Look for a vendor which can provide a variety of pricing models, including a pay-as-you-go contract or a licensed software option with managed services. This allows a company to begin with a small pilot project to refine requirements and processes before launching the deployment on a large scale. Corbis, which acquired eMotion, offers an ASP DAM model that consists of a set up price and then a monthly per user free. ClearStory provides a subscription DAM pricing model but, because it has built-in scalability as part of its infrastructure, the company can also offer to host enterprise-licensed software and deliver managed services. MediaBin and Northplains offer installed software as their core business and a third party subscription model if users want a hosted solution.
Look for a vendor that has extensive expertise in providing both hosted and non-hosted applications. For hosted services, ask the vendor about their hosting facility, its security measures and infrastructure and confirm their commitment to the model.
Look for a vendor that can customize the solution. Their system should be able to handle a full spectrum of media – from video to Photoshop, Quark and other graphic file types.
Look for a vendor that can provide 24/7 service wherever you need it – worldwide.
Insist on scalability, which is important not only for storage and user licenses, but also for the ability of the system to adjust to the growing needs of the organization.
And, finally, look for ease of use. You want a solution that embodies all the technical attributes but that can be easily and efficiently managed by all end users.
Digital Asset Management
