Flow Works has over 14 years of experience with digital media files and their conversions, non-linear editing systems, production and postproduction workflows, broadcast process chains, marketing with media, delivery and distributions to VOD platforms and social media networks. There are differences with Flow Works and other media asset management systems:
 Flexibility
When we speak of flexibility, we mean our ability to adapt the system to your choice of purposes and systems. Flexible to us means that our software and hardware are fully compatible and customizable to your needs and to your internal processes. It also means, that you only pay for what you need and will not be surprised by "additional modules and costs" you may need for your workflow. You can start with a smaller system, cost-effective transcoders and lower storage capacities. But once you have to increase the power or task of any component, you will be able to do so without surprises or problems. Flow software grows with your actual and future requirements!
 Transcoding without limits
Flow Works has been writing its own transcoders for more than 10 years now. We know about every single format out there, and especially about the upcoming ones. Our partnerships with codec inventors like the Fraunhofer institute, MainConcept or DivX empower us to get the best new codecs up and running in your system to make it future proof in no time. Our software works with any level of transcoding facilities – from open-source up to broadcast level – without a glitch. Enjoy the ability to choose your best formats for your purposes without any compromises. No need to worry if your throughput is increasing, simply add another transcoder service to your existing system – online or on location.
 Unparalleled security
Flow Works provides media asset management systems to a diverse client base with many different IT-environments, from broadcasters and TV stations to software companies. All our clients rely on our expertise, experience and constant work on our highly secure backend software in a variety of network environments, internal or external. Our software is not dependent on third party software products to ensure maximum performance or security. Whether installed behind firewalls, in VPNs or in a DMZ, the Flowworks software is configurable to any network setups and security configurations.
 Apps for complete location independent operations
Working with media content in most cases is time critical. Time that you have to sit in front of a Desktop computer or Laptop to access your media files, the metadata and all processes for your content, from previewing, editing, accumulating, approving until the final distribution. All of our modules can be checked from your smartphone or tablet while you might not be in the office. No matter how big or decentralised your system may be, you will always be able to see your content and work with it, without limits. Our apps are not only for previewing, but the whole process chains that you might have established within your Flow system. The native Apps are also completely customizable to fit your needs. Be free anywhere!
 Device and Workflow system does include your IT-environment
Most MAM systems come with a workflow engine. Most of these stop right at the most important place: the edge of your MAM server. Being able to integrate your existing IT environment and use it to create workflows from A to Z - maybe with some detour over Mr. Miller, Mrs. Smith, system P and client X – is essential when it comes to completely automated or semi-automated processes. Flow Device Manager module makes use of any other device – including human interaction - that you want within your workflow chain. Our plugin systems and the rapid prototyping development in the device manager and workflow manager module makes it easy to generate new nodes that can be used in your media or metadata processing chain within very short development cycles. Any interaction – be it network, file-based or available over an API – is possible and can be customized into your Flow system very quickly.
 Superscalar high-performance
Flow software itself is a ressource saving software, mostly written in C++ without impacting the basic server OS much for RAM or CPU cycles. No memory heap and stack overflowing additional software is needed. This enables us to use relatively small server systems for a big user group while maintaining maximum performance levels. This is also the reason why we are able to install our software on micro servers from our partner Intel with the full range of modules, enabling you to use a small media asset management system in smaller productions, on set or as a mobile MAM system, still having all the comfort and features of the bigger version at hand. Scalability is another strong feature of the Flow software. When installed on big server systems, it makes use of all its hardware ressources, enabling you to server many thousands of users per server. With the Flow2Flow connect modules, this is still not the upper limit. Connect all your Flow instances to work as a homogenous or heterogenous untiy with a decentral database. The Flow systems can search within other connected Flows, preview the files instantly, edit metadata on it instantly, synchronize, transfer and deliver content with a simple click from any other location. Be future proof with our modularity!
 Cloud-based MAM for expansion or short term projects
To emphasise and support this high scalability and flexibility, Flow Works offers its Flow media asset management software inside Amazons cloud computing and storage clusters. This makes an ideal and attractive offer to make use of a professional MAM system within a very short time, without having to plan and setup complex computing and storages architectures. This cloud based MAM can also be used for short term projects without having the risk of high investments on a mature solution. The cloud Flow software can also be used to expand all your existing local Flow solutions with a high power, big storage online module and as a CDN for projects with user generated content and uploads, webtv extensions, establishing a VOD platform and much more. Pay only for what you use!
 Multihomed flexible storage system module
Storage architectures and the planning of decent space for your media needs can be painful and highly time and cost intensive. And once you are done with it, having it all set up and installed, you may run into trouble because of performance or storage space limits for future or even actual projects since your media editing parts or the codecs and resolutions (4k/UHD) change quickly. Flow software operates with a unique storage engine which allows more than one big expensive storage to offer flexible future proof media operations at all times. Simply expand your storage systems locally or networked and attach it to your Flow software product. A priority and rule based storage management system module within the Flow software takes care of the source files or derivatives while automatically synching, copying and moving the media files where you need them, eliminating the need of a complete storage system exchange and discard. Additionally the cloud based storage on Flow solutions on Amazon can be simply attached in various configurations to supply cloud-, backup- or CDN-functionality very quickly.
 Decentralised and heterogenous media asset management with true independent locations
Having a media asset management system means your media and communication center being tied to one place with increasingly big hardware and expensive storage add-ons, getting bigger and bigger network connections to the outside world for more media throughput to your clients and outposts? Who told you that? Why not establish a true independent satellite system to increase the amount of visual material and contextual data? Flow software and hardware products offer configurations for true decentralised media asset managements which work together as a cluster, providing operation on different locations with heterogenous content and data. Even a mixture of Flow Centers, FlowNow cloud systems and Flow Ant micro mams is possible seamlessly to avoid a growing single system blackout due to costs or hardware and software limits. Not all content has to be in one place, no single system has to feed all locations. Especially globally operating TV and news companies, marketing divisions and media departments that need different content at different locations, resource and hardware saving environments in order to keep up speed whilst overviewing the available content to the whole media data cluster, synchronizing and delivering without a flaw. Build your systems intelligently and easyly!
 Complete remote API for full customizing and integration
Flow Works software offers a powerful and full featured API for your own business integration. The API includes 100 percent of all system calls, media features and metadata edits, workflow nodes and makes them remotely accessible to your system architects, programmers and web designers. With this API you take control of the Flow system from the outside world with secure authentication and can make use of all the features of a Flow system on your webpage, application, app, system or business model. This API is sophistcated and fully documented, Flows own webgui and apps use it to communicate with the core system.
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