Based in L.A., boutique facility AlphaDogs provides post services to such clients as The Learning Channel, The Discovery Channel and Spike TV. In order to streamline productivity and reduce costs, they've put together an impressive infrastructure, with the ability to move HD files around the facility using Gigabit Ethernet and optical fibre-channel connectivity. But it wasn't always this easy.
Terence Curren, president of AlphaDogs, said the biggest hurdle to HD production and its inherent large file sizes was finding and implementing a networked, shared storage system that would replace the existing, often slow workflow of kludged-together local storage arrays. Files were routinely transferred from one room to another via removable media drives, fibre drives and a fibre patch bay. Can you say "sneakernet?"
As the demand for HD increased, projects often shut down the network so that data could be manually patched into another room. To solve the bottleneck problem, Curren and his team chose the TerraBlock SAN system from Facilis Technology. TerraBlock combines intelligent drive-management software with SATA II drives and optical connections.
The base unit combines the server, storage and direct connections for fibre clients, which in most cases avoids the need for an expensive external switch. The TerraBlock 24D model offers 6 to 12 TB of capacity to support up to 16 simultaneous editors working at 1:1 (SD) or two uncompressed 1080i 10-bit HD editors, plus several graphics workstations.
Facilis Technology also offers several turnkey plug-and-play versions of its Windows-based TerraBlock hardware/software system. The 3.2 TB two-user system (with client cards), sells for under $18,000, a 4.8 TB four-user System runs under $30,000; and a 12 TB six-user system lists for $60,000.
Alphadogs' Apple Final Cut Pro HD PowerMac G5 workstation and a pair of Avid Symphony Universal suites now reside on the TerraBlock shared network storage, and Curren's staff couldn't be happier. With the TerraBlock as the backbone, there's now enough throughput for the FCP editor to move 10-bit 4:4:4 uncompressed HD files with ease. And HD business has expanded, because Alphadogs can now handle more projects in less time.
For more information, visit http://www.facilistech.com.