IMT Installs Private Cloud for Visual Data Media Services

Integrated Media Technologies, Inc. (IMT) has designed and implemented a new high performance transcoding system and shared storage workflow at Burbank’s Visual Data Media Services (VDMS).  Key components in the new VDMS install are a Rhozet Carbon Coder transcode farm from Harmonic combined with EMC Isilon’s scale-out NAS to create a large private cloud for asset management services.

“With IMT’s guidance, we have launched the backend infrastructure for our new and proprietary asset management system that provides global broadcast file distribution and web publishing of all our clients’ digital assets,” explained John Trautman, CEO at VDMS. “With an optimized transcode platform and a large private cloud for storage, it makes managing and moving assets a straightforward and automated process.”

Visual Data Media Services has earned a solid reputation for quality, service, and dependability by providing integrated end-to-end post-production solutions for over 15 years.  To meet the ever-evolving needs of television, feature film, and new media clients, VDMS focuses on the seamless repurposing and distribution of content for all media outlets, including Domestic Syndication, Network Broadcast, International Distribution, Home Video, Video-On-Demand, the Internet, and Mobile Devices.

As the industry transitions from physical asset inventories and distribution to digital catalogs and deliveries, it is increasingly difficult to manage assets and meet tightened delivery windows.  With a multitude of file formats, codecs, and non-standard delivery platforms to deal with, the traditional methods no longer worked.

“We met with VDMS to determine the best of breed solution that would meet their workflow and performance needs,” said IMT’s Jason Kranitz.  “Rhozet Carbon Coder was the most flexible of the transcoding products and fit their model nicely.  For the most comprehensive storage solution, Isilon provided the scalability and flexibility, plus the ultra-performance of their new X200 nodes.”

According to IMT’s Director of Architecture Jose Palencia, “The EMC Isilon system at VDMS accelerates high-concurrent and sequential throughput media applications, speeding access to massive amounts of critical data, dramatically reducing costs and complexity.”

The new Harmonic Rhozet and EMC Isilon X200 installation at VDMS enables clients to manage and distribute their content in a secure online environment.  Key features include customizable metadata schemas, file downloads, push files via Aspera, Smartjog and Signiant, full online asset screenings, and unlimited user access for client screenings to assist in licensing content.  All major formats and codecs are supported.

“We realized we had to completely redesign our operation if we wanted to satisfy our clients and continue to grow at our current rapid pace,” remarked VDMS’s John Trautman.  “After many meetings with vendors at trade shows and interviewing a number of consulting companies, IMT clearly stood out.  They fully understood our complex workflows and gave us the media and storage networking solutions that are working flawlessly.  Obviously, we were under a time crunch, but after IMT’s strategy was finalized, we were able to get the entire project turned around in less than 60 days.”