Video Workflow Management the Opportunities and Challenges of Building an IT-Centric, High Volume File-Based Video Environment
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Telestream Whitepaper Video Workflow Management The opportunities and challenges of building an IT-centric, high volume file-based video environment “Traditional “islands of processing” Contents system architectures are Executive Overview Page 1 being overwhelmed by the Industry Migration to IT Architectures Page 3 demand for content. This is itself Migrating from “Islands” to “The Entire Operation” Page 4 being driven by changes in the Understanding Video Workflow Management Page 5 available delivery mechanisms The Telestream Approach Page 6 and playback devices and the Summary Page 7 new regulatory requirements” About Telestream Page 7 Executive Overview As organizations turn more and more to video as the vehicle for communications and analysis, their video departments are facing enormous change in the way that they do business. The traditional “islands of processing” system architectures are being overwhelmed by the demand for content. This is itself being driven by changes in the available delivery mechanisms and playback devices and the new regulatory requirements associated with those devices, such as the mandate to include caption data in a media asset. 1 Telestream Whitepaper This same expansion in platform is also taking place at Fortunately, video workflow management (VWM) the point of capture. While nobody can deny that this software tools now exist with process design and freedom of choice is an enabling factor in the growth of infrastructure management functionality specific to the use of video within an organization, it also means video workflows. VWM solutions typically focus upon that a video department must deal with an ever growing video content-centric processes, as opposed to list of file formats which must be supported. Not only do organization-centric processes, and generally integrate the acquisition devices and playback devices require most of the major capabilities required for video specific media attributes, but the very workflows operations. themselves dictate that these assets must be processed in very specific ways in order to be of use further down This white paper will review the trends and drivers that the food chain. Some workflows require extensive are shaping the evolution of video operations to editing of material (in whatever format) before the end primarily IT-based infrastructures. The challenges and result can be sent to the consuming device (in whatever opportunities brought about by this shift will be format that device itself requires). Some workflows examined, followed by an introduction to the concepts require that material be streamed to the consumer. and components of video workflow management. Some require delivery by DVD/Blu-ray. Some workflows terminate in archival systems. All have unique process- The paper concludes with a brief overview of ing steps in the journey from source to destination. Telestream Vantage, describing how this flexible server-based solution is enabling organizations to build In many cases, management of these complex work- entire video processing, transcoding and workflow flows dictates the use of some form of asset manage- automation systems. Organizations can leverage the ment system, but while these systems are generally proven, award-winning capabilities of the Vantage successful in ensuring that an organization’s business platform for their core processing, while simultaneously requirements are being met, they are generally unable utilizing their in-house expertise to deliver the unique to completely manage the lower-level functions that are capabilities that their specific customers require. required in order to integrate the various individual media processes (and processors) into a single Vantage’s fully documented web-services based SDK cohesive workflow. ensures that custom functionality can be easily and quickly deployed as required. Figure 1. A typical video workflow with a complex mix of signal-based and IT-based infrastructures 2 Telestream Whitepaper Video Industry Migration to IT This mix of IT-based and signal-based environments means that within most media organizations, IT Today: Islands of IT-Based Workflow infrastructure is generally being used today at the Over the last ten years, media processing has been workflow or team level but not yet at the organizational gradually moving from purely tape and coax-based (i.e., level. signal-based) video workflows, to IT- or file-based workflows. IT solutions offer significant advantages over As a result, media operations within an organization older “big iron” infrastructure: tend to have “islands” of IT-based video infrastructure that are linked either by tape, coaxial cable, or through Ethernet is much cheaper than coaxial cable • the use of video files which are copied between Ethernet switches allow greater flexibility in signal • departments without any unified concept of workflow. routing IT servers are increasing in horsepower and capabili- • Tomorrow: Migrating the Entire Operation ties and decreasing in price While the migration to IT thus far has been largely Software tools are cheaper and more capable than • incremental and opportunistic, there are several their earlier hardware equivalents indicators that suggest the majority of organizations will start to remove these remaining “islands” and bring Despite the advantages, very few major media their entire video operations onto a unified IT environ- departments are completely IT-based today. Most ment. involve some mix of signal-based and IT-based video workflows, largely because IT-based video infrastructure First, much of the remaining signal-based infrastructure components are being added incrementally into existing exists because specialized video hardware is required signal-based operations to implement new workflows, - for example, hardware is largely used today to perform to accommodate growth, to replace aging hardware, tasks such as up-conversion. However, over the last few improve efficiency, or to cut costs. years, video processing software, in combination with drastic improvements in generic IT server hardware, has caught up to and even eclipsed its hardware counter- part to accomplish these specialized functions. Figure 2. An IT-centric, Baseband Baseband organizational approach to video workflow. Edit Data Entry Storage IPTV Server Server Web VOD Server Digital Delivery Server CDN IP Switch IP Switch Server Tape deck/ On-Air DVD Server Server Server Graphics Automation Traditional Distribution IP Signal 3 Telestream Whitepaper Today, software-based up-conversion algorithms exist Migrating from “Islands” to “The Entire Operation” that easily match and even exceed their hardware Side Effects of IT-Based Video Operations equivalents. Software processing has demonstrated With IT-based workflows, several new challenges capabilities that were never possible in hardware, both appear: in capability and in speed. Because it is performed in software using files, upconversion can now be completed • The increase in the number of workflows, makes it much faster than real-time. So the purchasing of harder for human operators to track the moving specialized hardware will lessen considerably over the parts in a video operation. next few years, and there will be a definite preference for software-based solutions, especially within media • Moving parts in the workflow are becoming physical- workflows which focus on pre-recorded content. ly invisible, requiring a software management layer to see and manage what is actually going on. Another reason for conversion to IT-based workflows is that many organizations are consolidating their media • IT-based infrastructure, by its very nature, allows the operations. What previously was done across multiple easy copying, renaming, and deleting of video files. geographic locations is now possible from just one site. This makes it very easy for an unmanaged workflow Consolidation can provide many benefits to the to get out of control, requiring the implementation of enterprise, including reduced operational costs and rules to ensure that files are not incorrectly named or simplified management of all video components. Major misplaced. investments are being made in IT-based infrastructure to enable these initiatives. While much of existing As a result of these challenges, successful video IT-based infrastructure was purchased to solve work- operations now require a new approach to process flow problems, these investments are now enabling management and workflow automation that goes far organizations to redesign their entire operations around beyond what was required in yesterday’s coaxial- and an IT-centric model. tape-based world. Finally, opportunities now exist to deliver video to a The Requirements of an “Operation” Instead of an wider variety of digital platforms, including smart “Island” phones, tablets, the Internet and other user destina- Software solutions have been used for decades to solve tions. To reduce costs and broaden video accessibility, process management and workflow automation in organizations are now moving to a multi-channel, manufacturing, finance, and other industries and are multi-platform distribution model. But each additional now starting to see application in media-centric opportunity imposes different operational requirements, facilities. The process management needs of a media including new playback software or hardware, delivery operation – particularly when the entire operation is platforms, video formats, and other customizations. moving to IT – are just