HITS

By Tom “TV” Burns, CTO of M&E, Dell EMC –

I think it’s safe to say we’re all in agreement when it comes to the momentum behind the move to IP-based workflows. That’s not to say I don’t harbor any sympathetic feelings for those still tied to their Serial Digital Interface (SDI) cables. While SDI may have had its day, its familiarity offers a comfort that is difficult to cast aside. However, replacing the reliable and rugged (but inflexible and single-purpose) SDI backbone in your facility with an all-IP fabric is undoubtedly the way of the future.

For example, let’s say I am building a new post-production facility. Even if it were possible to put a 100 Gb/s backbone and go 40 Gb/s to the edge and 10 Gb/s to each workstation, would I have the same confidence in a networked infrastructure that I do in HD-SDI? Perhaps not.

In the next 5-10 years? Absolutely. It will be all IP. But today, while there’s no denying a shift is forthcoming, it’s still a difficult transition that must be handled thoughtfully. It may be tempting to banish the traditional media infrastructure consisting of coax-based SDI and embrace the seemingly undisputed benefits IP-based systems offer, but a hybrid approach is currently a more effective compromise.

Contributing factors to the all-IP integration

The appetite for higher content resolution (4K, HDR and WCG), combined with high frame rates (HFR), increasing “shoot to use” ratios and a burgeoning number of delivery formats is putting a tremendous strain on broadcasters to select an efficient solution that satisfies demand. Simply put, traditional media infrastructures consisting of coax-based SDI, AES3 digital audio, fibre channel for storage access are no match for IP and its ability to serve as a universal transport to consolidate all data flows under a singular networking umbrella.

Networking capabilities and the power of Ethernet/IP are creating new workflows and business opportunities in the media enterprise. Because IP-enabled infrastructures are based on industry standard interconnects, servers, storage and networking, media facilities will see several benefits, including:

Reduced costs: Industry-led groups like the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) are establishing an open dialog among broadcasters, technology vendors and standards committees to develop a consistent, interoperable set of criteria for streaming media over the Ethernet/ IP stack using Real Time Protocol (RTP). The availability of off-the-shelf hardware will be more cost effective for media and broadcast companies, replacing non-IT devices and legacy AV equipment.

Flexibility: In an industry where flexibility and agility reign supreme, proprietary applications are quickly proving to be an obstacle on the path to the next generation of simplicity. IP enables scalable flexibility by supporting massive access bandwidth, hybrid and tiered layering and diverse client types.

Future innovation: Ultimately, IP will serve as the foundation for the future of live production. The opportunities for live production by way of IP technology in the coming years are expansive; IP has the potential to revolutionize several areas of production, including how remote productions are run. Furthermore, the vision many media engineers have of the live production environment includes a fully virtualized, software-based, highly agile data center that runs on commercially available off-the-shelf servers, ethernet switches and enterprise storage.

The transition to all-IP integration

The interim period between SDI and IP is a pivotal one for broadcast, venue sports, news, post-production, enterprise video and government systems. As legacy and bespoke infrastructure begins to shows signs of wear and tear, this presents an opportunity for facilities to gradually update equipment as needs arise.

Since a wholesale overhaul is generally impractical, the prudent solution is to procure the underlying infrastructure from IT vendors with the most inclusive products and support. By guaranteeing the “plumbing” in your facility leverages the latest advances and efficiencies that the IT industry can deliver, the migration to IP will be much smoother.

There are a few key technologies enabling the evolution from the SDI-based media appliance infrastructures of today to the future of IP-based, software defined workflows on enterprise-grade IT hardware:

Networking: Nearly 50 years ago, Ethernet was one of several products vying for the title of top transporter. Fast forward to 2017, where Ethernet data transfer rates are expected to reach 400 Gb/s by later this year. While video SDI transport has also grown over the years, its reach and flexibility are no match for Ethernet.

Despite SDI’s faithful service to the industry, the advantages that Ethernet/ IP offers are too vast to ignore. Vendors offer ways to bypass the challenges of using high-resolution formats on standard networking, but nothing can replace raw or “visually lossless” compressed video.

Virtualization: While enterprise IT has long seen the cost-savings and improved productivity benefits from virtualization, widespread use of virtualization in media workflows is a relative newcomer. As broadcasters and service providers move from purpose-built facilities of traditional media appliance TV production to virtualized software defined production models, this enables production resources to be leveraged only as needed.

The move from one appliance equals one channel model, to virtualized production, allows for not only a reduced footprint and capex outlay to support your workflow needs of today, but also prepares you for a scalable and flexible path for cloud delivery in the future.

Storage: On-premise storage and cloud have been portrayed by many as a zero-sum game in the media industry, however hybrid cloud models of on premise and cloud storage have a strong future together in media workflows. Due to rising data rates and low latency access requirements, local storage will continue to be a necessity for media production workflows.

At the same time, there has been a dramatic rise in consumption of media anywhere, anytime, on any device that has enabled new cloud delivery business opportunities. Hybrid cloud based content in IP workflows will enable content location transparency for content producers and broadcasters to explore new business models, maintain best-of-breed workflows and add business agility.

As the pressure to move toward all-IP workflows continues to mount, media engineers should still anticipate that SDI and IP will be working side-by-side for years to come.

However, to prepare for the impending move, it is imperative that media facilities begin building their roadmaps now to transition from the tried-and-true foundation that SDI delivers today to the future of all-IP workflows and its many benefits.

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