Chuck Mcmakin
Forum Replies Created
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I’d just like to chime in here to correct Mr. Zelin’s statement about Avid clients requiring a metadata server.
That is actually not entirely correct. Although most of my competitors must resort to using a file level approach to solving Avid’s needs for shared storage (and therefore they require spending $$$ on the server/meta data controller, dedicated metadata network, etc.) with CommandSoft’s FibreJet SAN solution, you get to sidestep all of that.
FibreJet is a serverless volume-level SAN manager that works great with Avids. Final Cut Pro, and Pro Tools workflows.
For Avids, FibreJet includes CommandSoft’s AV Enabler feature which essentially tricks the Avids into thinking they have write access to volumes which they are actually mounting with just read-only access. (My engineers can provide a much deeper technical explanation if you require it.)
CommandSoft’s FibreJet SAN solution has been serving thousands of Avid clients for many years now. Not a single one of those SANs has a metadata server on them.
Bob Zelin’s statements about there being no “cheapo” solution are basically accurate if you are serious about multiple edit bays served by shared storage though. Most of our clients are springing for 4Gb fibre infrastructure lately but we are seeing a growing interest in the lesser expensive iSCSI solutions too.
Feel free to contact us any time if you would like to discuss your options further.
Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com -
Hi Darren.
There are certainly a lot of options with shared storage solutions.
CommandSoft’s FibreJet SAN solutions will work great with Final Cut, Avid and Pro Tools workflows.
FibreJet is also compatible with a wide range of storage arrays making it easy to design an elegantly simple volume level SAN with whatever hardware best suits your performance needs and budget trade-offs.
Please feel free to contact us any time if you would like to discuss your options.
Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com -
Since it sounds like you’ve already got fibre infrastructure in place, you might also want to consider a “serverless” SAN management solution like FibreJet.
This permits you to completely sidestep any expenses with a dedicated server.
With FibreJet there simply is no metadata controller nor is there a dedicated Ethernet network. Everything the SAN manager needs is handled directly over the fibre fabric itself.
It’s an elegantly simple approach and may work out well for you considering the investment in hardware that you’ve already made.
Please feel free to contact us at CommandSoft if you need help.
Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com -
Hi Simon.
You mention using FibreJet with SATA storage over Ethernet…
CommandSoft (the maker’s of FibreJet) work with several different companies that each provide a variety of different hardware infrastructure options. That being said, in the Pro Tools market most of those solutions tend to be fibre-based instead of over Ethernet.
My understanding (which I must confess is a bit limited since I’m just one of our “sales slugs” over here) is that Pro Tools is extremely sensitive to latency issues in shared storage configurations. If the track counts you are using are low enough you may get away with infrastructure choices other than fibre.
I know of at least one firm that is promoting FibreJet with a complimentary ATA-over-Ethernet (AOE) software solution that allows them to use SATA drive arrays over Ethernet networks. They say they have a couple “happy” Pro Tools users that have deployed that hardware.
Ultimately, I would expect you probably plan to base your next series of buying decisions on your total cost to get that small 3-seat SAN up and running…
Do you already own the storage that you intend to use? If not, have you considered iSCSI options? I ask because CommandSoft also offers an iSCSI-only FibreJet client option with an MSRP of just $599/seat. Perhaps that is a combination that would keep the costs down for you?
Please feel free to contact us any time if you would like to explore these options further.
Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com -
Hi Bruce.
We can only speak for our own firm, CommandSoft Inc., when we say we have many thousands of happy clients that are running our FibreJet volume level SAN solutions with the very same hardware that you have described and without any mysterious losses of data or problems with write permissions.
Since the SAN hardware you have described is the most common hardware that we recommend, it would be pretty easy for us to provide an evaluation license for FibreJet if you would be interested in giving our product a try.
CommandSoft takes great pride in our post sales support efforts and we are confident that FibreJet would live up to your expectations for a reliable, high-performance volume level SAN management solution.
Feel free to contact us any time if you think we might be able to help.
Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com -
CommandSoft also offers evaluation licenses.
We’re happy to help you with them should you like to give FibreJet a test drive.
Feel free to give me a call or send me an Email any time and we can make it happen!
Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com -
Hi Shane.
I don’t have first hand experience with the Promise branded hardware. Since FibreJet is essentially “hardware agnostic”, I wouldn’t anticipate that you would have any problems. FibreJet is not in the I/O path at all so we tend to be compatible with just about any hardware you choose.
If you already have the rest of the infrastructure for your SAN (switch, HBAs, etc.) on site I’d be happy to work with you to get FibreJet demo licenses so that you could test FibreJet with your specific hardware configuration.
The MSRP of FibreJet is $995/seat plus $299/seat for the first year maintenance/support agreement.
Feel free to contact us any time if you have more questions!
Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com -
To clarify one of the OP’s original questions:
FibreJet is used INSTEAD of Metasan. They are competing SAN management solutions.
Although my friends at the competition are technically correct about FibreJet being a volume level locking solution (as opposed to file level locking), they sometimes fail to mention that there are literally many thousands of volume level locking solutions (FibreJet and others) in use today for some of the biggest feature film studios, television networks and other media production and post production facilities.
In fact, it is unfortunate that this particular competitor almost seems to be implying you can not do the sort of collaborative work you intend on FibreJet.
Don’t buy into the FUD!
The reality is that volume level locking solutions like FibreJet tend to lend themselves quite well to the real world workflow required/desired by most of the editors with which we have worked. I don’t mean to claim there are never situations where file level locking may be a better fit. I am simply trying to clarify that we find those cases to be the exception rather than the rule.
If you would like references from CommandSoft from post shops that have first hand daily experience running the FibreJet volume level locking solution, we will be happy to assist.
Feel free to contact me any time.
Best Regards,
-Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft
Phone (805)730-7772
Email chuck@commandsoft.com -
Hi Mike.
CommandSoft’s FibreJet solution won’t require you to buy that Ethernet switch at all. Everything the FibreJet software does to manage the volumes is handled over the actual fibre fabric. No Ethernet bottlenecks to impact your performance!
If you are interested in DEMO licenses of FibreJet, we can arrange those too.
Feel free to contact me any time.
Best Regards,
-Chuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc.
(805)730-7772
http://www.commandsoft.com
chuck@commandsoft.com -
Hi again Timor!
Yes, I can recommend SMM GmbH in Ismaning.
Contact there is Michael Werner @ +49-089-992-88-997 or m.werner@smm-online.de
I would think Michael can help you with your hardware too.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if there is anything further we might do to help.
Best Regards,
-ChuckChuck McMakin
CommandSoft, Inc. /
Phone: (805)730-7772 /
Email: chuck@commandsoft.com