Often, a comprehensive content repository must integrate the data from multiple content providers. For example, the technical information that makes up the information set for supporting the maintenance and repair of the various systems onboard a submarine is generated by several organizations - both internal and external to the government. Maintenance, training, repair, and logistics information are all generated and delivered by content providers specializing in that type of information. With no common interface to the different types of content, the sailor often searches through multiple manuals, CDs, and IETMs to find the complete information set required for a specific task.

Adding to the complexity of the problem, each submarine is unique in its specific configuration and the updates that have been made to its systems. The document set becomes unique to the submarine as well, and keeping it in sync with the systems it supports is a logistical challenge - especially when you consider the "customer" spends a good deal of time thousands of miles from land and hundreds of feet under water.

DMSi, having spent several years implementing content management systems for the creation and revision of large data repositories, found many of their customers were struggling to deliver on one of the promises of an XML based content repository - the dynamic delivery of customer specific data in real time. The system requirements of the content creators were not optimized for content delivery, and vice versa. In our search to resolve this problem, we came across a solution that also addressed the problem of providing a central search and delivery mechanism from multiple content repositories. The solution integrates data, regardless of format or location. It bridges the requirements of both the creators and users of content, without compromising functionality. And it accommodates content that has not been created or converted to XML.

The technology has application in many different publishing environments. Educational publishers have found the recent merger and acquisition frenzy has created corporations comprised of multiple companies with unique workflows, formatting requirements, and competitive advantages. Trying to identify and implement a common content management solution corporate-wide is often a daunting task and one that results in unsatisfactory compromises. Implementing a solution that embraces the unique requirements of each content provider without sacrificing the benefits associated with a corporate asset repository ensures the needs of both internal and external users are met efficiently and appropriately.