20世纪90年代，计算机辅助技术用户面临的主要挑战是整个企业的数据管理。对于企业来说，拥有连接不同地理位置的设计和制造中心的异构网络已经司空见惯。本文描述了公司在数据管理方面历来采取的方法，这些公司经常在线保存数万份工程图纸和模型。本文还描述了90年代的系统必须具备的功能和特点，以将信息转换为企业资产。涉及的问题包括数据安全、配置管理和发布控制。

THE MAJOR CHALLENGES IN THE 1990S FACING USERS OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED TECHNOLOGY IS DATA MANAGEMENT ACROSS AN ENTERPRISE. IT IS ALREADY COMMONPLACE FOR FIRMS TO HAVE HETEROGENEOUS NETWORKS CONNECTING GEOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING CENTERS. THIS PAPER DESCRIBES THE APPROACH HISTORICALLY TAKEN TO DATA MANAGEMENT OF COMPANIES WHO ROUTINELY KEEP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ENGINEERING DRAWINGS AND MODELS ON LINE. THE PAPER ALSO DESCRIBES THE FUNCTIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT THE SYSTEM OF THE 90S MUST HAVE TO CONVERT INFORMATION INTO A CORPORATE ASSET. ISSUES TO BE COVERED INCLUDE DATA SECURITY, CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT, AND RELEASE CONTROL.