CATDV and StorageDNA ?

[Bryson Jones]

We have deployed it at several sites.

We have it running a Spectra T120, 120 slot loader at a major US print publisher (for their video dept.)

We have a single drive instance at a small branded content shop and several deployments on the 24 slot loader.

I’d guess that we have it running at 5 or 6 locations.

The thing we hope for about an archiving system is that you don’t get calls about it once it’s deployed. So far, so good.

It uses an XML API to receive job tickets and then writes back to CatDV using the Worker Node CLI to report status to the db.

Also, SDNA dealers can import your existing SDNA catalogs into CatDV if you’ve bought SDNA before CatDV. You don’t get thumbnails or proxy but you can search paths & filenames and call restores from the archive.

I believe Bob Spencer (from VTG) on here has also done a few in NY.

bryson

bryson “at” northshoreautomation.com

northshoreautomation.com

[Pat Horridge]

That’s create.
We have a particular aim in mind of a solution for small to medium Post houses and CATDV seems to be the perfect front end solution.
And StorageDNA just the right backend hardware route.
We had looked at Cache-A which also interfaces with CATDV but Cache-A just isn’t offering the options we need.

Pat Horridge
Technical Director, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
VET
Production Editing Digital Media Design DVD
T +44 (0)20 7505 4701 | F +44 (0)20 7505 4800 | E pat@vet.co.uk |
http://www.vet.co.uk | Lux Building 2-4 Hoxton Square London N1 6US

[Kendall Kaiser]

We are just getting set up do do this. We recently installed the SDNA and are backing up recently completed projects. With our next project we are going to start using the two in concert. Any advice?

[Bryson Jones]

The good news is that if you’re setting up SDNA’s CatDV workflow, they will do the install for you generally. If you don’t have a reseller established they will offer professional services to help with the CatDV side if you don’t want to handle it.

It’s been pretty well debugged as far as the CatDV workflow goes so there’s not a ton to worry about there. Make sure that if your SDNA client/Archive Manager isn’t running on a machine with a Worker Node installed that you buy an additional Worker License for that machine. That’s often overlooked by resellers. Other than that it’s pretty straight forward.

As always take your time. Plan the work, work the plan.

bryson

bryson “at” northshoreautomation.com

northshoreautomation.com

[Kendall Kaiser]

Thanks, Bryson

Planning the work now… 🙂

[Nathan Mcalpine]

I’m really torn on which way to go on this. StorageDNA sounds great, and I love that they have Mac versions, like the M100. I really just need something basic. But Cache-A has so many more reviews and have been around for a lot longer. Also, it’s been hard to get a quote from somebody interested in dealing Storage DNA with CatDV for some reason.

My head says StorageDNA but sales reps keep telling me Cache-A.

Bryson, do you know of any sellers in Michigan who would be knowledgeable with CatDV and Storage DNA?

Nathan McAlpine
Editor, YOBI.tv

[Pat Horridge]

We got our StorageDNA setup just after xmas and it took us a day to set it up. We went with the 8 tape library setup.
So we have a 1U rack mont unit that houses the LTO-% drive and 2 magazines that hold 4 tapes each.
This connects via a 6Gb SAS to an HP server (dedicated runing a version of linux) that acts as the StorageDNA server and controller.
Took a few hours to get setup and configured.
Via the network you can web access it and install client drivers on your wqorkstations (Mac and PC) and they then let you setup archive and restore jobs.
It’s really slick and fast and the integration with CATDV (the server version of which we are setting up now) looks to be really good.
Bt for us it’s the additional Storage DNA features like the ability to archive an Avid Project and media and restore media for a sequence via an EDL of the timeline that attracted us.

It’s early days for us but I’m glad we didn’t go the Cache-A route

Pat Horridge
Technical Director, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
VET
Production Editing Digital Media Design DVD
T +44 (0)20 7505 4701 | F +44 (0)20 7505 4800 | E pat@vet.co.uk |
http://www.vet.co.uk | Lux Building 2-4 Hoxton Square London N1 6US

[Dennis Lisonbee]

Pat,

We are a University with CATDV, a Facilis server and StorageDNA and an FCP Server spread across two departments. We are not working to get the FCP data moved over to CATDV and StorageDNA talking with CATDV. The advertising departments of both of these companies tell us they are a match made in heaven.
But wait… Storage DGA support tell us we need a $2400 plug in, other posts tell us we need a couple of worker nodes and the CATDV archive accessory. CATDV supports tell us they don’t have a clue about how to get CatDV to talk to StorageDNA. The sales reps tell us $7000 on top of the $35,000 investment will do the trick.

We have DNA Evolution, CATDV Enterprise with 5 workstations and 2 web clients a Facilis Terrablock No CATDV work nodes. No StorageDNA Catdv plug in. What do you suggest?

Talkin’ bout film is like dancing about architecture.

[Bryson Jones]

That’s why I’m not in sales. 😉

Man, it’s been a developing thing and you should know that it’s only just getting worked out on the sales side. That post I did was part of trying to explain how the systems work with each other so that people could get a better feel of the workflow.

While quite a few end users have this workflow running, not many resellers have installed this workflow so there’s a lot of mis-information. (NSA does this as a service and I know VTG in NYC has done it themselves.)

Here’s some basics.

The SDNA plugin (Which you buy from SDNA) uses the CatDV Worker Node to communicate to the CatDV system so if you have a Worker you are good on the CatDV side.

There is no “plugin” to buy from Squarebox in order to use SDNA.

That all said, you might want to dedicate a Worker Node to the SDNA system as it makes things faster.

So, 1 SDNA to CatDV plugin from SDNA and an optional Worker Node will get you sorted for software.

If you buy the SDNA CatDV plugin, from SDNA, you might want to also purchase an install. SDNA will install the SDNA side but it’s expected that you have a strong working knowledge of CatDV Worker Node config in order to connect the two systems. (Warning: blatant plug…We also offer this to SDNA and CatDV dealers as a service.)

If the reseller seems confused, have them engage you directly with SDNA and speak to their support guys. There’s been a lot more focus on the tech than the sales and marketing side. That’s a good thing in my opinion. 😉

bryson

bryson “at” northshoreautomation.com

northshoreautomation.com

[Dennis Lisonbee]

Thanks for your reply. Having set up our entire CATDV system myself, (I’m no IT guru) I know there are some real complexities that take time, blood and dancing under a full moon to get everything cooking. From your reply I can see that this will take some time and unfortunately more money.

A side note on CATDV. We are teaching our students the wonderful world of metadata and searchable data bases. CATDV became our system of choice. We are lucky to be a hands on production program with a myriad of international capstone projects that require sound asset management. This gives them real world experience with CATDV before they graduate. As a result we have had several students get work because of their knowledge of CATDV. Now we need to find some taxpayer funds to purchase the pieces you mentioned in order teach them the beauty of tape backup and archiving.

Talkin’ bout film is like dancing about architecture.