It is defined in part 6 of the MPEG-2 standard (Extensions for DSM-CC) and uses a client/server model connected via an underlying network (carried via the MPEG-2 multiplex or independently if needed).
Although DSM-CC is usually associated with video delivery (via satellite or terrestrially) and with interactive content, it is also used among audio servers and clients.
The architecture describes three main parts of the system: the client, the server, and the session resource manager (SRM).
By combining server and client components together onto the same platforms, peer-to-peer content access and delivery systems can be constructed.
For example, MPEG-2 video can be encoded in different ways, and a DSM-CC system can be constructed to include or exclude certain features and interfaces.