NMNH EMu DAMS Integration Project

Rebecca SnyderSmithsonian, NMNH

• NMNH is one of more than 20 museums that are part of the Smithsonian

• NMNH has over “128 million” objects in our collection

• ~5.5 million are in EMu with ~650,000 images (for now)

• Our staging area currently has 18TB waiting for the DAMS integration and the soon to arrive new storage is nearly all claimed, meaning there is at least 40TB waiting for me to be done… (no pressure)

The Lay of the Land:

DAMS vs SANs:

• Curation and archiving benefits that a DAMS offers

• Scale – over time we would end up with a SAN farm

• Cost – NMNH would be paying for the SANs… SI pays for the DAMS

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

Information Management

File/Digital Asset Management

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

• primary focus on managing the physical file

• focus beyond multimedia file formats

• ability to identify files (multimedia, text, pdf, etc.) you determine are at risk of format obsolescence and bulk convert to new format – while keeping original and using new derivative as the ‘current use’ version (ie: version control)

• specialized and dedicated system for long term verified storage

• seamless integration with proposed SI Trusted Digital Repository (a true archive system)

• and flexible enterprise storage (on- near- & off-line) that NMNH does not have to continuously upgrade

What the DAMS is providing:

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

Planning:

• Phased approach – focus on images first, video and audio (mental shudder) later

• Which system is the database of record? For all or just some?

• Who manages the DAMS? What documentation will you need them to provide?

•Access and security to DAMS stored images

• How are edits managed?

• How will it affect the web replication process?

• How will the integration fit within the museum’s overall initiatives?

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

SI DAMS

Oracle DBMS

SI TDR(trusted digital

repository)

UNIX/Texpress

NMNHEMu Web

Linux

SI C

ross

Sea

rch

ing

Lay

er

NMNH EMu

NMNH Data and Multimedia Flow:

filter

EMu-DAMS ClientImplemented as a client side Java application.

Build Requirements:• JDK 1.6 (minimum JDK 1.5) installed on NMNH test and production servers.• Maven2 for managing the Java build.

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

DAMS EMu Plan:

• Totally transparent to the EMu users

• User ingests file within multimedia module as normal

• EMu automatically generates thumbnail and your department’s chosen web resolution (also acts as ‘local access’)

• After seven days since last edit, EMu passes original image to the DAMS – basically treating the DAMS as a remote storage location

• The DAMS keeps EMu images in sequestered part of system. No non-EMu access (except Admin of course...)

• When EMu user requests original image download, EMu sends request to DAMS for file

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

Backend vs. Client:

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

Security Profile:

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

User Profile:

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

SI Central IT Timeline: • DAMS was an SI Pilot until early 2008• Project went “Enterprise” in Feb 2008• OCIO reorganization in June 2008• Production system “Live” June 2009•“Final Architecture” Oct 2009• Planned EMu DAMS go-live date Nov 2009

NMNH Timeline: • Nov 2008 – Feb 2009: Spec and Code writing• April 2009: KE Testing and Test Release 1• April 2009: NMNH Round 1 Testing• May 2009: KE Issue Resolution after NMNH Testing• (waiting for 4.0.01…) •Aug 2009: NMNH Round 2 Testing• Mid Nov 2009: Go Live!

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

Where we are:

• Waiting for all environments to upgrade to the 4.0.01 client

• Waiting for the final version of the Operations Support Documentation to be approved by our IT Management Committee

• Waiting for DAMS manager to be back in the country

• Earliest go-live date is Nov 16th… we’ll see…

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

Lessons Learned:

• Wait until your museum’s DAMS goes enterprise before you start trying to plan dates

• Do a phased approach and start with images &/or documents

• Spend time before turning the switch to do some housekeeping

• If you go with Artesia, you don’t need the API

• Be prepared to throw your time table out the window

• If your unit is not administrating the DAMS, be sure to have an agreement in writing spelling out the role of each system before going live

Why a DAMS?

Planning Phase

Design Phase

Action Shots

Timeline

Lessons

It’s been like an awkward dance between two teenagers at the junior prom – full of fits & stops and odd pauses…

In Summary:

But in the end it all works like a beautiful ballet…

Contact Information:Rebecca Snyder

Smithsonian, NMNHsnyderr@si.edu202.633.0754