Skip to Content
Product Information
Author's profile photo Arne Manthey
Arne Manthey
October 17, 2019 1 minute read

Content Repository for Images

Introduction

For marketing content like emails or landing pages it is essential to be able to easily search for images and add them to the content. In 1902 we added the capability to connect any digital asset management system (DAM) to the Content Studio of SAP Marketing Cloud.

For customers who do not have a DAM system we added a simple ready-to-use content repository with limited functionality to give them an easy start to use this feature. However, this simple content repository is not intended as an alternative to a full-featured DAM system. To give you some guidance on all the alternatives I have prepared an overview of all options with their characteristics below.

General Characteristics of the Content Repository

  • Embed pictures in content objects like emails and landing pages
  • Simple search of pictures in the attached repository or multiple repositories
  • Picture upload from within the Content Studio. This is only available for:
    • Simple Content Repository
    • SAP Document Center (optionally)

Repository Options (Sorted from Simple to Feature-rich)

  1. Simple Content Repository (see documentation / blog post)
    • Out-of-the-box entry level solution without additional cost (Except for CDN).
    • Embedded Content Repository with restricted functionality
      • Restricted storage capacity
      • File types restricted to images
      • No specific governance
      • No folder hierarchy
      • No editing
      • No integration into SharePoint or other DAM system
    • Works right out of the box in the quality system
    • Possibility to use a CDN for improved security and global performance (Mandatory for the production system)
    • Gradual improvements are possible but the simple content repository is not intended to replace a more sophisticated DAM solution!
  2. SAP Document Center as Image repository for the content studio (see documentation)
    • Dedicated UI for more governance / flexibility
    • Storage extensible
    • Can integrate via CMIS into underlying Sharepoint infrastructures or other DAM
    • Additional cost
    • Possibility to use a CDN for improved security and global performance (Not mandatory but recommended)
  3. SAP Product Content Management (SAP Commerce Cloud – link)
    • Commerce-related assets like product pictures (see documentation)
  4. Template for 3rd party cloud-based DAM solution (see documentation):
    • Supported DAM solutions:
    • Enterprise-level solution
    • Sophisticated DAM functionality including asset production, planning and high level of governance.
    • Maximum flexibility / governance
    • Integration template available on api.sap.com (login required)
  5. Generic integration of 3rd party DAM (see documentation)
    • Connect any DAM by implementing a project solution based on the generic adapter
    • Generic adapter available on api.sap.com (login required)

Conclusion

With this guideline you should be able to understand the options you have for our Content Repository functionality and have the ability to plan for future expansions when you need more features.

Assigned Tags

      4 Comments
      You must be Logged on to comment or reply to a post.
      Author's profile photo Christof Blaickner
      Christof Blaickner

      Hello  Arne Manthey,

      thank you for your blog.

      I have a question regarding the new funcationality of personalized landingpage URLs.

      https://help.sap.com/viewer/ac1eab4c66bc490da7ac2c378c46b0e7/1911.500/en-US/7de38c63de2644138ca2582b39fcb3c6.html

      The SAP announced with 1911 that the personalization of URLs is possible.
      When I read through the SAP Help Page, my undestanding is that it is just possible using the Simple Content Repository.

      As we have SAP Document Center connected for the image upload the personalized landinpagep URL is not possible. Am I right? Or is there a possiblity?

       

      BR Christof

      Author's profile photo Arne Manthey
      Arne Manthey
      Blog Post Author

      Oh, it's just the setting for the custom domain which we included in the Configuration App. The Landing Page publication is somewhat related to a content repository and therefore we found it is a good place to include it there (instead of writing a new configuration app).

      So short answer: You do not need the (Simple) Content Repository to do Landing Page publication - with or without custom domain.

      Author's profile photo Renjith Kumar
      Renjith Kumar

      Hi Arne Manthey,

      We are using CDN already and are planning to change to another CDN.

      Do you perhaps know of any impacts on this?

      • especially with the Emails that have gone out with images hosted via the old CDN, will the contents be still available after the switch? In our case, the old CDN will be decommissioned after a few weeks of the switch.
      • any other impacts that we should be aware of?

      Please share your comments.

      Thanks in advance.

      Regards, Renjith

      Author's profile photo Prasad KG
      Prasad KG

      Hi,

      you can switch to another CDN, no restriction from application.
      w.r.t the emails sent out, it depends if you are using the generated CDN domain or you have your own sub-domain configured.
      If you are using a configured sub-domain, then emails will work with no issues after the switch, if you are using the generated CDN domain (some CDN providers generate a domain when you create a distribution) and as long as the CDN distribution is valid, the images in email will continue to work.

      As this may impact the email recipients, i would strongly encourage you to test it thoroughly in test setup, before proceeding with changes in live environment.

      regards, Prasad