CoreMedia Content Cloud Components

The following describes all components of CoreMedia Content Cloud, along with their core functions, technical requirements for their use and their relation to CoreMedia Stock-Keeping-Units (SKUs). An additional suffix might be included and can be ignored, e.g. CL-DEVENV-XXXX is referring to CL-DEVENV.

The concrete scope of use of the CoreMedia Content Cloud standard software is listed in the Order Form, which is hereby referred to.

Core Functionality

CoreMedia Content Management Server

The CoreMedia Content Management Server manages content, rights, users, groups, and their relationships in an object-oriented content model that can be freely defined. An external database is used to store the objects. In the case that the CoreMedia software is used as self-managed, the following note applies: The supported databases are described in the Supported Environments document.

Content is published to the CoreMedia Master Live Server. During this, the integrity of internal links is checked. (Internal links are links to resources that are entirely managed by the CoreMedia Content Management Server.)

Further, the following functionality is provided:

a. Storage of multi-lingual content: Character strings are stored in a technical format that allows for the management of non-Latin character sets.

b. A content lifecycle can be defined using the status management of CoreMedia contents, namely: approved, checked-out, checked-in, published and deleted.

c. An event mechanism propagates changes in the content storage to registered components. This enables near real-time content synchronization in distributed CoreMedia component environments.

d. Users, groups and rights can be edited and managed in combination with content. Storage of these users and groups can take place in a relational database.

e. Both users and user groups can be created with a variety of rights. These rights are enforced within the editorial workflow.

CoreMedia Master Live Server and CoreMedia Replication Live Server

Content objects that have been edited and published by editing staff are copied from the CoreMedia Content Management Server to one or more CoreMedia Live Servers. Copies are stored in a separate database. In the case that the CoreMedia software is used as self-managed, the following note applies: The supported databases are described in the Supported Environments document. CoreMedia Live servers make content available to one or more delivery components that render content into output formats.

The CoreMedia Master Live Server receives published content objects directly from the CoreMedia Content Management Server. Additional CoreMedia Replication Live Servers can then replicate this published data along with change events. This setup enables the creation of architectures for load balancing, multi-homing, fault tolerance and avoidance of service interruption during scheduled maintenance. Each Live Server uses its own database space.

Change events are automatically propagated to all components registered at a CoreMedia Live Server.

CoreMedia Studio

CoreMedia Studio provides a browser-based user interface for managing versioned multi-lingual content: searching for content, creating new content, editing content, and browsing images stored in the content repository.

Content can be queried using a combination of full text search and metadata filters. Metadata filters include content type, publication state, and current editor. Full text search results include suggestions for search term completion as well as the number of found documents. Search results can be shown as image thumbnails or in tabular form. The search state including the search term as well as the filter states can be saved so that the user can later execute the same search again.

CoreMedia Studio provides integrated image editing functionalities such as cropping of images in pre-defined image formats.

Content can be approved and published to the live web site.

Users can change their password within CoreMedia Studio in case the built-in user management is in use.

CoreMedia Studio ships with English and German translations of the user interface. Additional languages are supported via optional Language Packs.

CoreMedia Workflow Server

The CoreMedia Workflow Server coordinates the mutual processes of content creation, approval, and publication between editors concerning content held in the CoreMedia Content Management Server. Workflows are either started automatically or are started manually by editors using CoreMedia Studio. This results in the creation of an actual instance for the chosen workflow. Content can be assigned to a workflow.

Each workflow step can be processed either automatically or manually, by assigned groups of people (roles). Completing processing on one workflow step can either trigger the next step in sequence or complete the workflow itself.

Workflows are made up of one or more workflow steps. Several workflow steps may run in parallel.

The execution of a workflow can be controlled via conditions, whose fulfillment influences the further execution of the workflow (conditional branching). Conditions can be evaluated based on workflows variables, system states or by using custom program code, as required. Creation and modification of the workflow variables is either an explicit action performed by the workflow user or is done in software via the programming interface.

The CoreMedia Workflow Server ships with the following pre-defined workflows:

a. Direct publication

b. Reviewed publication

c. Translation workflow

d. Synchronization workflow

CoreMedia Content Application Engine

The CoreMedia Content Application Engine (CAE) is a template-based content rendering engine. It retrieves content from a CoreMedia Content Management Server, CoreMedia Master Live Server, or CoreMedia Replication Live Server. Content is transformed into content beans, which apply business rules to content data retrieval. Business rules can be adopted to project requirements. New rules can be added, for example to integrate data from third-party systems. Additionally, the execution of additional, programmatically specified actions via Java, which includes read access to CoreMedia content, is supported.

A caching layer in the CoreMedia CAE optimizes content bean usage by automatically tracking dependencies between content objects to invalidate only items that have been changed. Custom external and time-based dependencies can be established. If CoreMedia content is modified, or if time-limited cache elements expire or third-party systems trigger expiry events, then cache elements are discarded.

The CoreMedia CAE is a web application that is running in a servlet container (see Supported Environments for supported containers). A templating engine and templates is used to render content beans into an output format.

CoreMedia Content as a Service

CoreMedia Content as a Service (CaaS) provides data in an output format that is suitable for web services development. It renders content in a structural data format that is typically consumed by client applications like single page applications, progressive web applications or native mobile applications.

CaaS provides an application program interface that uses HTTP technology to read data from a CoreMedia Content Management Server, a CoreMedia Master Live Server, or a CoreMedia Replication Live Server.

CoreMedia Search Engine

The CoreMedia Search Engine builds and maintain a search index for content stored in a CoreMedia Content Server, CoreMedia Master Live Server, or CoreMedia Replication Live Server. Binary data is extracted text from supported binary formats (refer to component manual for details). The resulting text is then indexed by the CoreMedia Search Engine. Separate search indices are maintained for editorial and delivery use cases.

The editorial search index is managed by the CoreMedia Content Feeder. It is used for the editorial search in the CoreMedia Studio.

The delivery search index is managed by The CoreMedia CAE Feeder. It is used by delivery components.

Result sets contain references to CoreMedia content. Before they are returned, they are ranked in accordance with sort criteria, match precision, content characteristics and specified rules.

CoreMedia Asset Management

CoreMedia Studio and CoreMedia delivery components include capabilities to manage image assets with a focus on delivering optimized image rendition on demand. Whether it be renditions for the web, mobile or any other digital delivery channel, the system will deliver an optimized rendition of an image based on transformations and crop areas users of CoreMedia Studio have defined for it. The delivery of images is adaptive and responsive. Front-end modules using CoreMedia Asset Management are available in CoreMedia’s blueprints. Image copyright information and expiration dates can be managed.

Add-On Functionality

CoreMedia Content Hub

The CoreMedia Content Hub enables editors to use content from external systems in CoreMedia Studio. Images, videos, and other content formats from external repositories can be made accessible directly in Studio via the Content Hub’s integration into the library. External systems such as digital asset managers can be connected via the Content Hub API.

Adapters and example implementations for custom adapters are available for the Content Hub.

CoreMedia Experience Feedback Hub

The CoreMedia Experience Feedback Hub provides access to meta information about content managed within CoreMedia. Examples include keyword suggestions for images (i.e. based on machine learning) and content errors and warnings. External systems can be integrated to suggest other keywords based on the given data. Experience Feedback Hub bundles all this information, giving editors the required feedback to improve their content.

The set of rules that are applied for the different integrations can be defined by editors according to their company’s strategy. Depending on the type of feedback it is shown directly with the edited content in CoreMedia Studio.

Adapters and example implementations for custom adapters are available for the Experience Feedback Hub.

CoreMedia Commerce Hub

The CoreMedia Commerce Hub creates a bridge to integrate e-Commerce systems with CoreMedia. It offers an API to implement adapters for any e-Commerce platform. It also supports multi-commerce environments, making it possible to integrate one or many commerce systems in one installation.

The service-oriented approach of the hub permits the integration of (custom) 3rd party e-Commerce systems with out-of-the box (OOTB) connectors among them: Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C, SAP Commerce Cloud, HCL Commerce, commercetools. These connectors have their own lifecycle. Additional connectors are available, please refer to CoreMedia Labs and CoreMedia’s partner eco-system. Custom connectors can be built by using the provided API, documentation, and examples.

Connector for Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C

The Connector for Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C integrates a CoreMedia system with Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C. Please refer to Supported Environments for integration details.

The Connector supports the so-called commerce-led integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C. In this integration scenario Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C is the leading system, delivering web pages to the visitor of the website. CoreMedia Content Cloud augments the store experience by delivering fragments to Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C, which post-processes each fragment and integrates them in the assembled page, which is then delivered to the visitor.

The Connector provides an integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and Salesforce Commerce Cloud B2C. Please refer to Supported Environments and the connector’s release notes for details on available features and integration capabilities.

Connector for SAP Commerce Cloud

The Connector for SAP Commerce Cloud integrates a CoreMedia system with SAP Commerce Cloud. Please refer to Supported Environments for integration details.

The Connector supports the so-called commerce-led integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and SAP Commerce Cloud. In this integration scenario SAP Commerce Cloud is the leading system delivering, web pages to the visitor of the website. CoreMedia Content Cloud augments the store experience by delivering fragments to SAP Commerce Cloud, which post-processes each fragment and integrates them in the assembled page, which is then delivered to the visitor.

The Connector provides an integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and SAP Commerce Cloud. Please refer to Supported Environments and the connector’s release notes for details on available features and integration capabilities.

Connector for HCL Commerce

The Connector for HCL Commerce Cloud integrates a CoreMedia system with HCL Commerce, formerly known as IBM Commerce. Please refer to Supported Environments for integration details.

The Connector supports the so-called commerce-led integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and HCL Commerce. In this integration scenario HCL Commerce is the leading system delivering, web pages to the visitor of the website. CoreMedia Content Cloud augments the store experience by delivering fragments to HCL Commerce, which post-processes each fragment and integrates them in the assembled page, which is then delivered to the visitor.

The Connector provides an integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and HCL Commerce. Please refer to Supported Environments and the connector’s release notes for details on available features and integration capabilities.

Connector for commercetools

The Connector for commercetools integrates a CoreMedia system with the commercetools headless commerce platform. Please refer to Supported Environments for integration details.

The Connector supports the so-called headless integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and commercetools. In this integration scenario a headless client is using commercetools and CoreMedia Content Cloud APIs in parallel and meshing data from all integrated services. A Commerce Hub Adapter for integrating CoreMedia Studio (e.g. library browsing) with the commercetools catalog is available. Detailed integration capabilities and features are listed in the connector’s release notes.

CoreMedia Marketing Automation Hub

The CoreMedia Marketing Automation Hub integrates marketing systems with CoreMedia. It offers an API to implement adapters for marketing platforms, so that users of CoreMedia can manage content in relation with marketing system data. As part of this integration, an exchange of content between the two systems takes place.

The Marketing Automation Hub provides bi-directional data integration capabilities. Content stored in CoreMedia can be made available to the marketing system. Likewise, data from the marketing system can be used within CoreMedia.

Content can be pushed to marketing systems and re-used there, e.g. for newsletters. User profile information from the marketing system can be made available for content personalization within CoreMedia Personalization Hub. Data gathered by the CoreMedia Application Engine can be written into the marketing system.

Connector for Salesforce Marketing Cloud

The Connector for Salesforce Marketing Cloud provides an integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Please refer to Supported Environments and the connector’s release notes for details on available features and integration capabilities.

CoreMedia Personalization Hub

CoreMedia Personalization Hub is the foundation for creating, applying and, managing personalized experiences using CoreMedia.

It offers a client-side API to implement connectors for any personalization engine. Such implementation enables the usage of segments and experiences (for testing and optimization purposes or application of artificial intelligence & machine learning) created in the 3rd party engine as a context source for personalized delivery of content.

The Personalization Hub also offers a server-side API that enables the creation, editing, and storing segments of users as well as the personalized delivery of content to these segments. 

A graphical user interface for creating personalization rules that select content based on conditions is provided as a plug-in for CoreMedia Studio. These rules are executed and evaluated in the personalization delivery component, which integrates into the standard CoreMedia delivery architecture. 

Test user profiles can be created within this plugin for preview and quality checks. They simulate how content is selected and rendered for different user segments.

Adapters and example implementations for custom adapters are available for the Personalization Hub.

Connector for BySide

The Connector for BySide provides an integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and BySide. Please refer to our Documentation and Downloads section for details on available features and integration capabilities.

The BySide connector integrates BySide for personalization, segmentation and optimization of content for specific user groups.

Connector for Monetate

The Connector for Monetate provides an integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and Monetate. Please refer to our Documentation and Downloads section for details on available features and integration capabilities.

The Monetate connector integrates Monetate for personalization, segmentation and optimization of content for specific user groups.

Connector for Dynamic Yield

The Connector for Dynamic Yield provides an integration between CoreMedia Content Cloud and Dynamic Yield. Please refer to our Documentation and Downloads section for details on available features and integration capabilities.

The Dynamic Yield connector integrates Dynamic Yield for personalization, segmentation and optimization of content for specific user groups.

CoreMedia Event Hub

The Event Hub is a service used to share content or editorial events with external services.

External services can register themselves via a provided endpoint (Webhook), which then notifies each registered services about content changes. Content events include new, updated, and deleted content as well as content status changes.

Editorial events are the type of notifications that users get within CoreMedia Studio. These events are also available as an endpoint (Webhook) and include comments on content or replies to comments, assignments to projects and various workflow events related to the editorial user.

CoreMedia Campaigns

CoreMedia Campaigns provides a centralized application for business users to schedule and manage marketing campaigns across their websites. This streamlines the process of creating and managing marketing campaigns, and utilizes content created in CoreMedia Studio. The content will be visible in different, predefined slots on the websites for the set period. The application supports the orchestration of multilingual content within the created campaigns.

Technical Requirements

The supported environments for CoreMedia Content Cloud valid from the current release onwards are available on the download portal (see title page).

Site Packages

Geographic site packages grant the right to operate one site for one brand for all countries part of that geographical region with two languages. Additionally, one same language can be used across all booked sites.