A Central Asset Location is a single storage location used to store specific digital assets. Employing a Central Asset Location ensures your assets remain accessible to all, and can more easily be accounted for. Cumulus lets you choose between different types of Central Asset Locations:
• File System – Any standard file system location can be used as a Cen- tral Asset Location. The most common example is a network file server. This type is supported by the Asset Storage Modules for the operating systems.
• Internet (FTP) Servers – If you need to keep files accessible from an Internet FTP server, you can choose an FTP server as Central Asset Location. This option is less popular for works-in-progress because of performance and other limitations associated with this type of server access; but when archiving assets, this option can be ideal. This type is supported by the URL AssetStore.
• Cumulus Vault – This type provides asset check in/out and version control services not available with the other two types. The file sys- tem on the Vault Server machine physically stores the assets kept in the Vault, but Cumulus Vault controls access to the files, which enables it to offer these advanced services not available when using the file system directly. This type is supported by the Vault AssetStore. A Central Asset Location is chosen as a catalog property setting. Each cat- alog can have its own Central Asset Location. What the best choice is depends on how the catalog is used. For more best practice information on Central Asset Locations, see the tutorial “Understanding Central Asset Locations in Cumulus” from Canto's “Exploring Series.”
PRECONDITIONS: To set up a Central Asset Location for a catalog, you must have the appropriate Administrator permissions (Permissions > Administrator Permissions > Modify Central Asset Location (option for the Modify Catalog Settings permission.)
To configure a catalog to employ a Central Asset Location:
1. Make sure the collection window containing the catalog is the active window in Cumulus.
Permissions Summary
Shows what permissions each user or role has for the catalog.
NOTE>>>You can only view the information, for editing you have to employ the User Manager of the Server Console.<<<
1. Lists the users and roles managed by the Cumulus Users catalog. 2. Displays the permissions the above selected user/role has for the catalog. 3. Displays the sets, actions, queries, and templates available for the above
selected user/role with that catalog.
Overview: Catalog Settings
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CATALOG SETTINGS 31
2. Select Cumulus/ Edit > Preferences. 3. Click Catalog Settings.
The Catalog Settings window is displayed. If the active collection window contains more than one catalog, select the catalog you want to edit under Catalogs.
4. Click General.
5. Under Copy Assets to Central Location, enable Use Central Asset Location.
The next step is to choose where to store the copies and which Asset Storage module you want to use.
6. Click Browse. The Choose an Asset Storage Module dialog opens.
7. Select the desired module and click OK. The next steps depend on the selected module:
• Selecting the URL AssetStore opens a window for entering a URL.
Enter a valid URL of an existing FTP directory and click OK. • Selecting a File System AssetStore opens a window to select a
folder. Browse for the folder you want the asset to be stored in and then click OK
• Selecting the Vault AssetStore opens the Select Remote Mod- ule dialog.
Select the computer running the file system or the Vault Server from the Computer field. Your next step is to decide whether you want the assets to be stored directly in the folder of the Vault Server or in a subfolder nested in the Vault Server folder. Such a subfolder is called a Vault Folder.
Select the desired option. If you decided on Use Vault Server Directly, your next step is to click OK.
If you decided on Use Vault Folder, the list for selecting this folder is activated. Then your next step is to select the Vault Folder you want the asset to be stored in and click OK. NOTE >>> If a catalog is set as exclusive for a Vault Folder this folder cannot be used as a central asset storage location for any
other catalog. If you want a catalog to be set as exclusive, you have to create a new Vault Folder for it. <<<
8. Select the mode for copying assets to the central asset storage location chosen above. The mode determines when the Central Asset Location is used:
• As Set in Asset Handling Set – the Asset Handling Set employed for cataloging decides if assets are copied to the selected Central Location.
• Always – Assets are always copied to the selected Central Loca- tion, regardless of the Asset Handling Set used.
• Always and Exclusive (available with Vault AssetStore only) – Assets are always copied to Vault and their asset storage loca- tion is exclusively Vault.
9. Click Apply to save your changes and select the next catalog you want to set up for a Central Asset Location.
OR
Click OK to save your changes and close the Preferences window.
When users catalog assets to this catalog from now on, the asset can be copied or will be copied to the selected Central Asset Location.
NOTE >>> Central Asset Locations and Asset Handling Sets
Every Asset Handling Set that is to be used with a Central Asset Location (for cataloging or access), must be configured with the Central Asset Location’s corresponding asset storage module activated. So, activate the Mac OS and Windows AssetStore modules for file system locations, the URL AssetStore for FTP locations and the Vault AssetStore for Vault locations. <<<