ArtiSAN Storage Platform By SAN Solutions Used for Avatar

SAN Solutions, Inc. announced that its ArtiSAN Storage Platform was used to support sound design, editing, and mixing for James Cameron’s big-screen sensation, Avatar. Providing high-performance, low-cost centralized storage in a compact footprint, the ArtiSAN Storage Platform brings convenience, efficiency, and content security to demanding audio post-production work.

During ‘Avatar’ production, two 6-TB ArtiSAN Storage Platforms enabled 11 Pro Tools users to stream up to 192 audio tracks each over 4Gb Fibre Channel links. Additionally, a third ArtiSAN Storage Platform provided 20-TB of backup storage, in just 2RU. The compact footprint made it possible for the team to move from early sound design at Pandora Film Services – the director’s private Southern California facility – to the Twentieth Century Fox dubbing stages in Hollywood.

Over the course of the project, the ArtiSAN Storage Platform’s robust centralized workflow gave sound Avatar designers, editors, and mixers fast and easy access to media, enabling multiple users to access a single instance of stored media. With the team working in a centralized streaming environment, they were assured that the correct version of the media was always being used and copies were not being created and distributed individually. By limiting media to main and backup instances, this centralized storage model from SAN Solutions provided a high level of media security.

"It was a pleasure working with the sound design, editing, and mixing team at Lightstorm Entertainment as they completed this remarkable feature," said Harry Aine, president of SAN Solutions. "’Avatar’ was a tremendous and technically challenging undertaking, and it will undoubtedly be one of the most significant motion pictures ever released."

Designed for small workgroup media production environments, the ArtiSAN Storage Platform is a direct descendant of the high-end systems found in most SAN Solutions’ implementations. The Platform is configured with 450GB SAS drives, 600GB SAS drives, or class-leading 2TB SATA drives – all in a compact, 16-slot, 3RU enclosure. Additionally, the ArtiSAN Storage Platform offers enterprise-class features such as 4 x 8Gb Fibre Channel host ports, active-active controllers, global hot-sparing, dual redundant power supplies, automatic call-home break-fix repair, and three-year, 24/7 on-site support plans.