Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems are becoming increasingly important to marketers, creatives, and sales representatives due to their functionality. They serve as a central repository for all of their digital assets, which makes their task substantially more efficient and cost-effective.
For almost 30 years, Cumulus has been the go-to DAM system for numerous companies across a wide variety of industries. It provided on-premise content solutions that enabled them to manage and access their media assets with ease.
Unfortunately, Canto has stated that its Cumulus Enterprise will be phased out on December 31, 2023. With the introduction of their new Canto DAM, the company's focus has shifted to cloud-based content management systems. However, current Cumulus users may want to look for an alternative that better suits their needs.
Why Is Canto Ditching Cumulus for the Completely Cloud-Based DAM?
On-premises vs. cloud-based Digital asset management has long been a topic of debate. With many businesses adopting remote working after the coronavirus outbreak, the issue became increasingly prominent.
On-premise means that the hardware is hosted on the company's facilities, from storage to security and maintenance. The company is entirely responsible for all aspects of its DAM system. This presents clear advantages like freedom and complete control, but it also has drawbacks such as the initial cost and the danger of losing data without cloud backup.
Cloud Data Asset Management (DAM) systems are a popular alternative to on-premise solutions, and they address many of their shortcomings. Because the company offering the service is responsible for server power, security, maintenance, and other resources, these systems provide hassle-free and accessible data storage for all employees and other authorized personnel. They do, however, severely limit your control over the security and backup aspects of your content management and impose dependency on a third-party vendor.
In addition to the growing need for cloud-based DAM solutions due to the increased usage of remote working, Canto developed their new solution to help companies save money by simplifying the intricacies of Cumulus' procedures. Unfortunately, businesses who rely on on-premise systems are left out in the cold and must either migrate to the cloud, rendering their hardware obsolete, or seek other on-premise solutions.
What Does This Mean for Cumulus’ Users?
The Cumulus end of life might be disruptive to many businesses' workflows, but it can also be an excellent opportunity to switch to more modern and flexible alternatives. And while the new cloud-based Canto DAM is a great option to move to, and it has many improvements over its predecessor, it still has some shortcomings. An outdated interface, a less than optimal Adobe InDesign integration, and slow file uploading times are some of the reported drawbacks of the new Canto system.
If you are looking for a better way to access, organize and share your assets, WoodWing Swivle is the digital asset management solution for you. With Swivle, you can maintain brand consistency, get your content to market faster, and improve collaboration. You can request a free trial here.
But if an on-premise solution aligns more with your needs, Cavok is the way to go. It offers efficient workflows, secure access to assets from anywhere, and seamless integration with other systems to automate work. Discover more about Cavok here.