As we’ve discussed previously, keeping your Media Asset Management (MAM) solution on-premises may not make the most sense for modern creative teams.
The alternative? Host your MAM system and data in the cloud, where you don’t need to own the servers that host your media, and your team can access projects anywhere, anytime.
But as with on-premises systems, there are pros and cons to working in the cloud. Understanding them is crucial when choosing the right MAM for your organization.
The Pros
There are two main advantages to managing your media assets in the cloud: cost and collaboration.
When it comes to collaboration, cloud is leading the way. Hosting media in the cloud lets teams work on any project, from any location. This makes it easy to bring in freelancers, or let multi-office teams work together across geographical locations. It also makes it much easier for clients to access and share feedback on projects while they’re in-progress. Learn more about MAM and collaboration here.
Leveraging cloud technology instead of investing in on-premises infrastructure can save companies thousands in up-front capital expenditure. This cost reduction can be particularly valuable to smaller companies who can’t afford to tie up large amounts of capital in infrastructure.
However, be aware that in the long term the cloud may or may not be the most cost-effective solution. For instance, if it would cost $10,000 to setup a network infrastructure, or $3,000/year to work exclusively in the cloud, it might be cheaper in the long run to setup on-premises servers. This is an overly simplistic example, but it illustrates the fact that the cost of the cloud is not as straightforward as some would make it out to be. You need to perform a cost-analysis against your organization’s goals and current position and act accordingly.
The Cons
One main disadvantage of using the cloud stems from the size of the media you are working with. For those working with text documents or images, the cloud is a game changer. But for those working with a large amount of video, a cloud-only MAM likely won’t work, as transferring terabytes of data back and forth to the cloud on a daily basis is impractical.
Does this mean that cloud MAM solutions have no value for teams working with video? Not necessarily.
Some MAM solutions are adopting a hybrid cloud model. The hybrid cloud is essentially the best of both worlds, enabling the collaboration capabilities of the cloud with the practical necessities of an on-premises network.
For a deep-dive into hybrid cloud MAM solutions, check back soon. Or, learn more about Evolphin Zoom, a MAM solution that’s transforming the way teams collaborate on content.