FotoStation is a pro tool for photographers which will dramatically optimize your photo workflow. FotoStation gives you the tools you need to get organized and begin to build your workflow.
Unlike many database-based asset management systems, FotoStation does not need to import pictures from your drive into a special database for you to be able to work with them. When you use FotoStation as a stand-alone product, without a connection to other FotoWare server applications, you can simply point it to a folder on a local or a network drive to display the pictures stored within.
When you add metadata to your pictures, that metadata is embedded in the pictures, or in some rare cases, stored as a "sidecar" file that is handled transparently in FotoStation. That is, you will never actually see a sidecar file when working with your collections, but they will travel with the file wherever you choose to copy or move it from FotoStation.
This means that backup is made extremely easy - by backing up your files you also back up your metadata, so you never risk losing anything.