Palladium architecture

By Andrey Kretov

Review contents:

Data storage systems for TV Application technology of the uniform disk arrays from Avid Technology Decisions of Ehance Tech company SANStream from Huge Systems DriveBox from JC System Integration VelocityQ and Storage Area Networks (SAN) Network decisions from Medea Palladium architecture SAN/NAS decisions from Raidtec Network storage decisions of Sanbolic Company Storage in the broadcast environment

Introduction

Palladium is a perspective platform of Pinnacle Systems company which are provided for development of the decisions concerning to the work with the audiovisual data in a network. This new platform is a corner stone of representation by Pinnacle Systems company about the collective environment of work with the audiovisual data. In Palladium architecture there will be a place to such Pinnacle systems, as MediaStream, Vortex, Liquid chrome, Liquid blue, Liquid Edition Pro, Thunder, DekoCast, StreamFactory X2, and others. Let us imagine the loading, editing and in the air output in an ether from the collective environment from normal file system without intermediate record on a film!

Palladium architecture is essentially designed on the basis of digital technology. In essence, it is the infrastructure of shared data storage with failure-resistant file system. Palladium supports as high-speed reversal both to a memory in real time on fiber channel, or through Ethernet network. Besides, there is the memory subsystem with reservation of nodes.

For simplification of technological process to all clients connected to Palladium, in the certain configuration the service on work with metadata may be accessible. Really it is the first platform which offers to the broadcast stations the “bulletproof” architecture without virtual restrictions of memory or the input/output channels. The common used formats are MPEG and DV. The tools for the control of efficiency at a system level with use of SNMP protocol and an exchange of the audiovisual data with external sources are also planned.

The concept of a platform for work with audiovisual data: six general principles

The architecture is presented on figure. Distinctive characteristics of the platform are the following:

• Various user applications which are provided by access to memory: Vortex, Liquid blue, Liquid chrome, Liquid Edition Pro, MediaStream, Thunder, DekoCast, and also the equipment from other manufacturers;
• Normal services accessible to all connected users: the file system, the controller of metadata;
• Subsystem of a memory;
• Individual user devices for editing (for example, Liquid silver), devices of loading of the audiovisual information (MediaStream 900), devices of its reproduction, gates and so on. Sometimes they refer to as client nodes, and in this article they simply named as nodes.

An example of large system of Palladium architecture

In the base of Palladium architecture there are six main principles.

First, this is a storage device of the multimedia information with shared access, using failure-safe open file system. All connected client nodes are provided by instant direct access to a disk. “Direct access to a disk” means any absence of expectation or interruption in transmission of files. The failure-safe platform simultaneously supports architecture “server — storehouse of the data” (SAN), using fiber channels of communication, the device of data storage working with local and global networks connected to the network.

Some manufacturers of information storage devices support the SAN architecture, others support the NAS architecture. Pinnacle Systems supports both of them. What for? For providing the flexibility of configuration decisions and their characteristics. For example, MediaStream servers are connected to architecture Palladium through fiber channels. Advantage of these channels which are connected the nodes, is the great throughput during data transmission on devices of data storage and back (it is commonly more than 250 Mbit/sec).

On the other hand, for the nodes connected through Ethernet, normally need smaller throughput approximately equal to 1…100 Mbit/sec on one node. The nodes connected through local/global networks, have the large degree of the location freedom irrespective of an arrangement of the involved data storage device. For example, the station of editing Vortex Edit connected through a local network can be located in London, while the involved device of data storage can be located in Paris. Due to such flexibility the Palladium architecture is the first class multimedia platform.

The subsystem of data storage has almost not limited characteristics: 80…1000 hours of storage, from small system with 25 clients DV25 up to powerful systems where it is accessible more than 100 channels of an input/output, different locations of the editing station, useful throughput is more than 3.2 Gbit/sec.

For years of researches the advanced flexible platform becoming in 2002 the winner of prize “Emmy” (already the eighth prize) is developed.

Second, it is a hardware platform with reservation NSPOF. This is the main advantage of this architecture. What does it means? Critical components of system of data storage and file system are mirror duplicated. In the case of any component failure the access to its backup immediately opens. Thus the reliable way to the stored data is guaranteed. Winchesters are duplicated and protected by RAID technology. It is important, that for maintenance of the NSPOF function it is not necessary to duplicate the device of data storage completely.

Now MediaStreamNS (the network device of data storage) works by NSPOF principle. The input/output of the audiovisual data to the MediaStream900 nodes is performed without failures though there are a big variety of probable component failures. To ensure the reliable continuous broadcasting at various combinations of failures, the various scripts and limit cases were tested. To ensure full serviceability of nodes of applied programs, the presence of spare node (under layout N+1) or full duplication (N+N) of nodes is necessary.

Thirdly, support of traditional multimedia formats. Traditional devices of storage are themselves useful only when formats of the stored data are used by connected user devices. So, generally speaking, the platform should support formats MPEG-2 (I-frames and IBP), DV25/50 and MPEG-1. Other formats (for example, without compression) should be also supported, but not by all connected devices. At initial stage all final formats are not supported by Palladium architecture, they should be entered later, for example, when the material is transferred to an off-the-air video server. The processable audiovisual information may be stored in a memory of the Palladium architecture or on separate server with Intel element base. In Pinnacle it is named as the format support.

Fourth, there is powerful support of import/export of files with by the PalladiumXchange system. PalladiumXchange represents the files transforming system connecting some domains. Basing on the tested technological algorithm of Flip system from Telestream Company, the PalladiumXchange system is developed according to strict technical requirements of Pinnacle Systems for maintenance of interaction between broadcasting of Pinnacle Systems and professional products, and also with some platforms of other manufacturers. Thus the file conversion of traditional formats should be supported between:

• Systems from Pinnacle Systems company: MediaStream, Vortex, Liquid blue and others;
• Avid systems (with limiting by certain formats and types of compression);
• Thomson GVG Profile (GXF), and also systems of other video server manufacturers (with the additional opportunities provided by Telestream system).

Stream format Windows Media for viewing of processed audiovisual information may be configured in automatically convertible files in the elected directories or is transformed on the basis of various criteria.

Pinnacle Systems Company is ready to realize the support of MXF format as soon as the standard will be approved by SMPTE.

Efficiency of the PalladiumXchange converter depends on character of initial/final formats of the audiovisual data. The most part of conversions is made in real time. If for applications the greater productivity under conversion is necessary, it is possible to connect additional PalladiumXchange systems.

Vortex200 system in the content review mode

Architecture Palladium also includes a strategy BroadNeT of the file exchange. The majority of Pinnacle systems for direct broadcasting in the air (Deko, Thunder, PDS and DVEXCEL) support traditional graphic formats with which work the majority of Palladium users.

Fifth, traditional formats of metadata and an infrastructure of the data control. Platform Vortex represents a good example of such functional assignment. Metadata are stored in the failure-safe controller of metadata, and users address to it for the review, the search and the description. In figure the still picture of the screen of system Vortex 200 in a mode of review is shown. Users may arrange the material by search criteria, to create the versions of frame dividing of required blocks and to review the fragments in a video window.

“MediaStream — Liquid blue” system

And at last sixth, the system monitoring by SNMP protocol. Continuous status monitoring the equipment is carried out. At a failure or faulty work, for example, of the fan, the block of power supply, the Winchester disk or other device, the graphic user interface GUI gives out the warning to the personnel. Now the MediaStream system provides such functionality. At figure the instant picture of the screen of the GUI monitor of system MediaStream is shown. Pinnacle now improves this concept with the target to capture by it all separate components of the Palladium architecture.

Advantages of a platform

Advantages of the Palladium architecture are various. One of the basic reasons for the benefit of development of this platform consists in an opportunity of maintenance of originally collective work with set of various applied programs — from viewing an available video material to complex video editing. At the first figure it is shown, up to what degree the user may change the system configuration. Besides, there are many opportunities in selection of components for creation of new decisions.

“Vortex — Liquid blue” system

Liquid blue workstation

For example, let us imagine a system in which the audiovisual data are received and edited in Liquid blue or Liquid Chrome system, and then are immediately removed in the air through MediaStream server. In this case the node of MediaStream server (900 series) represents itself as reproducing device. This functionality was submitted as early as in summer 2002. Other example is the case of integration of Vortex and Liquid blue systems. Let us imagine the script of the audiovisual data recording by the data reception node of the Vortex system, the editing by the Vortex Edit system (compositing of scenes to news program) and Liquid blue system (complex editing of the author’s programs) and the subsequent display on the output node of the Vortex system or layout on an off-the-air video server. This functionality was promoted in 2002. In 2004 the technical TV centre AZ Media which is located in Hamburg and gives a technical resource for production of regional news versions on one of the largest German channels RTL, has constructed the complex for nonlinear editing on base of Vortex and Liquid. In one network works up to 20 Vortex Desk Edit stations which prepare for various versions of scenes, using the low resolution copies. In the same network the Liquid Edition stations for more complex editing is functioned. All stations use the video material which has been written down on Palladium-5000 from stations of the video material loading.

Despite of desire to have all formats on a general memory matrix, always there is a necessity of conversion of traditional formats of the audiovisual data. The PalladiumXchange system will make more convenient the interaction of wide system lines of production as by Pinnacle Systems, and by other manufacturers. During the development of the Palladium architecture the attempt was made to create a platform, open in relation of formats, reversal to memory (NTFS — Windows NT file system) and of metadata formats. Taking into account the insufficiency of standards for metadata formats and addresses to memory, the standards for metadata and program interfaces of applications Pinnacle were published, that made them accessible for system integrators and partners on automation.

Certainly, not all decisions should be such scaled, as is represented on the first figure. The company develops and the “facilitated” versions of the Palladium architecture for the decisions with special requirements to occupied space. Today the most compact device of the video material storage in the Pinnacle line is Palladium-100 which works together with Vortex. Also this system is the central device of the video material storage in decision Liquid Workgroup where the Liquid Edition or Liquid Chrome station may work in single network with Palladium. Palladium-1000 is the next system following on a rank for network decisions. It is easily applicable as in configuration with Vortex and Liquid, and in configuration with video server MediaStream or Thunder. The most expanded version is Palladium-5000 which well works with Vortex.

Use of Palladium architecture

Though and not all products and systems of Pinnacle Systems company now are 100% compatible with Palladium architecture, there are some versions Palladium, reliably working in the different countries. For example, MediaStream-900 server is permanently used for multichannel broadcasting in Canadian broadcasting company (CBC) from Toronto. CBC uses the MediaStream system in the majority of their direct translations to 8 Canadian regions. Companies Foxtel and NBN in Australia use MediaStream-900 servers for multichannel broadcasting. Besides them, the Palladium architecture is applied by Media Overseas (Paris, France), Tuner Entertainment Network (USA), Alliance Atlantis (Canada), Showtime (USA) and many others.

Due to that by the end of 2001 on more than 200 input/output channels the MediaStream system on the basis of Palladium architecture was installed, it now has the wide distribution. It is not surprising, as devices of MediaStream family (700 and 1600 servers without system of data storage SAN) is used on thousands of off-the-air channels worldwide 24 hours per day and seven days per one week. The server node 900 is designed on the basis of 700/1600 servers. Actually existing configurations of the equipment in which the 700/1600 servers are used, may be modernized up to a level of 900 server by the simple operation of re-equipment of each server.

One more example of the Palladium architecture using is Vortex News system. It works in New York on known round-the-clock news channel NY1 (company AOL/Time Warner). System NY1 supports 24 input and broadcasting ports, 10 editorial and 50 user stations on which reviewing of the audiovisual data is carried out. It is also important that CNN which is News Company of global level the Vortex News system on the basis of Palladium architecture has chosen for production of daily news in Atlanta and New York. This large system supports more than 100 nodes of various types.

System Vortex also is used on a plenty of stations of Northern America and Europe.

Depending on technology of processing of the audiovisual data, needs and technical priorities of concrete studio the designers of the equipment may choose any separate fragments of the Palladium architecture. For example, one fragment may include Liquid and Vortex systems, and another — to support direct broadcasting with the help of the MediaStream system. Due to that the fragments of architecture are functioned with the general formats of the audiovisual data, the collective use of files by applications is completely supported.

Palladium architecture and its perspective

Network facilities of the audiovisual data processing and modernization of their technological processes are necessary for broadcasting organizations and production studios. Pinnacle Systems offers one platform for development of the decisions to satisfy the general requirements of broadcasting and editing studios. Now the Palladium architecture is included in the base of MediaStream servers and Vortex system. Many broadcasting and editing systems Pinnacle become a part of this platform. The Palladium architecture is in developing stage, and it means the flexibility, the reliability, the improvement of technological processes and the development of new decisions. At last, this platform is provided for realization of all working opportunities with the audiovisual data in a network. This architecture was created specially for solution of TV broadcasting problems and due to real exploitation since 2001 has received the reputation of the reliable device provided for video data storage.

Material provided by Qualitron Company