Archive management is fast evolving from the traditional climate-controlled warehouse of videotapes and film into something rather different. The rapid adoption of file-based workflows by broadcasters means that archive management is changing into an all-encompassing content management system.

There are several drivers behind this change. The old linear flow of programs — acquisition, post, publish and archive — is changing. Multichannel, multiformat distribution has led to far more repurposing of first-run programming to fill the thousands of hours of airtime. VOD and mobile is adding to the demands for repurposed programming.

This insatiable demand for content has led to the archive being constantly mined as program assets, not just as a repository for old material.

The next driver is the move from videotape to file-based operations. The classic IT solution to the management of data in a cost-effective manner is hierarchical storage management (HSM). Older files are retired to low-cost storage, usually data tape, and work in progress is kept on spinning disks.

Continues @http://broadcastengineering.com