Omneon ProCast CDN content distribution software provides managed, secure and accelerated content distribution across multiple sites, independent of network infrastructure. ProCast Contribution Server provides a platform to initiate ad-hoc file up- and download transfers.
Media companies are in the midst of a transformation to file-based workflows from production through distribution and delivery. As the operations of these companies become more geographically dispersed, the need to efficiently move content between multiple remote sites is a key requirement. Journalists, post-production houses, media companies, TV stations, and individual subcontractors all require a fast and secure means to exchange content.
The Omneon ProCast application family supports those demanding requirements for the fast and secure transport of files within the media industry. The Omneon ProCast platform can be configured as stand-alone or fully integrated with the Omneon MediaGrid active storage system and Omneon Spectrum™ and MediaDeck™ media servers.
The Omneon ProCast family consists of two products: ProCast CDN™, a content distribution network platform, and ProCast Contribution Server™, a platform to initiate ad-hoc file up- and download transfers.
Media companies wishing to make use of existing IP network infrastructure can overlay ProCast CDN on top of the existing network at multiple sites and enable a content-aware file delivery layer with centralized management. With centrally managed CDN nodes, updates and configuration, ProCast CDN dramatically reduces total cost of ownership.
ProCast CDN provides point-and-click deployment and configuration of content network components including start and stop of any remote component without interruption of media services. It provides centralized software update capabilities ensuring ease of management and maintenance.
Media-aware transfers of MXF, MOV and other wrappers and aggregations are supported for integrated packaged transfer and ordering. Support for growing files and active transfers provides for another level of accelerated workflow in addition to acceleration through WAN-optimized transfer protocols.
ProCast CDN allows seamless content distribution between Omneon MediaDeck and Spectrum servers and Omneon MediaGrid active storage systems situated across geographically dispersed media enterprises. ProCast CDN also includes easy-to-use tracking tools to ensure files are delivered on time to all locations, and accurate accounting statistics for proper billing. Content distributed can also be securely AES-encrypted.
The ProCast CDN site-to-site bundle provides a comprehensive solution to managing and distributing content between two discrete locations. With management via the ProCast CDN-Manager software application, content can be automatically distributed to the destination through the use of watch folders. ProCast CDN-Nodes at each site ensure content is moved in the most efficient manner, and provide the ability to schedule transfers, manage bandwidth of each individual transfer and prioritize rules-based transfers.
ProCast CDN can be configured with any number of sites allowing enterprises to efficiently and reliably move content between any number of geographically distributed sites, anywhere in the world. With the central installation of the highly scalable enterprise class ProCast CDN-NOC (Network Operations Center), as many ProCast CDN-Nodes can be added as there are locations and content can be distributed between any CDN Nodes using the most appropriate route available. ProCast CDN-Managers can be run from any location on the network ensuring universal management, monitoring and access.
While the ProCast CDN Nodes need to be installed on a machine in each location and use watch folders to initiate and prioritize transfers between them, the ProCast Contribution Server is a stand-alone application that can be contacted by all users that are given access. The ProCast Contribution Server is typically deployed in the same zone as other Internet servers in the enterprise. The clients do not need to be installed in a pre-determined sequence and are automatically installed the first time a user connects to the Contribution Server.
The users can initiate their transfers at any time and are only connected during the transfer phase. No planning is required; the transfers can be set up on an ad-hoc basis. The ProCast Contribution Server is ideal for roaming users that need from time to time to transfer large files, and for collaboration with other companies that need to contribute files.
Clients use a Web browser to connect to the Omneon ProCast Contribution Server and simply log in with their username and password. The Omneon ProCast Contribution Server automates directory listings to the Web client. Clients can select multiple files and start a transfer of all files at once. The Web plug-in allows clients to monitor ongoing transfers and to adapt the bandwidth for each transfer. The system is smart enough to propose the resumption of non-completed transfers after a connection break, for example when a client becomes disconnected from its network.
Omneon offers the ProCast Contribution Server as software for multiple operating systems, including Windows and Linux. For Web clients, all major browsers and all desktop operating systems are supported (Windows, Mac OS, Linux). The software is licensed based on the maximum cumulative throughput of the ProCast Contribution Server, and the number of Web clients is not restricted.
ProCast CDN is a software solution that is permanently installed on top of an existing IP infrastructure. The main component is the ProCast CDN-Node that is installed at every site where file-based content movement takes place. Together, all CDN-Nodes build a network for optimized file movement by implementing proprietary networking protocols that improve performance and eliminate many of the inefficiencies of traditional transfer methods such as FTP. Administrators can deploy these modules in either site-to-site configurations (utilizing only two CDN-Nodes) or multi-site configurations (utilizing up to hundreds of CDN-Nodes). ProCast CDN also includes the CDN-NOC (Network Operations Center) and CDN-Manager applications for administration of the entire solution.
The ProCast CDN-Node software resides on a server platform and provides content routing, forwarding and storage management functionality. CDN-Nodes can be configured to mount any locally attached file server where users deposit or retrieve content.
At its foundation is an alert system that allows each CDN-Node to transmit all relevant information to the central CDN-NOC. This same mechanism enables all CDN-Nodes to receive software upgrades with a single distribution command. CDN-Nodes are built with a plug-in architecture that allows for extensibility for future functionality.
The ProCast CDN-NOC software is the "brain" of every ProCast CDN system. The ProCast CDN-NOC software coordinates system and content processes, monitoring and management. The CDN-NOC software collects, centralizes, and stores system and content status and statistics, and manages content distribution platform-wide.
ProCast CDN-Managers are client applications that interface with the CDN-NOC for configuration and monitoring by administrators and content users. These applications can connect to the system from anywhere with IP connectivity.
Where 24x7 availability of the CDN-NOC is required for mission-critical environments, a redundant CDN-NOC complements the basic CDN-NOC and ensures that ProCast CDN continues to operate at all times.
ProCast CDN-Manager is a management tool that provides administrators full control of the entire ProCast CDN platform. Full control includes monitoring realtime system status, alerts and statistics, and configuring all aspects of the ProCast CDN platform including watch folders for automated file transfers.
At least one CDN-Manager is required to manage a ProCast CDN system, but additional clients may be deployed for multiple administrators anywhere with IP connectivity.
CDN-Managers are also used by administrators to configure automated watch folders between two CDN-Nodes. Users simply upload a file to a designated folder on a local PC or server, and a file transfer will be carried out automatically for the designated file. At the destination site, the receiving content user accesses the file from the CDN-Node's local or network attached storage.
Install the Central CDN-Node and Branch CDN-Node software on separate server platforms, each with at least:
For throughput up to 100 Mbps:
For throughput up to 1 Gbps:
For throughput up to 10 Gbps:
