A DAM architecture works like an archive directory, where digital data assets are associated with unique and searchable metadata. Digital files include video, audio, images, presentations, digital documents and virtually any digital data format.

Authorized employees, users or partners may access DAM to review, retrieve, share or edit data through a centralized Web or offline user/application interface. A DAM system also may be classified according to the type of managed information asset, such as:

• Brand asset management: Stores marketing and sales-oriented data for a specific brand or entire organization
• Production asset management: Includes digital data assets that are specific to production
• Library asset management: Includes organization specific images, video and audio files that are large in size but used infrequently