Canto Cumulus 6.5 Delivers Digital Asset Management Throughout the Enterprise
Latest version is optimized for greater performance, improved workflow,
convenient administration, and offers enhanced features for enterprise-wide
deployment.
February 8, 2005 – San Francisco, Berlin. Canto, a global leader in Digital
Asset Management (DAM) solutions, today announced the release of Canto
Cumulus 6.5 with enhancements designed to manage content more effectively
and significantly reduce learning time for easier enterprise-wide
deployment.
With its fast growing role as a core component of the enterprise
infrastructure, the newest version of Cumulus focuses on simplifying
administration with enhanced authentication methods including LDAP support
and new administration tools for increased system control.
“Setting up a flexible solution that allows easy administration and
intuitive workflow can be labor-intensive and complex,” said Ulrich Knocke,
Canto’s Senior Product Manager. “With Cumulus 6.5, we’ve managed to add
more functionality for enterprise-wide deployment and at the same time
offer ease of use and help drive down the cost of implementing a valuable
system. Cumulus 6.5 offers the benefits and technology required to manage
the wealth of digital content large organizations work with daily, without
the pain and expense of competitive solutions.”
Enhanced Authentication Methods for More Effectively Managing
Enterprise-Wide Content
Cumulus 6.5 supports an enhanced built-in user management module, LDAP
directory servers as well as a new authentication API. User authentication
can be based on passwords stored in the built-in authentication method or
an LDAP server, on system passwords (e.g. domain passwords), and with the
new authentication API, even on any other authentication system.
To simplify the Administrator’s task Cumulus 6.5 introduces the Server
Console. This is a centralized administration tool for the Workgroup Server
Solutions and Cumulus Enterprise. The Server Console features the existing
Remote Admin and User Manager modules, as well as some new ones such as the
Activity Monitor, Backup Manager and Log Manager.
Dramatic enhancements have been made to the permissions management in the
User Manager. It is much easier to use, comes with a performance boost, and
allows the setting of permissions, even on the Sets. These include View
Sets, Assets Handling Sets and also Metadata Templates.
In order to address customer workflow needs, Actions and Metadata Templates
have been introduced in all versions of Cumulus 6.5. Cumulus Actions is a
new time saving feature that defines sets of procedures. An Action is a
combination of certain functions that now allow several procedures to be
performed in one quick step. Also, users can now create, modify or use
Metadata Templates that are sets of preset field values with additional
attributes for selected record fields. The Metadata Template Editor
guarantees that all entered information remains consistent.
“We are continually challenged to streamline our operations,” said Frank
Ray, Texas Instruments. “Using a digital asset management system is
critical for the efficient use and control of our digital media. Cumulus
6.5 continues to build on its core capabilities. Consolidating and
simplifying user administration, with the new authentication API and LDAP
integration, increases flexibility and security. Metadata templates and
enhanced query functionality will make it even easier to catalog, maintain,
and more importantly find, our expensive digital assets. These and other
new features within Cumulus 6.5 will make it even easier for us to benefit
from our digital media library.”
“Having LDAP authentication in Cumulus 6.5 is truly an asset, and I am even
happier to see the automated catalog backups, and the Log Manager. I
believe these two items will get the most applause, and wide spread usage
among customers,” said Gerry Siebel, Senior Programmer at Prepress Solution
Specialist Carey Digital. “Being able to schedule backups of your catalogs
adds to the customers’ security. Being able to easily view the logs helps
them track, justify, and improve its usability.”
Many other new features have also been introduced in Cumulus 6.5 to enhance
the user experience. These range from improved presentation features and
customization capabilities to ease of use. For example, Cumulus 6.5 now
supports Image Color Management (ICM), ensuring that colors will be
accurately and consistently represented, offers enhanced CMYK support in
the Pixel Image Converter, and even allows lossless rotation of JPEG
originals on the hard disc. The original image quality remains untouched,
and optimum image quality is guaranteed when opening an image in any
application. This feature will be especially useful for photographers.
The ‘Quicksearch’ function is now customizable and queries can now be
selected from the toolbar by a mouse-click. Version 6.5 will also find
duplicates and records of which the assets are missing. These valuable
functions will keep users’ catalogs up-to-date and consistent.
Availability
Cumulus 6.5 Single User, Workgroup (Server Solutions) and Enterprise are
immediately available in English, German, French and Japanese. Server
versions for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and Solaris, and Client and Single
User versions for Mac OS X and Windows are offered. Upgrades are offered
for existing installations. Users who participate in the Upgrade Advantage
Program will receive this upgrade within that UAP. For more information on
all Canto products and services and to download demo versions go to: