which server for storage and networking?

Hi - i'm doing some research on networking and storage solutions for a 6-7 machine post production studio mac/FCP based, and just wanted to see if anyone here has worked with or instigated a similar set up and if so what solutions may have been used, which server etc.

Perspectively each tower would be accompanied by a 6tb external drive for archiving, and all the machines then connected to a master server which would be used to administer rushes to the editors and their respective machines. The server would also be used for long-term storage.

Any thoughts or ideas? The studio's budget is healthy and if there is any further info needed to make any kind of recommendation/s please do ask!

Many thanks,
Bluey

You can try looking into XSAN. It should be a lot cheaper with lion, as the client is now free, but I don't know how Lion works with FCP or how it will work with future versions of FCP (X). I would look into getting Avid Unity.



www.strypesinpost.com

Hi bluey

There are a lot of shared storage systems on the Market! It really depends on the budget you have.
EDITSHARE is what I use for shared storage. We do TV Reality shows with 600hrs plus per season. It works fine so far 100MB/s over ethernet! You will have to buy DAVE SMB on the client side since it utilises SMB protocol. I use it with AVID, pro Tools Video and Resolve but it is good for FCP too it has true Project sharing for fcp that is a real USP for them. But: You´ll pay for it!

Quick and dirty?:
If you just need a lot of storage to backup or as fileserver take a macpro, smalltree 4-port ethernet board, HP Procurve switch with 10GBE internal switching and some fast SAS or esata storage, you´ll be fine. Don´t forget du truncate the ethernetports of the smalltree to get a 4GBE connection to the switch. you will have to configure trunking on both ends, Switch and server. On the client side you will connect with afp.

hope that helps

cheers
hamaca

We're running an ethernet based shared storage system from Small Tree Communications that completely rocks. Right now we have 48TB shared with 6 primary edit workstations, 5 iMacs and my laptop.

The super cool thing about this system is it's much cheaper than Fibre Channel (in my case less than half the price of a similar configuration) and there's no software needed for the clients. If you want to connect a new machine to the SAN it takes about 30 seconds to set it up and there you go. Any computer with an ethernet port can join in.

Here's a primer on my blog about how the system is configured and works.

[www.biscardicreative.com]


Here's another blog entry on how this system greatly improved the performance over our original system.

[www.biscardicreative.com]

Can't recommend these guys enough not only for the SAN configuration, but for their overall knowledge of all things Mac to tune every single system.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
biscardicreative.com

Thanks Walter,

Small tree has a 6 port copper card! That will be good for my NAS head...
cheers

Cheers chaps - i'll be looking into your recommendations and feedback . . .

Bluey,