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SAN recommendations
It looks like my boss has given me the go-ahead to upgrade to HD, and I’ve decided on Sony XDCAM, and I’ll need some new machines (couple of new quad G5s or quad Intels when the time comes). I don’t currently have a SAN, which is the biggest sticking point in my current workflow.
So… what SANs do you guys use and/or recommend? 4 gig Fibre Channel is what I’m shooting for. Thanks.
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12 Replies
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Look at Facilis as they are pretty much set up for two systems right out of the box. Cyprico is formerly Huge and they have excellent systems as well as Med
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You need to ask yourself these questions:-
1) How many clients/seats do you need?
2) What data rate you need per client?
3) How much storage you will need – taking into account overheads
4) Volume or file based?Then compare all the systems and how they match your needs. Personally I would stay away from the ‘San in a Can’ solutions like Terrablock. Having worked on both volume & file based systems, I would strongly recommend a file based system such as Xsan, which is really only a rebadged ADIC. Volume based systems really suck and forget trying to master a DVD on multiple stations.
Take a look at Xsan from Apple and Metasan from Tiger Technologies.
Peter
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[Peter Wiggins] “Personally I would stay away from the ‘San in a Can’ solutions like Terrablock”
I know several companies using them and they have been superb both in their operation and Facilis support. We’re looking at them now for our shop as a potential solution as we expand our storage.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
https://www.biscardicreative.comDirector, “The Rough Cut”
https://www.theroughcutmovie.comNow Posting “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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[walter biscardi] “I know several companies using them and they have been superb both in their operation and Facilis support.”
I know a company that is very unhappy with theirs. I’ll try & find out some details. There is also that file number limitation problem that was mentioned here before. So be careful how you format it.
Is the Terrablock volume based? Does it ‘snapshot’ on mounting or does it update?
I have my final week with a volume based San starting today and to be honest, I will be quite glad to get back to a file based system.Peter
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What kind of deadlines do you deal with? Are you working on a reality program with an impossible deadline?
Do two people have to work with the same footage at exactly the same time? Can your editors work on their own pieces, capture their own footage & come together at the end? Can audio post wait till the editors are finished with the project?
Facilis Terrablock is affordable, efficient & the solution for most companies. When we switched from Avid to FCP, we had to rethink editing and get out of the Avid is the only way mindset. Going with Terrablock was the same. We figured out a plan, worked around volume level & never looked back.
If you
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MetaSan is file-level, isn’t it?
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[Boyce Johnson] “MetaSan is file-level, isn’t it?”
I’m pretty sure it is. Graeme Nattress did a good test but has been a bit scarce round here recently.
Again today I am completely p****d off by SanMP running volumes, wasted time & effort 🙁
Peter
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Thanks everyone… the first question is, does anyone have a poor man’s summary of the differences between file level and volume level? Thanks!
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File level means editors, graphics & audio post can all work with the same footage at the same time, they all have write privileges. Volume level means only 1 person can has write privileges at a time. In other words, you work on the project, when your done give me the project & I’ll finish it. If you can take turns with the project, then volume is fine. If you
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Worse than that, for some Sans, SanMP being one, each client is assigned a ‘volume’ Now, only that client has read/write privileges and all the other clients have just read. Also the clients take a ‘snapshot’ of all the other volumes when they are mounted, which means if another client digitises a clip or even saves a later version of a project after you’ve mounted the volume, you can’t see it.
You really want that clip? OK, to see it you have to quit all applications that reference that volume, unmount then remount then reboot FCP. In another words, put the kettle on.
Volume sans are cheap if you can put up with the limitations.
I won’t go into losing render files, buggy DVD SP performance (multiple users making a DVD, what ever next!) or even something simple as one itunes library.Buy a file based system, get it running, then forget its there.
Peter
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