Review of a multimedia time
Egg, December 20, 2019: This year is also coming to an end, determinedly and steadily. So it’s time to take a brief look back at the past year. The number of new features in 2019 is so high that we will not be listing them here; instead we will be dealing with some fundamental aspects of the ArchivistaBox.
AVMultimedia finds its way into the ArchivistaBox
What began in March 2018 with AVMultimedia for the company’s 20th anniversary was completed in mid-November with the release of the ArchivistaBox 2019/XI. The new features of versions 2019/XI and 2019/XII are described in detail in the corresponding blogs.
At this point it should only be added that the new generation of ArchivistaBoxes will offer many more new possibilities for which there was no longer enough in 2019, but which will increasingly become the focus of attention in the coming years. More on this next year.
I would like to thank all our customers for their loyalty, without which developments such as the AV multimedia substructure would not be possible. And even though this is hardly noticed: Where else can you find a multimedia desktop that is installed automatically in about 10 seconds?
The end of the desktop…
Quite a few alleged trendsetters have been predicting the end of the classic desktop for years, the future lies with tablets and smartphones, everything else is old-fashioned and even, is the tenor both up and down the country.
The fact that tablets and smartphones can hardly run on their own without a massive expansion of the backside infrastructure (cloud) is usually completely ignored in all the mainstream news. But the fact is that cloud solutions cause high infrastructure costs and bear risks that are currently not even calculated.
Hardware Bugs and Cloud Security
The CPU errors that have occurred in recent years (keywords Spectre and Meltdown) are only reluctantly cited by the industry. The CPU manufacturers would have to replace them per se, but do not want to do so (it is easier to sell new CPUs). Solution providers would have to adapt their software in the foundations, as this is the only way to intercept these CPU attacks.
At first glance the decision in 2010 to provide our ArchivistaBoxes with their own kernel and installer was a courageous one. Today our solutions benefit from the fact that they can be easily maintained, especially because we maintain the base ourselves.
With every release the substructure that matches it is supplied. This has the advantage that we can respond very specifically to requirements. Every customer can determine when and how upgrades are installed.
With the cloud, there is no solution autonomy or choice of when to update. Hardware and software are also exposed to direct attacks, because cloud environments are not just a few computers, but entire computer farms with usually thousands of identical servers.
Neither customers nor suppliers have the choice of installing updates when there is time. A single attack is enough to paralyze the entire infrastructure. Decentrally structured solutions that are installed at the customer’s premises offer significantly fewer attack scenarios.
If one ArchivistaBox is affected then other Archivista systems will only be affected if a similar IT landscape is used (e.g. same ArchivistaBox version and firewall). For this reason it is important to us that our solutions run on a wide range of hardware — and it is precisely this that is now possible with the new base up to tablet devices.
That is why the ArchivistaBox is and remains simple
The ArchivistaBox was/is simple. This is because we do not set up and maintain our solutions manually. All these processes are automated. Furthermore all ArchivistaBoxes do not require any client installations. Any web browser is sufficient (even on the Smartphone). After 15 years with this concept it can also be mentioned here that extremely low costs can be realised for customers.
In 2008, we approached the issue with the claim that archiving a document over 10 years should not cost more than 5 centimes (or cents). Today, I see solutions in use where millions of documents can be stored over 10 years for significantly less than 1 centime or cent. And just so we understand each other, with ArchivistaDMS and ArchivistaERP entire workflows can be implemented cost-effectively.
With the second mainstay, virtualisation, we have also been delivering solutions for many years where competitors cannot keep up. Be it because expensive server hardware is used exclusively, be it because complex solutions are set up by hand.
The complexity of ArchivistaVM is so deep that we can easily deliver it with every ArchivistaDMS solution and also use it together with customers (e.g. with self-supporting archives) without customers having to understand the technology of virtualisation.
We have remained true to this guiding principle with the new AVMultimedia substructure for the ArchivistaBox. There is no easier way to set up and maintain a desktop. This work will keep us busy in 2018 and 2019. This is why we are looking forward to offering our customers even simpler and more up-to-date ArchivistaBox systems today and in the future with completely renewed ArchivistaBoxes.
Company holidays 23.12.19-5.1.20 and happy holidays
Our offices will be closed for the next two weeks. Look forward with us to relaxing days over Christmas and New Year. Of course all our customers receive support according to the maintenance contracts. Orders in the shop will be executed in January 2020. For the time over Christmas and New Year, we wish all of you contemplative and restful holidays and already now a happy new year 2020.
