The Internet and personal computers have dramatically changed the way digital media content, such as music, films, and books, are produced, distributed and consumed. Downloading encoded files has gained acceptance among Internet-savvy users because it provides immediate access to desired content and does not require a trip to a store or reliance on physical media, such as a CD or DVD. However, digital media content that is available for sale on the Internet is still limited, as content owners, artists, and publishers are concerned about protecting their copyrighted works from illegal use. As the market evolves and content owners explore new ways to enable different business models, more premium content will become available on the Internet.Before owners of premium digital media content will offer their valuable content for sale or promotion, a secure e-commerce system that protects digital content from illegal use is needed. A critical component of any such e-commerce system is Digital Rights Management (DRM). DRM is a set of technologies content owners can use to protect their copyrights and stay in closer contact with their customers.In most instances, DRM is a system that encrypts digital media content and limits access to only those people who have acquired a proper license to play the content. That is, DRM is a technology that enables the secure distribution, promotion, and sale of digital media content on the Internet. Additional information about Digital Rights Management is listed off Microsoft website http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/drm/default.mspx .

Security Features

• Business Rules, Describes the business rules that content providers can assign to media files to increase content-level security.
• Individualization, Describes the feature that distinguishes one media application on one PC from another application on the same PC.
• Revocation, Describes the features that provide the ability to revoke different DRM components to prevent playback of content.
• Player Application Exclusion, Describes the new feature that prevents specific player applications from using your packaged files.
• Protected Content Manager Exclusion, Describes the new feature that identifies player applications based on compromised DRM components.
• Renew ability, Describes the feature that restores new security components< to the DRM system.
• Security Level, Describes the new feature that allows you to specify the security level of the Windows Media Format on which a player application must be based in order to use a packaged file.
• Secure Audio Path (SAP), Describes the new feature that allows you to specify a secure link between the media player and the sound card.

EZDRM.com provides Windows Media 10 Digital Rights Management (DRM), this version allows you to issue media license in version 10 and in version 1 for older systems and non windows systems.

Digital Rights Management (DRM) encrypts a media file and requires a license in order to play back the encoded file. That license is what EZDRM.com provides instead of the content producer, content owner, or content distributor providing the licenses, EZDRM.com Does it for them.

Simple end to end integration; instead of having to build, and support an entire Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution, you can very easily integrate EZDRM.com into your existing web site.

Digital media files can be easily copied and distributed, without any reduction in quality. As a result, digital media files are being widely distributed on the Internet today, through both authorized and unauthorized distribution channels. Piracy is a concern when security measures are not in place to protect content. Digital rights management enables content providers to protect their content and maintain control over distribution. Content providers can protect and manage their rights by creating licenses for each digital media file. License registration procedures also give these companies important customer information. Such information helps content providers stay closer to their customers. Consumers will also be able to access higher quality digital media content on the Internet because content providers using DRM will be more willing to make such content more widely available.

For More Information go to the Microsoft site http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/DRM/FAQ.aspx.

For sample business scenarios view our business scenarios link.

View video explaining the components of Digital Rights Management (DRM) from Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/DRM/tutorial.aspx