What is Content Services Platform (CSP)?

A content services platform (CSP) is cloud-based software that enables users to create, share, collaborate on and store text, audio and video content. Content services are purchased through software as a service (SaaS) delivery model.

The evolution of the enterprise content management (ECM) systems to content services platforms reflects a growing shift away from proprietary, self-contained monolithic systems and repositories installed and managed in-house to more modular, open-source services that can be purchased on-demand and managed through a cloud provider’s service level agreements (SLAs).

Content services platform capabilities

A modular, cloud-based approach to content management allows organizations to manage more diverse forms of structured and unstructured content. Popular features include:

The ability to store data a single time by linking multiple repositories with common APIs so different servers are not storing the same content; the CSP serves as a repository of record and a single source of truth.



Automatic versioning that allows documents and other data to be displayed in the most recent version by default, with access to previous versions.



The ability for authorized users to use, co-edit, share and manipulate documents, images, audio recordings and other content.



The ability for users to manage and store the metadata of digitized content.



File sync and transfer capabilities in real-time.

Ability to add features such as content search, automatic object recognition of images or security services as needed.

Content service platform vendors

Content services platform vendors include Open Text, Microsoft, IBM, M-Files, Oracle, Alfresco, Laserfiche, Newgen Software, Micro Focus (HPE), iManage, Fabasoft and Objective.

Many of the vendors with products in the CSP category have simply expanded their ECM products and spun them into service-oriented architecture platforms with integrated content-related services and microservices, content repositories and tools.