The Image Relay Glossary

Admin User: An account on the digital that has rights to perform library tasks such as upload, add metadata, move content, access reports, and invite users. The number of admins available is related to the subscription plan level.

Archive: An archive is a place where records are stored for long term access and preservation. It can also be used as a verb (to archive) which mean the act of moving records to a place of storage. Almost all records in an archive are unique. Many people create archive folders in Image Relay to store assets that are historical or not currently being used. For example, when people copy their Instagram posts into Image Relay, they are creating an Archive for their social media. 

Bandwidth: this refers to the amount of download activity occurring in your account per month, not the ‘speed’ of the library which is almost entirely dependent on your local internet connection. Different plans have different included thresholds of bandwidth to enjoy. Direct embed image URLs (by serving assets to web) will use up bandwidth as will user or shared downloads. The Master User can check the bandwidth activity at any time under Billing. If a client exceeds their prescribed bandwidth allotment they will be contacted by the Image Relay account manager to discuss the use case and if extra bandwidth needs to be added to the account furthermore.

Contributor (Limited Admin): User is able to upload and edit assets within the system, but the system Admin can also restrict the user's upload/edit capabilities to specific folders while also allowing them to view/download in others (or prevent them from being able to access others altogether).

Detail View: A full-screen preview of the file, also showing the associated metadata; the uploader, date uploaded, descriptive text and embedded metadata. 

Digital Asset Management (DAM):  It is the organization, storage, and distribution of electronic files from a central repository. An academic approach that addresses the asset lifecycle through all stages of their creation and use. DAM begins with planning for the creation or acquisition of a digital asset, continues through the maintenance and use of the asset, and ends only when the asset is removed from the library.

(Digital) File: Data content stored as a unit with a single name. Files may be ‘born digital’ or produced from the digitization of physical materials. 

(Digital) Asset: The digital file that is uploaded plus the associated metadata together make the digital asset. The entire asset is stored in Image Relay.  

File Format: Many software applications handle files in distinct formats (Microsoft Word for example saves all files natively as .docx). Image Relay can receive, describe, share and make downloadable any electronic file that is stored on your computer regardless of file extension.  Also almost all image file formats are supported for in-app preview, as well as most common video formats, audio, document types and more.  A full listing of file formats supported for preview can be seen in this article. 

Folder: Within Image Relay, Folders are where all of your digital assets are stored. They play an important role in the organization as users can delve into the folders to find what they are looking for in addition to using the search bar. They are also an important role in permissions as these are set at the folder level. 

Interoperability: The ability of systems to work together effectively. In the digital realm this is usually predicated on metadata fields in various applications matching in some way, or being mapped to one another.

IPTC: The International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) is a group of photo and information professionals that have since the 1970s developed standards around photo metadata. They standardize the meaning and choice of fields used to help describe images. Many applications use this standard to assist with interoperability of metadata between systems, so transfer of metadata descriptions can be trusted. To find out more, visit the IPTC website.

Image Relay displays and indexes IPTC metadata.  This embedded IPTC information (if existing) can be used to  leverage extra functionality such as ‘pop up’ reminds about Copyright info.

Master User: In Image Relay there is always one Master User, the Admin who alone has access to the Billing options in the application as well as several other responsibilities including the ability to change the logo on the portal, and more. Learn more about the Master user roll.  

Metadata: The information used to describe the content as well as the technical properties of a digital asset, such as subject, restrictions, location, title or other descriptors. 

Permissions: These are the level of access which users are assigned within an Image Relay library. Permissions are set at the folder level, with Admins assigning what folders users can see, and whether they can download, share, upload and more. All Image Relay libraries have unlimited Basic User Permissions. Account subscription may determine the allotment of admin users.

Tags: Hyperlinked descriptors from a controlled vocabulary to help catalog or relate assets. Simply adding descriptive text to assets is not ‘tagging’, rather that is describing.

User: Anyone with a login and password is considered a User on Image Relay. There are two different categories of Users for pricing purposes; Basic and Admin. Basic Users can login, search, download and share (this can be restricted as well). Admins can perform library tasks such as upload, add metadata, move content, access reports, and invite users. There can be multiple Basic roles created and multiple Admin roles created that have access to different folders. 

Further reading:
Search Functionality
Sharing Files and Folders