Portfolio is a client-server system that supports three types of computers: Server, Media Engine, and Clients.
The server system runs the Portfolio application: a client-server system that lets you store your digital assets and information about them in catalogs, and lets users access those assets.
A Media Engine system stands at the ready, waiting for the server to assign it media conversion and other tasks. Organizations with lightweight media conversion needs probably won’t need a dedicated Media Engine system, with all conversions done on the server system. Those with intensive media processing needs can add several Media Engines to their Portfolio installation, and Portfolio will hand off jobs to the available Media Engines.
Portfolio client applications are lightweight in terms of system requirements. All clients connect to the Portfolio server to let users perform specific tasks. Administration apps let the Portfolio Administrator and Catalog Administrators change the Portfolio configuration. The Web and Desktop clients let users work with Portfolio assets.
Which client applications a user needs will depend on what they do. Often, and a user will use one client often and the others only occasionally.
The Administration application uses modern web technologies to let the Portfolio Administrator license and configure Portfolio, add users, and create catalogs.
The Portfolio Web Client runs in a browser and lets end users add assets to catalogs, add information to assets, and use assets in other applications.
The Portfolio Desktop Client is a stand-alone desktop application that gives tighter integration with other desktop applications. It’s the client of choice for creative types.
NetPublish lets a Portfolio user distribute content from a catalog to other interested parties via a website. The NetPublish “client” is simply a web browser that meets certain minimum requirements.