Perception : Implementation of a MAM system takes months - if not years
Truth : You can be up and running in minutes
MAM history is littered with projects that took years to implement and were obsolete by the time they were delivered. This was generally caused by an over-focus on up-front analysis driven by the need to understand the operating model ahead of configuration, which itself was driven by the complex and time-consuming nature of configuration.
A modern MAM can be up and running in minutes - or seconds in the case of cloud-based system. From the 'vanilla' base an operator can quickly create users, set access permissions and build simple production workflows. A modern MAM allows operators to build and test workflows as they go - an agile approach which delivers rapid results. Because it is now quick and easy to configure and implement a base system, and then customise the system to your needs, there is less pressure to perform a perfect up-front analysis, and more tolerance for changing requirements.
Perception: Deploying a new MAM means replacing the systems we have.
Truth : An effective MAM will integrate with legacy and 3rd party systems.
Subsuming functionality, particularly in active systems is fraught with risk - risk which always translates to cost. The simplest and most cost-effective approach is rarely replacement.
A modern MAM vendor should be able to provide connectors to commonly used 3rd party systems and be willing to build these for legacy components. These connectors are used to get essential data from 3rd party systems, process it and if necessary, put data back. The MAM should be capable of acting as the integration layer that connects systems and, importantly, provide a single view of the operation.
Perception: MAMs only manage media.
Truth : Modern MAMs provide broader capabilities including workflow orchestration and enterprise reporting.
Very few modern MAMs are just asset managers, but perversely the term MAM has stuck because it's one that everyone understands. Rather than just being limited to a static repository where media objects are stored and made accessible, many MAMs include key operational functions such as automatic and task-driven workflows. The automation of tasks such as transcoding in a workflow obviously removes manual process but of equal benefit is a task driven workflow which drives operation procedure - i.e. the people.
Perception: MAM projects require big investments in infrastructure and storage
Truth: Modern MAM's use the cloud for scalability
Although the cost of MAM software is largely flat (or at least should be,) the cost of storage is dependent on the volume of media being produced and stored. When planning on-prem' deployments, system designers - understandably - plan for the worst-case scenario, which means high storage costs and big CAPEX spend.
Using a combination of on-premise and cloud storage allows media operators to avoid spending money up-front for capacity that they may or may not need in the future. MAM vendors like Blue Lucy are able to seamlessly blend the on-prem' and cloud-based services, providing access through a single user experience. This approach offers huge flexibility for 'burst' capacity and de-risks a strategy of cloud migration.
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