How Open Systems Provide Flexibility and Why is it Important to You - Part 2
Greetings!
Where music is stored and how it is stored has a significant impact on the audiophile music experience.
Today we’ll investigate how open systems effect getting music not only in but out of your music storage system.
Loading Music and Closed Systems
Closed Systems - each system does its own thing
How does a closed system affect loading music?
Simply put - it depends! All manufacturers are different of course but some manufacturers make this process easier than others. While there is always a way to get music in the system it might entail something as difficult or time consuming as re-ripping your music! Some manufacturers offer “load” options to initially bulk load or copy already ripped music but these options might be hidden from your clients and require extra work on your part. Getting the music out might be the next problem you encounter. This could make the music storage choice feel a bit like a roach motel, the music checks in but it never checks out.
You certainly want your clients to be happy and the best solution for each client is different. When making product suggestions be sure to ask not only about the state of their music collection today but how they use it. The client with a more static music collection will have very different needs than the client with a fluid collection.
It is important to consider options such as moving music back and forth from an iPod, external libraries of music as well as adding new music from CDs. The answers to these questions and more will help you determine if the features in a particular closed system will excite or frustrate your clients.
And, finally, if a music storage system is closed - you may need to be involved a little more often to assist with proprietary control devices, transfer methods, loading or unloading options when clients want to add or change the music on their server.
Loading Music and Open Systems
Open Systems - many systems working together
When all of the components of the system use open standards - you can use everyday standard options to move music. Create a network drive then drag and drop the music from an old library or storage location to the new library or music storage location. While drag and drop music copying might seem like a must have feature be sure to ask. Only an open system will have such flexibility.
Open systems make training easier as well. Support of standard features such as Network Addressable Storage devices (NAS) and network addressable servers make system support easier. With an open system there are no special rules to learn unique to the system. No proprietary implementation means the rules and process of creating an IP based network are already known and understood. Communication is easier and copying or moving music is easier as well. You can even implement standard back up procedures so your clients music is protected and backed up. You’ll sleep like a baby knowing your client’s music collection is backed up and protected.
We all know those little things that you think should take 5 minutes that inevitably take much longer can begin to nibble away at your margin, ultimately reducing your bottom line.
How Do I Decide?
Choose flexibility and choose a system that can grow with you into the future.
How much music does your client have? How often does their music collection change? With open systems - you can create a single remote storage vehicle made up of one or many physical storage mediums that allow your clients to easily manage a large library of music.
We at moodSeer are committed to designing with open standards. That is why our clients are able to move their music from an internal drive on the moodCenter, to a NAS drive located somwhere on the network to their iPod and back again. Life can get complicated but your music server choice shouldn’t be.
