With so many businesses forced to work remotely for the foreseeable future, or having to radically alter the way they operate in-person due to the coronavirus pandemic, it’s become more difficult than ever to manage your workforce. Part of that management comes from handling various IT and security issues that may arise while people are working remotely. In these sorts of situations, it’s important that you have a system which you can rely on, in order to avoid security threats and other potential problems. That being said, what sort of solutions are out there to help you tackle these new challenges, and are they cost effective?
One piece of technology that can help you and your company out is DRM software. DRM software, also known as digital rights management software, helps you manage the rights of certain files in various ways. It can be an ideal solution for businesses concerned about how their files are accessed and distributed. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of digital rights management software and how it can help your business during these trying times.
What does DRM software do?
As its name suggests, digital rights management software allows you to control different “rights,” or permissions, related to the various files on a computer. These sorts of permissions could be related to who’s able to access certain documents or software applications. DRM software is great for companies that want to establish a specific rule about how content can or cannot be shared or accessed, once it’s turned over to other employees. Since the business owners have the freedom to set the encryption and download permissions of the digital assets using DRM, they can avoid intellectual property and piracy issues, too, which is especially useful if you’re the copyright holder.
What are the benefits of DRM software?
Control is one of the helpful aspects of using DRM solutions. Whether you’re looking to keep an important email from being shared beyond a certain number of recipients, or have an ebook, piece of music, or training video that is protected under copyright law, DRM software is an ideal way for ensuring that your privacy policy remains intact, and your digital media and content isn’t pirated. When it comes to determining what is and isn’t allowed to happen with a document once it’s been distributed, DRM settings truly excel. With digital rights management software, you can determine whether or not the file can be copied and pasted, emailed as an attachment, or viewed on different devices.
All of these sorts of settings and options have become even more important at a time when your team is working in a decentralized manner, as DRM allows you to exercise control over sensitive materials and financial documents in a more secure way. As a result, you can have absolute certainty that your important documents, financial statements, and other materials are not subject to unauthorized use, and enjoy the freedom to work on other aspects of the job.
What are some of the drawbacks of DRM software?
While there are many benefits of DRM technology, and of using DRM software, there are still a few drawbacks to keep in mind when it comes to implementing DRM solutions. Fortunately, most of these drawbacks aren’t something that hurts the copyright holder. That being said, in some situations, DRM protected materials may be inconvenient for users who are trying to use them appropriately in the first place, and hinder the key delivery of vital services.
For example, DRM protection doesn’t fare well with libraries looking to check media out to different people. DRM can also make it harder to legally backup certain movies or files. There are also a few privacy issues to consider when it comes to DRM usage, since a DRM system needs to collect user data in order to function.
Even so, if you’re planning on using DRM tools for internal use instead of external use, these drawbacks are less likely to impact your team’s workflow. That being said, it can’t hurt to trial a DRM system before purchasing. Although most are low cost and subscription based, (although some features are only available for an additional fee) nearly all DRM systems offer a free trial. So it is worth checking out what is available, and seeing which one is best suited to your needs.