StorageDNA Announces Availability of DNA Evolution 3.0

StorageDNA, Inc. announced the general availability of version 3.0 of its LTO LTFS archive-retrieval workflow solution, DNA Evolution.

Now available worldwide, DNA Evolution 3.0 includes innovations that enable new levels of archive-restore performance, allow new media workflows like conform from LTO, and deliver powerful search and browse features to help streamline and speed up media pipelines in production and postproduction environments.

Version 3.0 is a platform that combines nearline and archive storage on LTO tape and was designed from the ground up to help media professionals manage digital content and lower storage costs as they transition to file-based workflows. Built on Linear Tape Open (LTO) and Linear Tape File System (LTFS) technologies, the latest version of DNA Evolution includes unique timesaving features like automated conforms from LTO tape, Smart Browse and an upgraded mini-media asset manager (miniMAM) to help users quickly find the content they need.

“DNA Evolution is the only archive and retrieval software on the market that is designed to truly take advantage of the direct access ability of LTFS,” said tC Chakravarty, CEO and president of StorageDNA. “Maximizing performance and direct access media workflows, with Smart Conform and Smart Access LTO, are exciting areas of focus for us. With version 3.0, we are pleased to be the first to deliver these features, and we will continue developing DNA Evolution to help customers simplify their workflows and further drive down their storage costs.”

Many international and U.S.-based media and entertainment companies currently leverage DNA Evolution’s LTO LTFS advanced media workflows for reality television shows (such as Authentic Entertainment’s Here Comes Honey Boo Boo), documentaries (such as James Cameron’s DEEPSEA CHALLENGE), and feature films (such as the recent Cannes award winner, Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox), among other projects.

Key new features of DNA Evolution 3.0 include:

• Smart Conform: Capable of conforming high-resolution media directly from LTO tape, with format support for any conform workflow. Users save time and costs in two ways: by using LTO tape as a master archive medium and by performing fully automated conforms.
• Smart Browse and upgraded miniMAM: A new metadata extraction and search engine supports 150+ file formats from Avid MXF Op-Atom, Panasonic P2, RED, ArriRAW, to Microsoft Office and graphic files. Every single metadata field is extracted and available for browse and search via Smart Browse. The new miniMAM enables Web-based low-resolution previews and custom metadata tagging, tagging templates, and unlimited user defined fields.
• Global search: Users can search across archives for files, clips, and other metadata fields.
• Advanced tape tools: DNA Evolution now supports bulk verification, bulk duplication, and bulk format.
• New dashboard view, GUI enhancements, improved archiving-restore workflows, tape online/offline indicator, expanded support for CatDV and Avid Interplay, and more.

Additional features will be added to the 3.0 platform throughout 2013 including:

• XSIO Archive Engine Accelerator: The LTO LTFS media archive technology will be powered by a SAN/NAS accelerator combined with a multi-job accelerator for rapid offloads from expensive storage to LTO tape and quick restores back to LTO.
• Smart Access LTO: Designed for dramatic workflow improvements and cost savings, this feature enables LTO tape archives to act like a nearline, direct access storage medium, so that third-party applications can directly access files on LTO tape and perform partial restores, transcodes, and remote transfers.