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I can't think of a single thing our Synology systems don't do. They're easy to configure, easy to understand, and very flexible. I can build a unit with 10GbE networking, 8 hard drives, and additional memory in about 10 minutes. Then I just plug it in, configure it, and it's ready to go. I couldn't be happier with Synology.
Brian Davids, Vice President of Technical Operations, Echo Entertainment
The Challenge
Echo Entertainment needs to download and edit footage rapidly to deliver content to their clients and networks. They travel internationally to be on site at live events and in many cases, Echo must deliver their first edits within hours of a broadcast concluding.
The company previously used a direct attached storage (DAS) array to archive footage on location at live events. Footage could not be streamed directly into the storage array, so the team downloaded each footage stream from on-site broadcast trucks to external hard drives, then transferred the media to the larger DAS system for transport to Echo's studio.
Editors also were not able to access footage from the DAS unit remotely, so editing could not begin until the array had been physically flown back to Echo's studio. This meant long delays before their editing team could get to work on the footage and made one-day turnaround times infeasible.
Echo needed a storage solution that could be brought to events to take in multiple streams of live footage, would make video files immediately accessible to local and remote editors, and could easily be moved back to the studio after each event for longer projects.
The Solution
At each live broadcast event, Echo Entertainment sets up a temporary on-site production environment. They deploy multiple 8-bay Synology tower storage servers, each equipped with a 10GbE network interface card. The Synology units are connected to a temporary on-site network via a 10GbE switch. This network speed allows each Synology unit to take in multiple streams of high-definition (HD) video as the footage is broadcast live.
Echo connects multiple editing workstations to the 10GbE network with each laptop dedicated to a single off-site editor. Every editing computer has access to footage on the NAS as soon as it is received over the network. The off-site editors use Jump Desktop remote desktop software to remotely control their workstation and start editing as soon as footage is available at the broadcast site.
At the end of an event, Echo's team puts the Synology servers into carrying cases for transportation back to their studio in California. The units are then connected to the studio's high-speed network for the remainder of the project. At the end of each project, footage is archived and then deleted from the NAS units so they can be redeployed for future projects.
The Benefits
Directly downloading live media to Synology servers lets Echo eliminate up to 9 hours spent on footage transfer each event day. Thanks to the on-site 10GbE and workstations, Echo's off-site editors can start processing footage as it arrives and deliver the first iterations of a project within 12 hours of the broadcast ending.
With its compact form factor, Synology tower servers can safely be transported as carry-on luggage, allowing Echo to easily transport critical footage in the middle of a project, further cutting turnaround times. Once at the studio, editors can resume work using the same footage and file paths they created at the broadcast site.
Synology software has also helped the company manage media and storage more efficiently. Synology Central Management System (CMS) allows all Synology systems to be managed remotely by IT staff at the studio. Monthly health reports emailed from each unit help the team ensure their data is safe.
Echo Entertainment, Inc. produces programming and video content for live broadcast events around the world. Their clients include the World Series of Poker, X Games, AVP Professional Volleyball, Street League Skateboarding, and the US Ski and Snowboard Teams.
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