Features - Enterprise Data Insights:

IBM INTRODUCES DIGITAL VIDEO SYSTEM FOR BROADCASTERS

At the 2003 National Association of Broadcasters tradeshow and convention, IBM is set to debut a digital media infrastructure for broadcasting and entertainment that features a digital video storage system that uses incredibly fast file systems for both online and near line video storage.

By using powerful storage and digital video file systems previously used with IBM's work in supercomputing, IBM's Digital Media Center for Broadcaster (DMC), enables broadcasters to manage video and digital content more efficiently. The system helps transform broadcasting production environments from today's analog and videotape based formats to a centralized, scalable, open operation that provides all users access to all video all the time.

Customer Examples

Among the first customers to use IBM's Digital Media Center (DMC) have been large broadcasters and law enforcement. Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) is the first major broadcaster in the world to automate its programming systems that digitalize news program production processes, using IBM's DMC technology. Using key IBM storage and database technologies, SBS is able to store and archive news programming on an all digital, centralized storage system without the wear and tear of traditional storage systems (videotape). Users are able to easily search, retrieve and edit contents on a high-speed digital network replacing the need for papers and videotapes.

"We have decided to introduce the automated news program system, which is essential in the digital broadcasting age, and we are using the technology to secure and maintain our global competitiveness as well as leadership in the domestic market," said SeYoung Yoon, Chairman and CEO, SBS. "In addition, SBS will be able to actively seek new business or revenue models based on its technical and operational advantage over other broadcasting stations at home and abroad."

In law enforcement, not unlike broadcasting, there is also a need to access, retrieve and review video quickly. IBM's DMC has been used by both National Car Parks and the Yorkshire Police Department, in the UK, serving as a central registry, and helping to make the tracking of surveillance cameras and large amounts of video much easier.

Gone are the days when police have to run to the videotape closet to look for surveillance tapes. The IBM infrastructure establishes a digital platform that is operated in real-time. Working together Pinnacle Systems, IBM, and IBM business partner Sagitta Performance Systems have built and delivered a video editing and broadcast IT infrastructure that has been projected by the UK Home Office to save in excess of £7 million, and the IBM Digital Media Center supports 24 Pinnacle Liquid Silver editors, for post production.

"What we are announcing today is our moving into the market for digital media infrastructure to support heterogeneous broadcast operations environments," said Dick Anderson, general manager, IBM Digital Media. "We have taken expertise we have mastered in other areas, and applying it to the market for IT infrastructure to support broadcast operations environments, which is rapidly growing. We can save our broadcast customers money and offer them greater leverage over their video assets, we have the track record."

Technology Backbone

Comprised of a set of core products and technologies from IBM and key technology partner technologies including servers, storage, hierarchical storage management software and file system software, IBM has designed its infrastructure to be open, centralized, standards based, scalable storage system that supports a wide array of production and management systems found in today's broadcast video operation environments.

By facilitating connectivity between varied broadcasting technologies, IBM's DMC allows broadcasters to take the first steps towards centralized, open, scalable storage, in which video file movement will become unnecessary, thereby, eliminating the need to physically "move" files from one functional area to the next. Basic connectivity, enables effective video asset management, and sets the stage for the implementation of common file formats, like MXF.

Benefits of IBM's DMC includes the ability to support already installed video production operations, including ingest and encoding systems, non-linear editing systems, news systems, and playout systems, including specialized content management software. The system address real-time access to incoming video, ease of sharing content among users, improve workflow, and allow content to be accessed by multiple clients as soon as the first bytes of content are being recorded on a disk The Infrastructure also offers interoperability, huge capacity, simultaneous realtime read/write of files, and simultaneous access to files. The Digital Media Center (DMC) includes IBM FAStTStorage, IBM eServer pSeries severs running on AIX, IBM eServer xSeries servers running on Linux, IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS), and IBM Global Services Integration services to install and manage new digital broadcasting environments.

IBM's line of FAStT disk storage servers allow customers to create small Storage Area Networks at a fraction of the cost of the investment in a large enterprise storage server. Besides high bandwidth, the FAStT storage servers support a variety of operating systems that facilitate storage consolidation. The FAStT storage servers are designed to be highly flexible and are scaleable up to 30TBs for easy growth. There are significant opportunities for investment protection within the FAStT family of storage servers, suitable for mid-market to enterprise customers that need a lower entry/price point product for selected UNIX and/or Intel platforms. At NAB 2003, IBM will showcase the DMC, built with technology integration from several high-profile, broadcast industry technology providers.

Pinnacle Liquid Solutions, for example, will be used to support and optimize digital editing. Pinnacle's suite of post production solutions includes effects such as 2D and 3D, advanced color correction, and other key post production capabilities.

At NAB 2003, IBM will showcase its new digital video infrastructure: The Digital Media Center - booth # SU7237.

About IBM Digital Media

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM is helping media and entertainment companies worldwide take advantage of the business opportunities made possible by digital technology. IBM offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions, networking and service offerings that is transforming the traditional creative and business processes of media and entertainment companies and positioning them to leverage their intellectual assets into new commercial opportunities. Additional information on IBM strategy for the media and entertainment industry can be found at www.ibm.com/industries/digitalmedia.