To put it more succinctly, the internet has enabled unprecedented exchanges and access of information or content to be instantaneously distributed on a global basis at the tap of the mouse.

That is why the internet is called a powerful medium, for it has enabled nations, communities companies and individuals to access, distribute and sell digital information. Unfortunately, this same medium has also made digital information susceptible to theft, piracy, unauthorized access and circulation.

These four primary reasons make the use of DRM technology imperative:

• To protect intellectual property rights.

• To ensure that there are continuous new revenue opportunities

• As a protection against breach of privacy and confidentiality

• Keep the standards for content protection

What is DRM and what does this technology do?

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management and the technology itself encompasses a range of techniques whereby information or content is made available to users under the terms and conditions specified by the rights or rights holders. Some of these techniques involve the description, layering, analysis, valuation, identification, protection, tracking trading and monitoring of the rights over an enterprise's assets, both in physical and digital form.

You can protect your digital rights by purchasing DRM technology that has the features best suited to your requirements.

These features can include the following:

All DRM technologies secure the intellectual property ownerships/ and the confidentiality rights of digital content creators and owners from the time the digital information or content goes from creator to distributor to the consumers.

DRM technologies track and police the usage of this privileged information or content so it is use in the terms specified by the content owners or distributors.

DRM technology can also enable the enterprise owner to track the use of the information; for marketing, sales, royalty, penetration, and accountability reasons.

DRM technology will protect information or contents from copyright infringement.

As an end user, you come into contact with DRM technology through Digital Rights Enforcement. This is the process which ensures that the contents are used as specified.

Some of these functions are:

• To ensure that only the allowed usage permissions are enabled.

• That adherence to the restrictions or constraints placed upon the usage of the information or contents are followed.

• There tracking report on the content is generated.

• The information or content is not publicly distributed.

• Ensuring that only authorized users of the content use it.

In today's fast paced world, With piracy and unauthorized access harming the growth of business, DRM technology is slowly becoming a permanent part of the corporate and Internet security infrastructures.