:: PathBuilder | Content Virtualization ::

Adapters

What is Content Virtualization?

Content Virtualization may be known by a variety of terms including shortcuts, references or stubs. Regardless of the terminology the goal is to allow users in one system to access content and metadata located in another. The main difference between virtualization and other approaches is that the physical content remains in the original repository. This offers several advantages including the need for little or no additional storage space and certain access to the latest content available. These objects look and feel like natively stored content and in most cases support a full set of native functions, eliminating the need for users to learn and navigate unfamiliar systems.

The Challenge

One of the biggest challenges facing business users is finding and accessing content that is sprinkled in isolated systems throughout their enterprise. Knowledge workers spend too much time navigating through unfamiliar applications in search of content, instead of working in their core areas.

The proliferation of enterprise-level applications such as Records Management, Search, Archiving and Enterprise Publishing has further driven the need for access to content that is not within easy reach of these types of systems

The PathBuilder Solution

By leveraging and extending PathBuilder technology Vital Path has embraced an innovative approach. PathBuilder creates an icon or a placeholder in a convenient location within the user’s native system that links to content located in remote repositories. Content virtualization provides many of the benefits of content synchronization, without the need to physically move content from system to system.

The Value of PathBuilder

References look and feel like any other content and in most cases support much of the local system’s native functionality.
Users gain the flexibility to access content from other systems, without the burden of learning and navigating multiple, unrelated systems.
Content virtualization eliminates the need to duplicate content in multiple repositories, reducing the burden on network bandwidth and data storage.
Updates are immediately available since the actual content is stored in a single location.