ROUND TABLE
THE NEED FOR SPEED While time is of the essence, be wary of file transport speed as a sole metric – there could be hidden costs
use. Cloud storage can be limited by latency and available internet speeds, and may present a more cost-effective short-term solution in some cases. In practice, the decision is not to exclusively choose one or the other, but rather which to use for various stages of the workflow. Stefanie Sears-Black: Clearly, external factors such as Wi-Fi or local broadband speeds will have a direct impact on uploading and downloading data timelines, whereas our T7 or T7 Shield Portable SSDs can transfer a 4K UHD 4.8GB file in eight seconds, and the T9 Portable SSD can theoretically transfer a 4.8GB file in just 2.5 seconds. Therefore, there is no time lag or reliance on the cloud to access data through a laptop. Def: How do you see the integration of file transfer solutions with cloud services evolving, and what advantages does this integration offer to production workflows? RW: Something we see becoming more popular are the capabilities in private cloud solutions for file transfer. Data can be ingested to a physical storage device in your control which allows that media to be accessed from anywhere, as well as in situ. Likewise, data can be uploaded directly from anywhere to that storage
device. Our Transporter product was designed specifically for such workflows on-location, by providing a highly secure object store with greater resilience than a traditional RAID offers. And that is also cloud storage, enabling data to be made available elsewhere or picked up and processed by cloud-based compute applications and AI tools. CL: The integration of file transfer solutions with cloud services allows production teams to seamlessly store, share and access large media files from anywhere, faster. One of the main drawbacks of cloud workflows is latency, so accelerating your connection to the cloud or data transfer to/from the cloud can solve much of that problem. And with certain solutions, like VPN Accelerator, you can speed up more than just file transfers to and from the cloud. Simon Parkinson: The integration of file transfer solutions with cloud services is continuously evolving, addressing the balance between remote and local resources in film production. Cloud services benefit from advancements such as low Earth orbit satellites – which provide affordable satellite connections with decent upstream capacity. This is revolutionising the way material can
be transported from remote shoot locations, offering new possibilities for on-site data management. In an ideal world, every production tool would be a low-cost SaaS solution, automatically placing files correctly. However, complex cloud solutions can involve multi-vendor environments, leading to inefficiencies and hidden costs like egress fees. Rapid file transport speeds up workflows, but may also increase unnecessary data transfers and storage costs. Cloud isn’t the perfect solution for all scenarios, the consumption-based model is not suitable for all projects. Strategic cloud service integration, particularly in multi-party production and VFX workflows, improves with data transfer at critical workflow points. Location connectivity determines the optimal balance between file transfer workflows and cloud service access, with local file transfers practical in some cases. Despite the complexities, intelligent integration enhances production workflows, emphasising vigilance on storage costs and cloud service expenses. Def: In what ways do modern storage solutions facilitate seamless collaboration among team members working on different aspects of a film production?
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