An Open, CIFSbased, ClientServer Architecture for the Media Enterprise

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An Open, CIFS-based, Client/Server Architecture
for the Media Enterprise
Presented byJohn L. PittasVP Broadcast
Products EngineeringSeaChange International
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Parallel Access, Parallel Workflow
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Ingest-in-Place, Edit-in-Place, Play-in-Place

• Key elements of tapeless workflow
• Centralized Fault-Resilient Shared Storage
• Reduces/eliminates multiple storage platforms
• Reduces cost and complexity
• Reduces/eliminates content movement
• Accelerates user access and time-to-air
• Reduces/eliminates asset management layer
• Reduces cost and complexity
• Open File Access Protocols
• Eliminates proprietary protocols
• Accelerates system integration and stability
• Reduces cost and complexity
• Assures interoperability across multiple
  Operating Systems
• Applications use native file system calls

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Ingest-in-Place, Edit-in-Place, Play-in-Place

• Key elements of tapeless workflow (contd)
• Common Data Structures
• Eliminates/reduces proprietary essence and
  multiplexes
• Accelerates system integration and stability
• Reduces cost and complexity
• Promotes interoperability across multiple
  applications
• Eliminates/reduces data conversion overhead
• Reduces cost and complexity

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Open, CIFS-based Client/Server Architecture
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Open, CIFS-based Client/Server Architecture

• Key elements of the architecture
• Common Internet File System (CIFS) Ubiquitous
• Server Message Block (SMB) protocols supported
  by Windows, Apple, Unix, Linux
• Storage appears as remotely-mounted drive
• Support for small files, hierarchical
  directories, advanced file security and
  authentification
• IP Networking Ubiquitous and inexpensive
• Jumbo frames and QOS for video applications
• 1Gb/s for streaming tape drives, compressed
  SD/HD, uncompressed SD
• Future migration to 10Gb/s for uncompressed HD
  and D-Cinema
• x86 32/64bit I/O and Processing Subsystems
  Ubiquitous and inexpensive
• Intel/AMD competition advances CPU
  price/performance
• Windows/Linux competition advances OS
  price/performance
• Multiple development teams advance applications
  price/performance

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IP-attached I/O and Processing Subsystems

• I/O subsystems bridge synchronous A/V I/Os to the
  asynchronous IP network of central storage
• Uncompressed SD or HD
• Compressed SD or HD using SW-based codecs
• MPEG/IMX
• DV25/50/100
• Requires high-end x86 platform
• Specialized SDI/HD-SDI I/O HW
• Asynchronous subsystems provide content
  processing/transfer between third-party systems
  and central storage
• Require no specialized I/O HW

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IP-attached I/O and Codec Subsystem
RS-422
Command Interpreter
File System Re-director
IP Stack
Real-time Record, Play and Codec Engine
IP
Internal RAID
Hardware Abstraction Layer
SDI/HD-SDI
A/V I/O Card
GENLOCK
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Metadata Generators

• Creates metadata for content created on or
  imported into central storage by third-party
  applications using industry-wide standard codecs
  such as DV25/50/100
• NLEs or
• File imports via CIFS or FTP
• Requires inexpensive x86 platform
• Content does not pass through the Generator
• Continually scans the storage for content lacking
  associated metadata
• Automatically creates the metadata

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Essence Gateways

• Gateway solution for importing/exporting
  non-standard MPEG content between third-party
  systems and central storage
• Tape and disk-based systems
• File transfers via CIFS or FTP
• Requires high-end x86 platform
• Content passes-through the Gateway
• Processes/massages audio/video essence and
  multiplex
• Creates index and metadata
• Supports play during transfer
• Performs multiple simultaneous real-time
  transfers or
• Faster than real-time transfer depending on
  available device bandwidth