100 jukebox integrated with two DVD-RAM drives.
DVD-RAM provides 2.6 gigabytes of storage on a single-sided optical disc and offers read compatibility with CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, CD audio, DVD video, DVD-ROM and DVD-R media. A two-user version of Cygnet Digital Media costs about $10,000.
Cygnet also unveiled a fully integrated RAID DVD-RAM jukebox. Cygnet combined its InfiniDisc robotic management system, which controls multiple drives, with two integrated components called InfiniNet Network Attached Storage and InfiniRAID Accelerated Throughput Storage modules.
InfiniNet allows the InfiniDisc jukebox to connect to a network using a standard Ethernet connection to access more than 1,000 GB of data. Using the integrated InfiniNet module, the InfiniDisc jukebox can be located wherever there is an available network connection, making it unnecessary to bring down the entire network to install the storage device, or to use network server resources to manage storage requirements.
Cygnet is a privately held company based in Milpitas, Calif.
Updated versions of MetaCommunications Virtual Ticket and Job Manager job ticketing and digital asset management products were introduced, both now offering support for Windows 2000 and improved support for Mac OS 9.
Virtual Ticket 2.2 offers expanded support for JavaScript, new alerting functions, improved searching capabilities, and full-size previews of digital assets, including multi-page Adobe Acrobat PDF and QuarkXPress files.
Job Manager 2.2 provides improved searching, reporting and analysis functionality, as well as expanded options for duplicating jobs and expanded calculation options for determining work in progress.
MetaCommunicaton of Iowa City, Iowa, and authorized resellers will sell Virtual Ticket and Job Manager for Microsoft SQL Server software packages starting at about $3,000. Upgrades from the previous 2.0 versions of both products are available free of charge for a limited time.
The Merlin 4.0 picture desk and asset management system from T/One Inc. was recently installed at both The Birmingham (Ala.) News and The Huntsville (Ala.) Times, and the system is expected to be installed at The Winston-Salem (N.C.) along with a Trax assignment tracking system, the company said.
Merlin is a Windows NT-based cross-platform digital asset management system utilizing RAID technology and an industry standard database environment to organize and protect data.
North Plains
905.565.1900
www.northplains.com
Cygnet
408.954.1800
www.cygnet.com
MetaCommunications
319.337.8599
www.meta-comm.com
T/One
617.328.6645
www.t-1.com