How I tested

I tested Kontiki DMS 3.0 using the vendor’s hosted service and by installing the software in-house. In both cases, content was delivered to 25 client PCs. After creating access groups and importing users in LDIF (LDAP Data Interchange Format) from an existing Microsoft directory server, I uploaded a variety of Windows media, Adobe Acrobat, and Microsoft Word documents. I evaluated grid performance by first downloading a large 90MB video file to one PC and then having additional users on different LAN segments download the same file.

Next, I applied various security methods to files, from simple password protection to advanced digital rights management and Acrobat PDF security; files were secured properly once downloaded. To see how a user’s video viewing experience could be enhanced, I added custom links and graphics to the media player window. Additionally, I tested the Kontiki plug-in for Microsoft Producer 2003 by building an interactive presentation with video and images and then publishing it as a single file.

I checked the results of various network settings by adding 25 more users in two additional locations, one connected over a high-speed wide area network and a smaller office using a slower ISDN frame-relay circuit. Kontiki’s Network Manager module let me ensure that content was pulled from the closest location using the most efficient connection.