Sonnet Technologies and Archiware Join Forces

At IBC2014, Sonnet Technologies Inc. has partnered with Archiware GmbH to demonstrate a video post-production editing system connecting a remotely-located, rack-mounted Mac Pro computer with attached storage expansion and LTO tape drive for archiving of video files, via optical Thunderbolt cable to a Thunderbolt dock with attached keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

The demo at IBC2014 featured Sonnet’s xMac Pro Server Thunderbolt 2-to-PCIe expansion system and 4U rackmount enclosure for the latest generation of the Mac Pro, Archiware’s P5 long-term archiving software, and the Sonnet Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock.

The demo created a model video post-production workflow that begins with a workstation in Archiware’s IBC2014 stand. The workstation consisted of a monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected to a Sonnet Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock. An optical Thunderbolt cable connected the workstation to a Mac Pro located in Sonnet’s booth and mounted in the xMac Pro Server, running P5 Archive professional archiving software for moving data offline to disk or tape, which in this case will be an HP LTO-6 Ultrium tape drive mounted alongside four SATA drives also in the xMac Pro Server.

“The new high-performance Mac Pro is the ultimate tool for media production and looks great on top of a desk, but many of our customers indicate a preference to locate the computer and connected expansion devices in a secure mechanical room,” said Greg LaPorte, VP sales and marketing, Sonnet. “With this demonstration, we are showing how production professionals can conveniently set up a Mac Pro with added PCIe card expansion, storage expansion, and an LTO tape-based archiving solution in a 4U rack space located up to 60 meters from their workstation, while enjoying expanded peripheral connectivity through our compact Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock on their desktop. The Archiware P5 software enables users to conserve their Mac Pro’s valuable internal and attached storage through seamless connectivity and the capability to backup to an LTO storage device.“

The xMac Pro Server securely mounts a Mac Pro, consistent with Apple guidelines, horizontally inside a specially designed 4U modular enclosure. It connects three PCIe card slots via Thunderbolt 2 expansion and offers support for the installation of two 5.25-inch mobile rack devices, such as the LTO-6 tape drive. Connected to the Mac Pro via Thunderbolt cable, the Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock offers Thunderbolt 2, USB 3.0, 6 Gb SATA and eSATA, FireWire 800, GbE, and audio connectivity – enabling users to connect a display, keyboard, mouse, and other devices. With the Archiware P5 Archive installation, users can move any unused files to their media archive on disk or LTO tape. Proxy videos and metadata remain available at all times, so users can browse, search, and restore any material they need for production directly from the workstation.