eMAM Case Study Ideas del Sur

eMAM provides a powerful front end management system for Ideas del Sur

managing content in Avid ISIS and IBM TS3500 LTO system using Avid Transfer Manager and SGL FlashNet.

Ideas del Sur is the largest broadcaster in Argentina With a staff of 400 producing original television content for its TV stations.   A local system integrator worked to develop a system using eMAM as a front end browse interface with media asset management tools to manage content storage between nearline Avid Unity ISIS storage and a IBM TS3500 robotic LTO archive system. 

Problem

The Avid system powered the editing workflow for 3 Avid Media Cutter and 2 Avid Symphony stations.   After a week of broadcast and production, the 12TB of storage was quickly filled.   The customer had no effective solution to find its legacy content, so a great deal of labor was spent finding media.  Sometimes it could be simply not be re-purposed for later usage.  

Solution

eMAM provided a web-accessible interface for search and browse of all of the legacy content.   Its media management tool set allowed easy movement of the content between current storage and archive.   Archive content could be easily found, and partially or completely restored as needed to repurpose.

Without expanding expensive proprietary storage, the customer has a robust, simple, and scalable solution to meet its current and future storage needs.

Details

Avid DNxHD OP1Atom content from the Unity ISIS storage was converted into DNX HD OP1A and dropped into FTP watch folders by the Avid Transfer Manager.   eMAM extracted embedded metadata and allowed for creation of additional customized metadata to power simple and advanced search features.   eMAM directly managed the nearline current storage system.

Automatically or manually, eMAM could push the content into the archive.  eMAM also offered a complete integration with SGL FlashNet for direct control of the IBM TS500 robotic LTO library system.   Even archived content can be used with the complete eMAM collaboration toolset, until delivery was required.   Archived content can be restored from the eMAM interface.  Using the sub clip functionality, users can make simple in and out marks to trigger partial restore of long high definition video files, to minimize server and storage requirements.     

The customer has been pleased with the responsiveness of the solution teams to meet any issues or concerns that have arisen over time for both initial response and final resolution.

 Return on Investment

The system provided a financial return on many different levels.

A large amount of unmeasured labor had been wasted in the past searching for lost media, ingesting, and clipping it for use.   Not infrequently, content needed to be re-shot and edited again when it could not be found.   In fact, the entire wealth of available content was now readily available, causing higher productivity and better programming.     The simple interface of the eMAM system allowed easy training and support for staff, with non-technical staff now able to manage content in the various locations.  

Finally, the system has a permanence and peace of mind for a non-financial return.   The eMAM system can scale in its current role, as well as powering additional workflows to help the organization.   Furthermore, the permanence of content stored on LTO tapes means the production investment of the organization will be permanently secured, never to be degraded on old media or failed hard drives. 

System diagram

 

About eMAM

eMAM™ is the asset management software solution produced by Empress Media Asset Management, LLC.  It has a complete integration with SGL FlashNet through its FlashBrowse module.  Empress Media Asset Management is a privately held company providing digital asset management and workflow management software and systems for broadcast, media, and corporate clients.   It is part of the Empress family of companies, which includes Empress Cybernetics System PVT, specializing in customized Microsoft software and database development and Empress Media Inc, one of the largest distributors of blank recording media and supplies.  Offices are in New York, California, and India.

StrongBox® and eMAM Team Up to Empower Digital Asset Management and Data Preservation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Streamlined Media and Entertainment Archiving as a Seamless Step in Workflow

AUSTIN, Texas – November 5, 2012 – Crossroads Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDS) a global provider of data archive solutions, and Empress Media Asset Management, LLC, a leader in media asset management software, today announced a partnership that offers the media and entertainment industry a powerful joint solution for the management and archival of digital content.

Through the Crossroads-Empress partnership, StrongBox, Crossroads’ LTFS NAS archive solution that serves as shared storage for data archive and preservation, now works with eMAM™, Empress’ signature software package that provides powerful and flexible Web-based platforms for managing digital assets. Crossroads partnered with Empress due to its proven technology and its extensive market presence within the media and entertainment industry.

StrongBox, the first enterprise-level storage solution to leverage Linear Tape File System (LTFS) technology, allows tape storage to walk and talk like expensive disk-based storage. It’s the industry’s leading non-proprietary, file-based and fully portable storage solution that offers cost-efficient file archiving across a wide range of industries. By combining StrongBox technology with eMAM, organizations gain maximum content management capabilities, while gaining significant cost savings by utilizing tape-based archives instead of disk. The joint solution provides quick search and proxy preview of content and makes archiving and restoration seamless steps in the production process performed directly from the eMAM Director user interface.

“With the interest we’re seeing from media and entertainment organizations surrounding the reliability and cost-savings available through StrongBox, it seemed ideal to partner with an asset management innovator such as Empress,” said David Cerf, executive vice president of business and corporate development at Crossroads Systems. “Our joint customers benefit from unmatched storage capabilities and superior management platforms that make content archival a smooth, efficient process in the media and entertainment work flow. Crossroads looks forward to working with Empress to further solve M&E content archive and management challenges with the eMAM-StrongBox solution.”

“We are excited about our strategic partnership with Crossroads,” said Shaun McTernan, vice president of sales and business development at Empress. “The seamless integration with their Strongbox and eMAM will provide our customers with a complete, scalable enterprise media archive and management solution.”

About StrongBox

StrongBox is a shared storage solution purpose-built for data archival and preservation. Using Linear Tape File System (LTFS) technology and intelligent storage architecture with standard file systems (CIFS/NFS), StrongBox empowers online, all the time file availability with uncompromised data protection, full data mobility, non-proprietary file storage and significant cost-savings. StrongBox unifies your archive - past and present - while providing seamless scalability and reliability for the future. Visit: www.crossroads.com/products/strongbox.

About Crossroads Systems

Crossroads Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDS) is a global provider of data archive solutions. Through the innovative use of new technologies, Crossroads delivers customer-driven solutions that enable proactive data security, advanced data archiving, optimized performance and significant cost-savings. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Austin, TX, Crossroads holds more than 100 patents and has been honored with numerous industry awards for data archiving, storage and protection. Visit www.crossroads.com.

About eMAM

eMAM is a powerful , flexible and scalable asset management system designed to meet the needs of a wide range of clients. It is available in four product lines. eMAM Online is a  hosted software as a service (SaaS) system. eMAM Vault is a full-featured  archive management system. eMAM Workgroup is a full asset management system designed to meet the needs of a wide range of customers. eMAM Enterprise is a scaled system designed to meet the redundancy, fail-over and throughput demands of the largest organizations. Visit www.empressmam.com.

About Empress Media Asset Management

Empress Media Asset Management is a technology-leading provider of digital asset management and workflow management systems for broadcast, media, and corporate clients. It is part of the Empress family of companies, which includes Empress Cybernetics System PVT LTD, specializing in customized software and database development and Empress Media Inc, one of the largest distributors of blank recording media and supplies. Visit www.empressmam.com.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements that relate to the business and future events or future performance of Crossroads Systems, Inc. and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause its actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Words such as, but not limited to, "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "targets," "likely," "will," "would," "could," and similar expressions or phrases identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about Crossroads Systems' ability to implement its business strategy, including the transition from a hardware storage company to a software solutions and services provider, its ability to expand its distribution channels, its ability to maintain or broaden relationships with existing distribution channels and strategic alliances and develop new industry relationships, the performance of third parties in its distribution channels and of its strategic alliances, uncertainties relating to product development and commercialization, the ability to obtain, maintain or protect patent and other proprietary intellectual property rights, technological change in its industry, market acceptance of its products and services, future capital requirements, regulatory actions or delays, competition in general and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein. Forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management's beliefs and opinions at the time the statements are made. Crossroads Systems does not intend, and undertakes no duty, to update this information to reflect future events or circumstances.

©2012 Crossroads Systems, Inc. Crossroads and Crossroads Systems are registered trademarks of Crossroads Systems, Inc. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All specifications are subject to change without notice.

Hurricane Sandy

In the aftermath of Sandy, we closed our NY operations Monday and Tuesday with partial operation on Wed.   We are now back to full staff on Thursday November 1.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.  

Our hearts and prayers go out to people affected by this event. 

David S Miller | COO

Join us for an open house with SGL and Spectralogic

www.empressmam.com sales@empressmam.com PH: +1.888.683.6773

Empress eMAM Digital Asset Management software provides a simple, but powerful front-end interface SGL FlashNet provides a complete archive management system with partial restore and other cutting edge features Spectralogic Provides world class LTO library systems, scalable for the largest of needs

eMAM Announces distributed workflow model

eMAM Announces a powerful and cost-effective distributed workflow model with the flexibility to meet the needs of worldwide collaborative rich media projects

eMAM is a digital asset management system that provides a complete enterprise digital asset management/media asset management tool set accessible from any web browser.

This workflow model is suitable for organizations that want to work with the high resolution material locally at different office locations and power a collaborative review and approval process. This system allows users to use a single interface to preview and manage the content that is scattered around the world at different locations in storage systems, editing systems, play-out servers, LTO Archive, etc...

Onsite Acquisition:   The eMAM Feeder is a desktop application for MAC, PCs or laptops.   It allows secure ingest, categorization, and tagging of assets into the eMAM system.     It has a localized database to store the upload status and metadata in case the centralized eMAM system is inaccessible. 

The eMAM Transcode Manager installed locally generates a proxy copy for web based preview and extracts embedded metadata to power search.  The eMAM feeder automatically identifies the native file structure of the P2, S x S, AVCHD, ARRI ALEXA and XDCAM camera inputs for input, storage, and processing (archive, delivery, etc…).  

Native Content:  Because eMAM powers universal media asset management, authorized users can archive, (partial) restore, and deliver native content as needed directly from onsite storage and/or library systems.   The eMAM Transcode Manager is fully integrated with Harmonic ProMedia Carbon to transcode media as needed to a wide variety of codecs and formats. The native content can also be transferred to centralized storage (i.e. client servers) for editing and storage and likewise managed there.

Online/Cloud Proxies:  Whether stored in our dedicated server farm or in the cloud, proxy copies of all content can be stored for universal access and collaboration.  

Database:   The core eMAM system can be located on client servers, in our dedicated server farm, or in the cloud.  

Accelerated Transfer:  eMAM seamlessly integrates with technologies such as Aspera and Signiant or infrastructure from Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or CDN platforms to accelerate worldwide transfer of content.   Our internal tests for initial downloads with AWS S3 shows initial download speeds 40 x faster than standard internet, with later transfer faster if the data is cached or if stored in a bucket near to the point of download.

Onsite Archive:   eMAM can directly manage storage on direct, network attached storage and storage area network systems.   It also integrates with leading archive management platforms, including SGL FlashNet, XenData, Crossroads Strongbox, and QStar, to power LTO libraries and drives.   Using the eMAM interface, users can manually or automatically archive content to LTO.  LTO is the leading standard for archive storage; so many productions require one or two LTO copies made for all content.   At very low cost, eMAM can manage one or two LTFS attached LTO drives with tapes stored on the shelf:   the system will trigger an alert when tapes need to be manually loaded.   eMAM can also run a robotic LTO library with massive scalability using Qualstar, Spectralogic or other libraries.  

The eMAM online library provides access to content in current storage and archive.   Archived assets will be restored as needed for download and delivery.   The markers tab allows users to make set in and set out points for partial restore of archived content.

Flexibility where and when you need it:  eMAM components can now run in different locations as needed.   Localized ingest points, with or without archive storage, can provide proxy copies for worldwide approval/review processes.   Media can be delivered/downloaded directly from onsite locations, from our dedicated server farm, or from client centralized storage.    Clients can purchase or rent remote ingest stations, online storage, cloud storage, and installed workgroup or larger enterprise systems to meet their current or future needs.  All processes are run off the intuitive eMAM web interfaces accessible anywhere by any authorized user.   The ease of use simplifies support and training.   EMAM gives users power to review, share, and collaborate worldwide regardless of where the native and proxy content is actually stored.