As editing timelines tighten, AI demands more compute power and architectural shifts, and the need for scalable and portable data solutions grows. That explains why OpenDrives, Inc., a global provider of software-defined data services and workflow solutions, announced multi-cloud migration, AI-enabled remote production, and backup and recovery workflows at the 2023 NAB Show.
OpenDrives centralizes data access, management and movement, powered by the Atlas Core software platform, across all architectures for enterprise-scale media and entertainment industry heavyweights.
“No single vendor can optimize workflows at the individual company, team and workstation level, especially as cloud and hybrid deployments make managing data storage capabilities and accessing data more complex,” said Izhar Sharon, recently appointed Chief Executive Officer at OpenDrives. “Open integrations unlock powerful capabilities that help to ensure optimal workflow performance across complementary technologies. From multi-cloud migration to live editing and backup, OpenDrives empowers businesses with streamlined data operations and content delivery, and we’re thrilled to showcase this with our open ecosystem of partners at the 2023 NAB Show.”
Built on open standards and open protocols adopted across the industry, Atlas Core facilitates interoperability with the Open ecosystem of technology partners, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure and other cloud players such as Wasabi, to provide access to cloud storage and data services that enterprises leverage every day.
OpenDrives deploys containers directly on the storage solutions bringing enterprise applications, such as iconik, Archiware, CloudSoda, Axel AI and Betsol, closer to the target data that they use, eliminating the need for additional hardware. A single, portable software license moves with customers’ needs across any data environment, whether on-prem, cloud or edge.
Multi-cloud migration to power “everything everywhere” data availability for Fox Sports is a key element of the solution. Atlas Core and OpenDrives’ fully managed cloud solution Atlas Cloud Plus (ACP) centralize content across Fox Sports’ 10 onsite venue locations, multiple editing facilities and geographically distributed remote teams. Now, the leading live broadcaster has selected ACP to streamline content access from any location while enhancing tiering efficiencies for files migrated between AWS and GCP.
“Cloud strategies are more complex than a ‘one-and-done’ infrastructure shift,” said Kevin Callahan, VP of Field Operations and Engineering at Fox Sports. “We need to access petabytes of data in real-time, especially in high frame rate 4K or future 8K formats, which requires flexible systems that optimize ingest and simplify cloud-to-cloud migration without having to rethink our data strategy with each architecture upgrade or switch. OpenDrives’ integrated partner ecosystem provides end-to-end performance that anticipates and scales with our growth.”
Everything is always at our fingertips
Industry-standard support for SMB, NFS and S3 means OpenDrives can interoperate regardless of protocol, expanding the types of storage targets on-premises and in the cloud which are available to the software solution. This enables Atlas Core and ACP to accelerate and stabilize any workflow that is reliant on file transfer and dynamic data movement. By giving Fox Sports the ability to instantly launch containerized applications, including Signiant and Aspera, OpenDrives provides a resilient and adaptive storage platform enabling data access and movement from anywhere.
“We’re no longer moving data, we’ve evolved in a way where it’s moving with us,” added Callahan. “OpenDrives empowers hybrid data access and movement as mobile as our onsite studios and broadcast trucks. Adding multi-cloud support will only accelerate international data consolidation so that everything is always at our fingertips across editing and media lifecycle management.”
Fox Sports will soon debut its Center for Excellence, a lab and testing facility for new and emerging workflow integrations and techniques in live sports production, such as miniature POV high-speed and digital cinema shell, drones and remote and cloud production IP. Continuing to push innovation boundaries to create a unique visual difference for viewers at home, from augmented reality to HDR and high frame rate, the lab will be a core pillar for the future of Fox Sports’ live broadcasting. OpenDrives’ software will provide the backbone to ensure seamless functionality with new camera and editing innovations, from R&D to viewers’ screens.
Containerization optimizes AI-enabled workflows
“Customers have a growing need for flexibility and performance in the cloud as its role shifts from storage target to content hub,” said Sean Lee, Chief Operations and Strategy Officer at OpenDrives. “Our cloud-focused solutions work seamlessly with partner technologies to drive business outcomes through scalability, data integrity, and ease of use to accelerate enterprise workloads and media workflows more easily and cost effectively with fewer operational headaches.”
OpenDrives empowers enterprise-scale customers to optimize cloud deployments, created for individual data needs, while streamlining content development and delivery with solutions such as:
- AI-enabled hybrid solution for editing and finishing content with iconik’s ISG MAM. Working in partnership, OpenDrives, iconik and Adobe allow remote editors to access ISG-generated proxies directly from the Adobe application. To do this, OpenDrives generates proxies through an on-premise C module and sends them to the web-based Adobe panel which allows editors to work on smaller files while optimizing access and performance.
- Enhanced data movement, backup and archiving in the cloud with CloudSoda. Customers can replicate content between locations for collaboration or data protection. A real-time analytics dashboard shows cost and savings prior to initiating the data move. Implementing camera-to-cloud workflow to push remote editorial workflows into different tiers maximizes cost efficiencies.
- Archiving and integrated asset management with Archiware P5. This containerized solution streamlines operations while accelerating backup, cloning, and archive functions. Using an asset management feature, this simplifies reuse and reference of monetized media assets that automatically backup to a variety of targets such as disk, tape, or cloud storage.
- AI-powered tagging and remote media access with Axel AI’s MAM. Search, manage, and repurpose media assets faster and more efficiently with nearly 100 times the throughput available on 10 Gigabit Ethernet. Remote file access and collaboration through Adobe Premiere Pro and Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve, as well as archiving with Archiware P5, streamlines remote workflows while accelerating productivity.
NAB 2023 comes amid a period of significant growth for the company. OpenDrives has scaled its Atlas Core software platform from traditional storage services and data management to an expanded centralized ecosystem of data applications, solutions and services. Former Infinidat, IBM and Dell EMC executive Izhar Sharon joined OpenDrives as CEO in December of 2022. Solutions debuts, including containerized enterprise backup and recovery in partnership with BETSOL, have further expanded the Open ecosystem to deliver backup capabilities that are critical for enterprise-scale businesses.
Company and partner-led solutions growth has helped earn OpenDrives recognition on the 2023 CRN Storage 100 List and Inc.’s inaugural Power Partner Awards. InterVision Systems, Chesapeake Systems (CHESA) and Advanced Systems Group (ASG) are among the award-winning channel partners delivering OpenDrives’ vendor- and architecture-agnostic solutions.
“There is no crystal ball for what will drive new data demands years from now; the explosion of AI shows how much can change in just a few months,” added Sharon. “At OpenDrives, what we do know is that the future of data is software. Whether tomorrow’s leaders need to edit 16K footage or generate AI video, they can rely on OpenDrives and the ecosystem of partners for powerful solutions that yield tangible business outcomes.”
To learn more about OpenDrives, visit www.opendrives.com. To connect with the OpenDrives team, email hello@opendrives.com.