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NEW WAY TO DATA Why data management is now critical to success for the media industry – and how moving quickly is key Nir Elron, global director, Lyve Cloud
to be moved from one setting to another, quickly and securely. For some production houses, the old ways of managing data might still work – on-site storage for shoots, and network attached storage (NAS) to safely back- up at a central location for later use or archiving. But for many, this set-up is not only no longer viable for the quantities of data they’re dealing with, it’s potentially hazardous if disaster strikes. For example, take Channel 4’s continued challenges following a fire, which knocked out several of its on-site data storage systems. Digitally native upstarts like Amazon, Netflix and YouTube have an inherent advantage, as they started out with cloud-native infrastructure on which to build media and entertainment platforms. While they are at the cutting edge of managing, securing and distributing media and entertainment data, many of the more established businesses are playing catch-up when it comes to using the cloud effectively. Upgrading to more modern data management workflows can not only improve collaboration and safety, but also unlock new opportunities through better business insights. ENHANCED WORKFLOWS The cornerstone of a good digital media workflow is data mobility. In a world where we’re producing more data than ever, the issue isn’t whether we have enough space to store it all; it’s getting that data moving to where it’s needed fast enough. The optimal workflow would see crews at the edge of the ‘data network’ continue to use solid state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drive (HDD)-based storage solutions to capture the raw footage, but then leverage a combination of modular media storage and cloud-based storage to facilitate easier data sharing across
LET’S FACE IT: the media and entertainment industry have a big data challenge. A high- definition film shoot today can generate as much as 2TB of data per hour – and that needs to be captured, stored and moved to different locations through the post-production and commercial release process. Factor in ever-increasing video capture resolutions and lingering Covid-19 restrictions in many parts of the world, and it’s no surprise many businesses in the industry are finding data management an increasingly difficult task. The good news is the media industry is far from alone. The market intelligence firm IDC has estimated that the sum of data generated globally by 2025 is set to accelerate exponentially to 175 zettabytes (or 175 billion terabytes). IDC also says that more than two thirds of data stored is not readily searchable or available for access after initial use, and that by 2025, 65% of data created by the media and entertainment industry will require security protection. Where does this leave the media industry? While the need to make the most of these ballooning banks of data might seem obvious, where to start and what types of technologies to consider isn’t. The good news is that whatever your media workflow, there are technologies and ways of working that can help turn a data headache into commercial opportunity. A QUESTION OF LEGACY From raw footage on set to the final files after editing, every stage of the modern production process involves data. Sheer quantities are growing year by year, as resolutions increase, visual effects become more ambitious in scope and streaming services green-light more projects. The pandemic has complicated the picture, with remote work meaning more data needs
“Upgrading to more modern data management workflows can not only improve collaboration and safety, but also unlock new opportunities through better business insights”
22. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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