Quantum StorNext Enhances Digital Workflow for Digic Pictures

Quantum (News - Alert) Corporation, a global expert in data protection and big data management, recently announced that major visual effects and animation studio, Digic Pictures, has expanded its Quantum StorNext software installation to ensure the speedier, file processing and sharing of rich media content that takes place regularly at its facility.

Quantum Corp. (News - Alert) (NYSE: QTM) is a specialist in big data management and protection, providing storage solutions for cloud, physical and virtual environments. More than 50,000 small and large enterprises trust the brand in maximizing the value of their data, by preserving and protecting it over its complete lifecycle.

Digic specializes in visual effects and 3D animation for video games, commercials and films, including the most popular Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, and Assassin’s Creed III.

With expansion of StorNext deployment, Digic aims at achieving improved productivity, shortened production schedules for heavy data video projects, and increased storage capacity.

According to Gabor Kali, head of systems administration at Digic Pictures, the StorNext solution had significantly increased their productivity by allowing them to store their raw materials and rendered files on the same file system. The kind of extreme and random workload they required was beyond what any ordinary file system could support, but StorNext handles it easily, everyday.

Quantum had worked with Silicon Computers, one of its major resellers, in streamlining the processes of Digic to make it more efficient and competitive in the rapidly dynamic and challenging industry. With 140 StorNext Distributed LAN client and 2 StorNext File Systems, the digital animation studio benefits from accessing stored files for delivery and editing at a speed almost 50 percent faster than the Network File System.

In addition to this, the studio has installed Ethernet connections for LAN clients to keep the costs minimal. StorNext can support multiple operating functions at one time, and using this, Digic could replace the original UNIX system with low-cost, multiple Linux servers and efficient Windows edit stations.

Janae Stow Lee, senior vice president of Filesystem and Archive at Quantum, said that when you’re dealing with lots of data-hungry visual effects processing, the last thing you want is your teams waiting around to access files.

With objects getting bigger and more complex, speed and efficiency of access are crucial for visual effects work – especially with 3D projects. Quantum continues to evolve its StorNext solutions to deliver the performance, scalability and flexibility that enable companies to address changing market needs.

One of the integral StorNext file systems is supported by 30TB of high-speed Serial-Attached SCSI disk storage, which is used for current projects. The files for effects and texture, and project working files can be effectively used during rendering.

Another StorNext file system is supported by 20TB slower Serial Advanced Technology Attachment dish storage, which is applied as archive for several inactive projects. Certain older projects have been moved to the second system when it is perfectly ready for archive.

However, it is easily accessible if need arises for it to be remounted to the work area for reuse.

 

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2012, taking place Oct. 2-5, in Austin, TX. Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.