Data storage and asset management infrastructure specialists, Software Generation Limited (SGL), has formed a strategic partnership with Nesbit Systems Inc., a leading provider of asset management software for the broadcast industry.
The companies state that the union of NSi’s Media Library System (MLS) and Preview+, with SGL’s FlashNet data storage and archive capability, provides the core components for building a modular, integrated media asset management system at a cost-effective price point while remaining compatible with all of the leading manufacturers in the MAM workflow.
Preview+ is a new module to the NSi industry standard Media Library System, providing digital ingest and preview functionality as well as keyframe generation and EDL creation. Compatible with current library operations, Preview+ will allow MLS users to ingest and log digital content, making MLS a single portal for tracking both analogue and digital content. MLS will be the search and retrieval tool for location all assets.
“By working with SGL, we can now offer our customers an enhanced workflow for all media asset management. The marriage of our products will deliver connectivity between systems, and enable users to move digital/analogue media to the desired destination – all in a smooth and seamless manner” said Irene Nesbit, president of NSi. “It’s a great solution for the customer.”
“We are excited to be working with Nesbit Systems on this initiative as NSi provides a perfect bridge between the physical archives and digital archives,” explained Steve Atkinson, VP Americas, SGL. “Its long history of managing video tape archives coupled with SGL’s experience in working with digital archives will offer customers a unified solution to cover both worlds.”
Utilised by major broadcasters worldwide, SGL’s FlashNet provides scalable and reliable data storage architecture for the smallest to the largest media asset management solutions. From ingest by MLS/Preview+ through editing with a nonlinear editing suite to storage for playout on video servers, operators have access to the archive at all stages, whether the need be to pull back an archived clip from the library or to take a clip directly from automation or asset management to the archive for long-term storage. With SGL FlashNet, a Microsoft SQL database drives an infinitely-scalable cluster of servers, transferring data into and out of the archive at the highest possible speeds. Each server runs identical software, which means each can perform any task, and each is connected via a switch to every archive device (eg tape drive or disk archive) so that the archive always operates at maximum capacity.
With the integration of MLS/Preview and SGL FlashNet, broadcasters now have access to the following: integration to industry leading vendors such as Avid, Grass Valley, Quantel and multiple video servers; the ability to track data tapes no matter what format or where they are (in robot, on a library shelf of off site); use existing metadata from GV or Avid to import to MLS/Preview+ for searching; extract essence that is being written to tape so a proxy is either extracted or generated in MLS/Preview+; trigger a restoration request from MLS/Preview+ that moves media back to an Avid or GV system; and have a single portal to manage digital and analogue media assets and the workflow associated them.
