11 YOUR TAKE Media Storage
WITH THE NEW SYSTEM IN PLACE, EDITORS AND STAFF ALL HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO THE SAME FILES throughput and efficient shared storage capabilities. The solution was short-lived, however, because its performance was insufficient to support working on a high number of simultaneous, high-resolution video projects. The existing shared storage system also imposed restriction workflow restrictions on the teams. Editors were only able to work at one-quarter to one-half of the ideal resolution needed, meaning they were resorting to external hard drives to increase throughput and get higher performance on their workstations. Such constraints and bottlenecks interrupted workflows and negatively impacted overall efficiency. If Complex Networks was to continue to grow, it needed a storage solution designed for high-performance video production that could scale in line with content growth, support high-resolution video content and facilitate maximum collaboration through coordinated accessibility. Complex Networks ended up selecting a 500TB StorNext-based Xcellis workflow storage system. To be certain the solution was precisely architected to meet its needs, Complex Networks engaged Chesapeake Systems, a systems integrator specialising in helping users design and
two. The software in the array monitors access patterns and automatically moves the most active files to the fastest medium, making the system easier to manage. Previously, the company had five different teams working in isolation to produce primary content. With the new system in place, editors and staff all have direct access to the same files. Sixteen editors have direct fibre channel access to the shared storage for high-performance processing, and approximately 40 more can access the same storage shared over Ethernet using StorNext gateway appliances. LAN access, used for lower- performance tasks such as playback and ingest, provides higher performance than the old system, as a result of the new network being specifically designed for media work only, separate from the corporate Ethernet. StorNext allowed Complex Networks to integrate a multitude of services, including managing, editing and producing content. Ultimately, Quantum’s workflow storage system became the core technical foundation on which Complex Networks based its transition from print to digital production, allowing the organisation to maximise business opportunity and continue to expand its global presence.
TRAINER-ING DAY Complex Networks’ origins as a magazine about hip-hop and sneaker culture are reflected in its video originals. Here, Kyrie Irving goes sneaker shopping with Complex’s Joe La Puma
implement workflow solutions for rich- media environments. After a review of the customer’s workflow, including an analysis of client types, connectivity preferences and throughput needs, Chesapeake validated the company’s plan to go with a StorNext-based solution. MODERN SHARED STORAGE DESIGNED FOR RICH MEDIA AND OTHER DATA-INTENSIVE WORKLOADS The system combines a streaming file system with policy-driven data management, giving users shared access to common content, which can span multiple storage tiers and locations – including disk, tape and the cloud. The StorNext-based solution offered Complex Networks the advantage of a high- performance shared storage environment designed for rich media and other data- intensive workloads. The Quantum hybrid storage arrays provide a combination of storage types within a global namespace, including all HDD, all SSD or any combination of the
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