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9 ASSET Preservation - Geospatial data is 
expensive and older data are irreplaceable. 
G-DAM systems should allow the user to 
indefinitely preserve digital assets, even if 
* they are seldom or no longer used. Modern, 
sophisticated DAM systems automatically 
scan the archive periodically to determine 
the condition of the data. Figure 3 shows a 
multi-path approach to asset preservation. 
Automated immediate backup is just one 
element in the approach to asset 
preservation. In addition, the system 
carefully monitors both the age and 
utilization of all media, automating the 
performance of tape maintenance, for 
instance, or dictating the transfer to fresh 
media to ensure quality preservation. 
Coupled with the ability to accept future 
Storage technologies and formats, this results 
in an unlimited life span for the system and 
its content. 
  
Aae Utilization 
// Proactive ^» 
l Media J 
s Preservation! 
i - 
A Algorithms / 
Performance Asset 
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Figure3 Illustrating a modern approach to digital 
asset preservation 
DEVELOPER 
The developer is involved in generating new and 
saleable products from the archive. His/her 
requirements for the G-DAM are similar to the USER 
requirements but, additionally, include the ability to 
interface to and integrate a variety of tools for image 
Processing and manipulation and for GIS use. Many 
different image processing and GIS tools are 
commercially available. Software for applications as 
diverse as imagery analysis, demographic analysis, 
and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXXV, Part B4. Istanbul 2004 
1171 
  
route planning, report writing or file editing and 
repurposing should be integrated and accessible 
through the user interface. The G-DAM system should 
have an easy interface to currently available tools and 
also be sufficiently customizable to change to other 
tools as they are developed. A related requirement is 
that the system be capable of ingesting a wide range of 
imagery formats. 
To ensure efficient use of the System, automated 
workflow is another concern of the developer. A G- 
DAM should be capable of a high degree of 
automation in the installation’s work flow. The 
developer can then customize the automation of 
distribution and assignment of tasks to speed tasks and 
data to the appropriate desktops. The automation of 
the distribution, assignment and approval processes 
permits tracking of work in progress, and enables 
ongoing prioritization adjustments among different 
projects or customers. Depending on the current and 
forecast workflow requirements of an organization, 
this type of automation can yield significant returns in 
efficiencies. 
3- CONCLUSION 
What is the current state of the art? How much 
automation is achievable and what are reasonable 
performance expectations? 
By 2001, G-DAM systems were capable of capturing 
live satellite imagery at a rate of up to terabytes a day, 
eventually storing millions of images for easy and 
rapid retrieval. In a typical geospatial installation, data 
ingest and archive functions are integrated with 
imagery analysis software on dozens of workstations. 
Imagery analysts using modern G-DAM systems can 
call up a variety of applications, including GIS, from 
the same interface used to search and retrieve imagery. 
New software programs can typically be added to the 
suite of applications. 
Current systems are highly automated but rely also on 
user interaction. Systems are scaleable and modular 
allowing for growth of an installation. Modern DAMs 
are capable of ingesting a wide variety of formats 
including motion imagery (MPEG) and various still 
image formats (JPEG and TIFF). They are designed 
with customizable browser-based graphical user 
interfaces and a modular architecture. | DAM's can 
manage more than 10,000TB of digital assets in any 
combination of online, near-line and offline storage.