Adobe Systems Incorporated, the leader in network publishing, today announced the newest version of its graphics and imaging server software, Adobe® Graphics Server 2.0 (formerly known as Adobe AlterCast). The new software dramatically reduces the time and cost of creating and updating images by automating image production tasks, and integrates easily with asset management and e-commerce applications.

Visual communications and branding are essential to successful marketing and sales operations. Images of products and other visuals must be consistent across a range of media, from magazines and billboards to Web sites and wireless devices. With support for network publishing workflows, Adobe Graphics Server 2.0 enables businesses to easily create, update and repurpose high-quality images used in disparate mediums for more effective branding and merchandising. Additionally, businesses can use Adobe Photoshop®, Illustrator®, GoLive® and InDesign® software to create new templates that can be automatically updated by Adobe Graphics Server.

“In our business, it is vital for the quality of an image to live up to the quality of our product and brand,” said Robert Blau, director of E-Business Technology for CHANEL. “With Adobe Graphics Server, our creative team produces a single ‘master’ image which is reformatted by the Graphics Server to the various sizes and weights we require, while maintaining the same visual quality as the original image. This greatly benefits the production of our brand web site, our syndicated E-commerce site, as well as web advertising. With Adobe Graphics Server, we’ve reduced the time, effort and cost of producing these images, freeing our team for more complex projects.”

Tight integration with other Adobe applications and file formats enables businesses with complex workflows, graphically rich Web sites and print materials to set up an efficient process for creating, automating, and delivering high-quality, customized images in multiple formats.

The software’s new features enable Adobe Graphics Server to be used in both Web and cross-media workflows, while meeting the requirements of asset management and prepress systems. New capabilities include robust support for Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF); conversion of SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) files to Adobe PDF; enhanced support for image metadata and Adobe Photoshop 7.0 native files and engines; CMYK image manipulation; and clipping path support.

Adobe Graphics Server has attracted industry support from leading integrators and partners, including Artesia, Burntsand, Documentum, MediaBin, and Sun Microsystems. With support for open standards and APIs, Adobe Graphics Server runs on major application servers from BEA, IBM, iPlanet, and Oracle.