Kontiki specializes delivery

DMS 3.0 provides efficient and secure video, audio, and file distribution over existing networks

Another way Kontiki DMS saves time and bandwidth is by intelligently resuming delivery if a user goes offline. This is especially useful for mobile users with sporadic connectivity.

I was very keen on Kontiki’s customization features, which allowed me to make content more interactive or informative. Completing a simple form is all that’s needed to create what Kontiki calls Response Bars that appear below your content. Response Bars can be linked to most anything, such as online quizzes, feedback forms, and so on. To accompany a sales meeting video, my Response Bar held links to related intranet material.

Another way to make engaging presentations is with Microsoft Producer 2003, which builds a synchronized presentation containing audio, video, slides, and images. An included plug-in collects the various files from Microsoft Producer and packages the output as one file for delivery by Kontiki.

One more benefit is smooth integration with other applications and data. Sitting on top of the Kontiki application is an XML Web Services Connector. Using this connector, I automatically published content from Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server.

Safeguarding Content

Network Protector let me secure content based on rules I’d defined during publishing. In the simplest form, using password security, I restricted file access to certain user groups.

Several other security capabilities are also worth mentioning. First, you can leverage Microsoft DRM (Digital Rights Management) from within DMS 3.0. By checking a box, I prevented a Windows movie file from being forwarded outside my enterprise. Other options control how many times a video or audio file can be copied to a CD or played before it is deleted.

Second, you can apply Adobe Acrobat security features to a PDF file using DMS 3.0. As with other functions, clearly defined forms and check boxes are used to restrict printing or content extraction. Although you can set PDF file security before uploading documents using the full Acrobat application, this feature would be useful for users creating PDF files through other means.

Third, files downloaded to users’ desktops can be obscured, providing an extra measure of protection against unauthorized content copying. And if you’re concerned about protecting files as they move over the network, DMS 3.0 relies on point-to-point content encryption and digital signatures to prevent data corruption or alteration.

Managing the Flow

System administrators can use the Web-based Network Manager console to centrally control grid delivery. In my tests, I specified that a main-office location with a high-speed LAN would not pull content from a remote location connected with a slower ISDN link, helping me both optimize speed and manage communications costs. Other options allow fine-tuning of delivery speed when users are working at their PC so e-mail and other Internet-based tasks are not slowed; conversely, if no activity is detected DMS 3.0 downloads at full speed. 

Finally, Kontiki Analyzer 3.0’s usage reports helped me measure content popularity and subscription effectiveness. Another important reporting tool let me verify who had viewed instructional videos and for what duration; this information is crucial for many industries that need to verify employee training to comply with government regulations or other guidelines.