How Fotoware SaaS enables CROW to work with images securely and flexibly

CROW is a technology platform in the Netherlands dedicated to transport, infrastructure, and public space.

As a non-profit organization, the government and businesses work together in pursuit of the common interests through the design, construction and management of roads and other traffic and transport facilities. 

CROW has used the Fotoware Digital Asset Management solution for the past 12 years, and recently embarked on the journey of moving their on-premises DAM to the Cloud.

We caught up with Mirjam Veen, Information Specialist at CROW, to hear more about how the migration process was like, and what they achieved after moving to Fotoware SaaS. 

What is the primary purpose of DAM for CROW?

Fotoware DAM is a central repository for all the images our organization owns. We store and manage image files and illustrations that are used for our knowledge database (Online Kennisbank), several CROW websites, online communities and print publications. Since all our images should be protected by copyright, it is important to maintain them securely and track their usage. DAM allows employees to upload, search and find the assets they’re looking for by themselves.

Why did CROW decide to move its DAM to the Cloud?

Our organization built the Cloud strategy a few years ago and we’ve been trying to implement our technology into the Cloud as much as possible since. We’ve migrated every software and application we use to the Cloud environment.

In addition, COVID accelerated it all. Employees had to work from home most of the time, as everyone else did, and flexibility was essential. By having DAM in the Cloud, we were able to work more efficiently and independently. 

LEARN MORE: SaaS vs. On-Premises: What system to choose?

How many people were involved in the Migration process, and how long did the whole process take?

We had a total of 5 people in the Migration team: 3 from our end including myself, Danny Kepel Developer and Stefan Brouwers Data Architect, and 2 from Fotoware, Harald Gjetøy our Key Account Manager and Michael Ohlsen Professional Services Manager. The overall migration process took a couple of months, including testing and a short-term evaluation.

Did you have any concerns or challenges during the migration?

As an information professional, it’s always scary when someone else, especially an outsider, ‘touches’ all the work you’ve done. I was concerned about our information being lost or disorganized during the implementation. However, the migration went very well, and we were able to keep all our information neat and tidy. All the metadata belonging to the assets remained as it was, including the SmartFolders and Albums.

What are the biggest benefits after the migration?

Now that the solution runs in the Cloud, we can make sure it’s always up-to-date. Moreover, maintenance responsibilities are now shifted to the solution provider, which eliminates downtime or extra work hours required to take care of the solution.

It was also a great opportunity for my organization and me to get a clearer overview of the assets we have, organize them, and improve their metadata. This helped me gain a deeper knowledge of the solution as well.

LEARN MORE: Enabling a smooth journey to the Cloud: The Uelzena Group

What are the plans or wishes for CROW’s DAM in the near future?

Today we’re primarily using DAM for storing and managing image files, but we plan to expand it to the whole website level, including documents and downloadable PDFs in the webshop. We’ll need to add more archives to organize different types of digital assets and more metadata throughout the assets, so it’s easier for users to find what they’re looking for.,