Best storage & workflow solution for small production company

[Jay Heikkila]

Hi Pascal,

You should also consider EVO from Studio Network Solutions. EVO is an industry proven shared storage server solution that fits and exceeds the needs you have outlined for well under $20k. SNS has a reseller network throughout Europe and have a partner based in Switzerland who has installed many of our EVO systems over the years. I would be happy to put you in touch with him.

Every SNS EVO shared storage server comes standard with the following:

– Multi-user write file sharing and volume sharing
– NAS and SAN or use hybrid NAS/SAN volumes
– Direct connect your clients over 1& 10Gb Ethernet/iSCSI ports or 8Gb Fibre Channel
– No external Ethernet or Fibre Channel switch required
– Adobe project sharing
– Avid Bin and Project sharing
– FCP project sharing/FCP X workflows
– Pro Tools file sharing
– No per seat licensing
– Re-purpose existing assets
– Start with as little as 4TB
– Includes SAN management software but also compatible with all other 3rd party file systems (Xsan/Stornext)
– Ability to coexist with existing 3rd party storage

Here are a couple recent industry relevant case studies about the SNS EVO

1. – https://www.studionetworksolutions.com/solutions/casestudy_detail.php?pi=12&csi=59
2. – https://www.studionetworksolutions.com/solutions/casestudy_detail.php?pi=12&csi=58

Please contact me for more information and/or to make an introduction with our Swiss integrator.

Jay Heikkila
Studio Network Solutions
jheikkila@studionetworksolutions.com
314-456-4053

Complete SAN/NAS solutions for FCP, Avid, Adobe, ProTools, Davinci, Smoke and all leading production applications.

[David Nordén]

Hi Pascal! We are the ones behind VidSharX, so everything I say here is biased:) Anyway, there are many solutions, as others have pointed out, and some of them are software based. One thing to consider is if you have the time and knowledge (and the interest!) to set things up your self.

If you do, VidSharX is an option for sharing work between Avid editors. VidSharX is not (yet…) for the “other” NLEs, it only developed for Avid. If you consider Avid as your NLE, VidSharX will need at least a Mac Mini, a network switch and an ethernet network. Add raided thunderbolt drives – you will need a bit of speed there, all depending on how many clients (editors) you want to connect, and the resolution/number of tracks etc, in your Avid projects/sequences.

You can reach me at info@vidsharx.com, or at david.norden@gmail.com

All the best

David – https://www.vidsharx.com

[Brett Sherman]

[Alex Gerulaitis] “Synology and QNAP will charge around $3-4K for a diskless appliance and will not support anything related to editing. (Been there, tried that.)”

Just curious. What about these NAS’ doesn’t work? Throughput, Access Times? Would using Sparse Disk images make these viable options?

[Alex Gerulaitis]

[Brett Sherman] “Just curious. What about these NAS’ doesn’t work? Throughput, Access Times? Would using Sparse Disk images make these viable options?”

Sparse image bundles is exactly what would bring a Synology NAS to a grinding halt, and from perusing their forum, that’s just the beginning of the troubles.

Alex Gerulaitis
Systems Engineer
DV411 – Los Angeles, CA

[João Marcos marchante]

Hi guys! I’ve been lurking for quite a while now and registered for the sole purpose of posting in this thread 🙂

Pascal, how is our project at this point? What type of setup did you go with? I have the exact same challenge – small, boutique studio with two cameras (GH4 and A7s, so we can tackle 4k/slo mo/low light situations), 2 imac for everything from editing to grading on the Adobe suite. (Shared) storage is our current achilles’ heel and 4k is also creeping up on us… interesting time ahead.

Even if Pascal didn’t go forward as planned with his endeavour I’d like like to hear you guys shedding some light on

a) a studio setup, considering all the tech advancements since this thread, and

b) the best way to work with these kinds of parameters (mac, adobe based workflow with 4k footage from these 2 cameras.

I’d love to hear you guys chime in again on this!

Thanks,

JMM

[Arvid Eriksson]

Hello

I’m also setting up a small studio with a MacPro and two iMacs. We use Premiere and AE. I like the idea of using local Pegasus RAID drives connected via Thunderbolt. It allows me to grow gradually without a big one-off investment, and more importantly it’s a proven simple workflow.

I’m envisaging a workflow where each suite’s job folder (media and work files), stored on the local Pegasus RAID, is synchronised via a gigabit ethernet to a NAS, such as the QNAP TS-853 Pro.

Once the NAS has pushed the media files to all edit suites, the project files can be shared as long as you re-link the footage to your local Pegasus RAID.

Slow and manual, but stabile and cheap. I guess it comes down to the usability and stability of the server’s ability to synchronise.

Has anyone had any experience with QNAP’s Qsync, or done something similar with OSX Server? A penny for your thoughts.

Kind regards,
Arvid

Arvid Eriksson
https://www.arvideriksson.com/

[Jess Hartmann]

Arvid,

You may want to consider the workflow we created for the ProMAX Platform Portable. I thought I would chime in here because we built the device precisely for the kind of workflow requirement you mentioned. The Platform Portable will allow you to connect your Thunderbolt RAID directly to it, and then connect your macs to it as well thru 1GbE or 10GbE. The device basically lets you to turn your attached storage into shared storage and if you Thunderbolt drive(s) are fast enough, you can eliminate the push/pull workflow and edit directly off of them from multiple workstations.

more information here: https://promax.com/products/platform-portable/ MSRP $5,995. No per seat license all included and comes with asset management built in.

Just one more consideration to get collaborative workflows more affordable. I hope this is helpful.

Jess Hartmann
ProMAX Systems
https://www.promax.com