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Server for FCP Projects
Hi list,
I am interested in having centralized server/storage to link together four machines in my studio.
My rationale for doing this is, shooting on direct to disk drives, I would like to have an exact copy on both a main server and on a FW drive.
I like the idea of alarge, central repository for several reason:
1. Safety – two exact copies in case a FW fails (and the convenience of having all elements associated with a project archived permanently in one client folder on the server.
2. The ability to have several machine access the same server info so multiple workstaions can work on one project.
3. The ability to work remotely by having editors working outside my studio e-mailing a project file which I could relink with the media on the server to check on the status of edits being done outside the office.
That is pretty much the sum of my knowledge of a servers function. If anyone knows more I would be very greatful for some feedback, particularly how you might be using a server in your prostproduction process. models that you can recommend etc.
I know that with a server you can use it’s processing power to render. That’s not such a huge benefit to my workflow (I don’t think)as I let large renders work overnight on several machines. Could it be that I only need another decated G5 for storage and fit 5 500gig drives in there (with a kit).
Many thanks and warm regards,
Kevin
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8 Replies
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The official way to do it is to use Apple’s Xserve software combined with an Xserve G5 and an Xserve RAID. But that sounds like overkill for what you want.
Yes, with gigabit ethernet, you can accomplish quite a bit. Don’t count on multiple uncompressed video streams at once for five editors, but for DV projects you can do quite a lot.
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Sean,
Just to clarify, you mean XSan. That is the software you need, and it’s $999 for each seat I believe. Ideally, you’ll use an Xserve RAID for storage for Xsan, but there are other storage solutions that can use Xsan. A simple gigabit ethernet networking scenario is not the same as a SAN.Kevin, you cannot use Xsan for distributed FCP rendering. However, you can have distributed rendering with Shake, and distributed encoding for Compressor.
Hope this clears things up.
Kevin Monahan
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Shared projects do not work in FCP, words i’ve heard are to stay away. The project must live on a local machine -at least while editing. archiving is another story.
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[todd] “Shared projects do not work in FCP, words i’ve heard are to stay away. The project must live on a local machine -at least while editing.”
Todd,
There is some truth to this statement, but in practice, this is NOT a hinderence to a collobarative workflow.
“Sharing projects” is an Avid centric concept that is NOT as critical with FCP and X-SAN. With proper media organization and communication, multiple editors can share media easily. Any editor can open any other editor’s project that is stored in a common folder. Even on an Avid, there can only be one editor with write priveledges to a sequence at a time. So, with FCP, editors in a workgroup simply post their latest revisions to a common folder. Date and time stamps keep everything straight.
mark
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Thank you Todd and Mark,
My needs would be less to haev people working on a project simultaneously, but I would like to be able to access and work from a server from several workstations.
Also I was thinking of creating a standard desktop applescript droplet to give to any editors working out of the studio which would upload their project file in a specific folder and in consident time and date order.
I was hoping then to be able to periodically open the project folder, recoonect the media to the media copy on the drive and check on the progress of a cut.
I guess for my purposes it seems like using a G5 with one TB (with an expansion kit) would be the cheapest entry point to this kind of set up. Also I need to investigate cards and fiber otic cable for the fasttest playback.
I could prpbably get the G5 server rendering also by having FCP run locally on it and leave auto render on.
Thanks to you both for your great feedback.
Warmest,
K.
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Mark,
To be accurate, with AVID, only one user has write privaledges to a BIN at a time, but are you saying that with multiple editors can have the SAME FCP project open at the same time? Doesn’t this also mean that I could make potentially dangerous changes to another editor’s posted project and then save it with those changes?
If I can’t open an already open project, and “proper communication” means I have to literally ask another editor if I can open his project before I can gain access to his media, then it’s huge drawback when you’re working with 12 to 18 other editors on a SAN.
Don’t get me wrong, I love FCP, but it seems like AVID’s collaborative workflow is miles ahead unless I’m missing something.
Michael Buday
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Hi,
I’m looking to do the same thing as you, sort of skate the xserve issue. Did you have any luck with the system you proposed? Did you do it via gigE or fibrechannel?
Thanks in advance for any response!
Max
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Hi Max,
I went with a quad G5 and not the server. It seems to be enough for my purposes now with two 500 gig drives raided. I also got the OSX server software which I’ll learn more about as I go. Going with gigonet for now too. I have four workstations so the fiberchannel cards would be a little too costly for now but I will reapproach them when I get more into a HD workflow.
Holler back if I can help with anything else.
Warmest,
Kevin
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