Describe Repository ?

A Repository is a managed unit of content and metadata storage and includes areas on the file system and a database.

Content management systems need to manage both content and metadata. Documentum uses the host file system (by default) to store the content and a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) to manage metadata and its association with the content items.

Note: Content can also be stored in other types of storage systems, including an RDBMS, a content-addressed storage (CAS), or external storage devices.

The organizational details of files and metadata in a repository are hidden from the users and applications that need to interact with the repository. The repository is managed and made available to the users and applications via standard interfaces by a Content Server process.

1). A repository can include full-text indexes if an Index Server is a part of the installation. Full-text indexes enable rapid searching within content files and metadata.

2).A repository can also include an XML store to provide native XML persistence and management capabilities.

3). The repository infrastructure can include directory services as an authentication mechanism.

Note : The repository was officially referred to as docbase in pre-5.3 Documentum versions. The term docbase is still popular and is used interchangeably with repository.

Repository Basic Structure :

What is Metadata ?

As the content itself unstructerd ,it is not possible to read and understand the content without any prior knowledge of it.Therefore,each content item is associated with some structred data,which desribes the content item.this data that provides information about the attached content item is called "metadata".

Metadata consists of a set of data items called "properties" or "Attributes".

In other words Metadata is "Data about the data"

What is Content ?

Files stored on the file system are generally unstructred and can contain information in any form.

Such files and information they contain are collectively reffered to as "Content".

A check Image ,an email,a manual in PDF format, and a vedio clip are all example of unstructured content . Some file formats,such as a comma seperated values(CSV),may contain data that may be considered as structured.

"However every file can be considred 'content', irrespective of its format"

What kinds of content will be managed ?

Documentum can manage all manner of content:

1). Electronic documents, such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, AutoCAD drawings, and Acrobat PDF files.

2).Scanned images and OCR’d documents

3). Binary data objects, such as executable files and compiled code

4). Hard copy documents in the form of pointers to actual physical locations; for example, “Drawing X is located in Building 2, Room 5, Cabinet 7, Drawer 3 on the Eunice campus”

Documentum also includes transformation services that make it easy to convert documents from one format to another. For example, you can easily convert an AutoCAD drawing to PDF format, or an Excel spreadsheet to HTML.

How do I access my content ?

The primary means for accessing your content will be through the Webtop interface. Webtop is an easy to use Web browser-based tool that in many ways resembles Windows Explorer. Using Internet Explorer, you will be able to use Webtop to access the Documentum repository from anywhere on the network. Moreover, when you log in to Documentum through Webtop, you will get your own personalized desktop.

The Documentum Webtop makes it easy to quickly get up and running with Documentum, and provides several built-in features that can enhance productivity. Some of these features include:

1). Windows Explorer-like navigation through hierarchical folder trees

2). Integrated search tools to leverage Documentum database queries and content services

3).Digital thumbnails that make it easier to locate a wide range of digital media assets

4).A personal, customizable desktop that you can access through a Web browser from anywhere on the intranet and, depending on VPN access, even the World Wide Web In terms of day-to-day navigation through your content in Documentum, there are three primary ways to find what you are looking for from within the Webtop interface:

A). Click through the hierarchical folder tree, just as you would in Windows Explorer

B). Perform a full-text search

C). Enter a database query using one or more search criteria, such as keywords, dates, descriptions, owner, and workflow status, among others.

How does Documentum work ?

Documentum is at its core an object-oriented database system that sits between Microsoft Windows and the Windows applications you use every day.

Numerous extensions and customizations are available for Documentum. Documentum will be integrated with an access control system called Authentica and a scanning/optical character recognition (OCR) component called Captiva.

Documentum is not an operating system, nor will it require you to use unfamiliar applications. You will be able to continue using the Windows applications and tools with which you are familiar, like Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, and SAP.

Because Documentum is a true object-oriented relational database system, many types of database queries, content relationships, and workflow automation are possible. For example, workflows can be defined such that a document can be automatically forwarded through review, sign-off, implementation, and archiving phases, with each step acting as a programmatic “trigger” for subsequent steps.

What is Documentum?

Documentum from EMC Corporation is a unified Content Management System that provides tools for working with many types of content-Documents,drawings,scanned images,hard copy - in a single repository that can span multiple departments and fuctional areas within organization.

By Mnagaging all organization content in a single repository,it makes it easier to :

Share : Share and reuse information across organization.

Find : Find information by means of full text searches ,keyword quries,database -style SQL quries and windows explorer -like navigation through disk directories.

Secure : Secure and control access to information

Track : Track changes ,versions and access logs.

Maintain : Maintain audit trails and records for the puropse oof the regulatory compliance.

Automate :Automate or streamline business processes and workflows.

Together these benifits can mean increased the efficiency ,better decission making,greater securtity,and reduced operating system costs for Organization