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High School GigE Video SAN
I looked into this a couple of years ago, but funding fell through. I was told to get a quote because there might be some funding. A buddy of mine has it setup on the super cheap at another school. A student pretty much built a FreeNAS server and the Mac Pros connect to it on their 2nd NIC. It isn’t very sophisticated, cost like $5 grand. It shouldn’t work.
We have (36) iMacs (the last generation with optical drives), (2) Mac Pros (2009 dual quad core), and (2) MacBook Pros (mine and mobile editing). Currently we are using FCS2, but the consortium that we work with is switching next year. We are not sure what, yet. It is between Avid, Premiere, and X. The iMacs also connect to a Xserve running Open Directory for netwrok accounts for my graphics classes.
Currently we are filming with the Panasonic HPX500 P2 (720p), Canon 5D, Panasonic HMC40 (AHCHD), and next year possibly the Black Magic Cinema Camera. The main purpose for the Video SAN is that we film sport for Video Yearbook all year and have over a terabyte worth of footage spread over several iMacs and FW drives. We also do a bi-monthly news magazine show, and creative projects like short films, music videos, etc.
The goal is to have central storage to better organize and provide easier access of our footage. Students will not be working on the same source material at the same time, so we probably don’t need a check out system. Probably no more than 6-8 student editors at any one time.
I have researched a bit of the more recommended ethernet solutions. Seems we need two switches, one for Internet traffic and one just for video. We got new iMacs over the summer with Thunderbolt and I saw Apple has a Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter, so we can have two NICs. I have a MacPro (2009) that I could use as a server if needed.
So, from my research looks like I need something along the lines of:
(1) SmallTree 6-port NIC for the MacPro, (1) Managed GigE switch, some kind of storage array (looking for ~16TBs), and the connections from the iMacs.
Besides SmallTree, who else should I be looking at? $10,000 – $15,000 range if possible.
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11 Replies
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to get 36 – 40 computers to connect client computers to connect to your server, and not give you drop frame errors, a Small Tree PEG6 card will not be fast enough. Now, Small Tree certainly sells 10g systems that will do this with no sweat, but it’s not going to cost you $10,000 to do this, let me assure you of this.
Since you are a high school, why dont’ you call TigerVision Texas High School in Texarkana, TX, and ask them. Contact is Charles Aldridge, school # is (903) 792 2879. If you have more questions, google my name, and contact me. Most of the companies on this forum can give you exactly what you want (36 – 40 computers all connecting at the same time to a single server) – including Small Tree – but this is not going to happen for 10 grand.
Bob Zelin
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They are are not going to connect at the same time. It would be nice if they could sit at any station and edit without having to designate “these 10 iMacs are for video editing.” But probably only 6-8, maybe 10, students editing at any given time.
I e-mailed Charles after seeing a write up that he did on School Video News, but didn’t hear back. I’ll try giving him a call.
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you can contact me at
maxavid@cfl.rr.com
to discuss your options.Obviously, Small Tree is an excellent to contact as well. And so are the other companies that participate on this list. I am sure they will all join in on this thread very shortly. As long as you avoid the Drobo/QNAP/Synology style of NAS products (which were never designed to do HD video shared storage), and of the companies you see that participate on Creative Cow will work fine for you.
Bob Zelin
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Ryan
i am sure that Maxx Digital can help with these needs. We offer the latest technology in shared storage all developed and tested by Bob Zelin who you have been speaking with on this thread.Please contact us at ron@maxxdigital.com and copy bob@maxxdigital.com so we can get you some quotes. We have sold to several colleges in the US and abroad that would be happy to give you and your colleagues a first hand testimony to the service and support we provide. Last but not least we offer special education discounts and scholarships for everything from RED camera training to FCP X.
Looking forward to talking soon.
Sincerely,
Ron Amborn President
Maxx Entertainment Digital
21562 Newland Street
Huntington Beach , Ca 92646
Direct 714-374-4944
Cell 714-713-4492 Fax 714-374-3404
ron@maxxdigital.com
http://www.maxxdigital.com -
Hi Ryan,
If you give me a call or email me off list, we can talk about a product that may suit your needs and budget.
Thanks,
Jim McKenna
Facilis Technology
james@facilis.com
978-562-7022 x101 -
Hi Ryan,
We are happy to recommend some of our solutions as well.
Feel free to contact me anytime.
Josh Thomason
ProMAX Systems
Direct: 949.861.2721
Fax: 949.727-2040
Josh.Thomason@promax.com
https://www.promax.comMedia Technology Solutions
Sales | Integration | Support -
I actually did. I filled out your quote request form, but never heard back.
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It is interesting the conflicting information you get from different solution providers. Some say we need two switches and two networks: one just for video and one for everything else. We could use one of our MacPros with a multi-port NIC and link aggregation or we’d have a whole separate server/NAS. Some say we could use our current switch others say we can’t, that we need a specific switch just for video, preferably 10 GigE.
So, it seems there is no one set way to do Video Over Ethernet.
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Ryan writes –
It is interesting the conflicting information you get from different solution providers. Some say we need two switches and two networks: one just for video and one for everything else. We could use one of our MacPros with a multi-port NIC and link aggregation or we’d have a whole separate server/NAS. Some say we could use our current switch others say we can’t, that we need a specific switch just for video, preferably 10 GigE.So, it seems there is no one set way to do Video Over Ethernet.
REPLY – there are many ways to accomplish this. Every manufacturer that you speak with has a different way of accomplishing this. Unfortunately, this is not like saying “we want to buy a toilet, why can’t we get 4 companies to bid on the same toilet”. Apple XSAN systems require two switches, and a Fibre Channel switch as well. Some companies (like Facilis) will just use a QLogic switch (fibre). Companies like ours want’s to insure that there is enough bandwidth on a dedicated network, so we keep your house switch for your normal internet access, and a second dedicated switch for HD Video traffic.
Some companies like Studio Network Solutions, Small Tree and ProMax will use a Linux server. Companies like AVID and Facilis will use a Windows 2008 Server. We use a Mac Pro server. We all do things differently, because we are all trying to meet different markets, at different price points.I can tell you one thing. If you want to use YOUR server computers, and YOUR switches, most companies will not be willing to work with you. They want to provide THEIR hardware, so they know that they have a working system, and are not trying to “jury rig” your existing hardware.
It is my opinion (and it’s just my opinion) that your concern should be to teach your students editing, and post production techniques, and not be concerned about how to build a shared storage system with the parts and pieces that you have lying around your school. The companies that you are considering are all excellent companies – all of their products work. I know that you are concerned about possibly using AVID Media Composer software with this system. While companies like AVID (with ISIS 5000) and Facilis Terrablock are the best solutions for an AVID enviornment, and while all the other professional companies have “alternate workflows” with volume based solutions or sparse disk images, let me assure you that if you try to piece together a system for AVID Media Composer with an existing Mac Pro and the school’s Cisco switch, you will never have a working system that will do what you want.
Creative Cow is an excellent resourse to find teriffic companies that do this for a living. Basically, everyone that participates on this forum, can supply you with a working solution, even if everyone has a little different approach to how they do it. They all work.
What doesn’t work are home made solutions.If you potentially are going to have 40 client computers connected to your server – whatever that server is – a simple 1Gig connection from server to switch (the typical office network) will simply not be fast enough. Link Aggregation of 4 – 6 ethernet ports from server to switch will work for a small workgroup – not 40 clients. Better solutions will use 10gig ethernet or Fibre Channel.
Bob Zelin
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Hi Ryan,
Midi Space by GB Labs https://gblabs.com/site_media/space/downloads/Space_MIDI_Web_Summer_2012.pdf will work well in your environment – check out the performance chart. I will be happy to connect you with GB Labs authorized reseller to provide you with a demo unit.
Feel free to to contact me :adi@gblabs.com
Many thanks,
Adi Antariksa
GB Labs USA
E-Mail: adi@gblabs.com
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