Xtore teams up to develop super fast RAID
Xtore teams up to develop super fast RAID
Storage systems manufacturer Xtore has teamed up with IBM and NewTek to create a “super” RAID system for the video applications marketplace.
The fibre channel RAID system, which marks the first product collaboration between the three vendors, is comprised of an IBM Intellistation A-Pro Dual Opteron System, NewTek VT[3] integrated production suite and eight Xtore 2U, 12-bay fibre channel direct-attached storage (DAS) systems. The system is being tested successfully at video facilities, and Xtore anticipates reaching a 2GB per second transfer rate before the end of this year.
Dan Ablan, president of AGA Digital Studios, who put the system through its paces, commnted: “The project was done with 48 hard drives, and we see a consistent 500MB per second transfer rate, which is truly amazing. The system can start small with less speed and hard drive space, and scale up as necessary. This flexibility is ideal for a boutique 3D and post facility such as ours. We have a full non-linear suite, a complete pro-tools audio suite, and a generous 3D animation suite. Xtore's fibre channel solution can be used throughout our studio because the fibre cable technology can travel up to 300M, unlike typical SCSI channels.”
“This super system delivers the same power and capabilities of digital video workstations that can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more,” said Duran Alabi, vice president of sales and marketing for Xtore. “This marks a breakthrough from both an economics and performance perspective, enabling both smaller, independent video facilities or larger post houses to increase productivity and speed up project development cycles while reducing their costs."
"We are very excited about the possibilities that this super system opens up for video facilities," said Philip Nelson, senior director - Video Marketing for NewTek. "As technology advances, the need for innovative and affordable tools for computer-generated animation, broadcast and special effects continues to grow. Our concept system combines the speed of the Xtore drive system with the power and ease of use in the VT[3] Post, truly delivering on the promise of real time."
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