Avid Extends Shared Storage to Small- to Mid-sized Content Creation Market

Avid Technology, Inc. announced an expansion of its open ISIS shared-storage platform with Avid ISIS 5000-16, a 16TB entry point that offers the same performance as the Avid ISIS 5000-32 range, and delivering stability, performance, and flexibility to budget-conscious customers.

              ISIS 5000

ISIS 5000-16 is for small- to mid-size postproduction facilities, rental houses, broadcasters, educational institutions, and government agencies. In addition to offering superior workflow and interop with Media Composer, NewsCutter, Symphony, Avid DS video editors, and Avid Interplay Production asset management, ISIS 5000-16 also delivers support for the Apple Final Cut Pro editing software. The ISIS 5000-16 system comes standard with Avid NewsVision 2.0, an entry-level newsroom solution for local and regional broadcasters.

"More media professionals in networked production environments rely on Avid shared storage solutions than from any other manufacturer, and now this capability-that’s transformed production facilities everywhere-is more accessible than ever before," said Christine Viera, vice president of Media Enterprise Marketing, Avid. "Unlike competitive solutions, Avid ISIS 5000-16 uses advanced, self-balancing intelligent storage, backed by comprehensive reliability and workflow testing. It’s also based on software that is proven daily by the most demanding broadcast and media enterprise customers in the world."

ISIS 5000-16 Features
Avid ISIS 5000-16 has the flexibility to handle changing production needs and shared access through dynamically scalable workspaces that can span storage engines. With this version, workgroups and facilities of any size can further gain productivity-enabling performance, reliability, and flexibility.

Additional capabilities include:

• Testing and verification with Avid professional editing systems, Interplay Production asset management system, and AirSpeed Multi Stream video server.
• Continued openness with compatibility with Final Cut Pro and mixed Avid/FCP workgroups.
• Performance to deliver media in real-time over the supported client and resolution matrix with fewer drives than other storage system.
• Storage and performance with capacity from 16TB to 96TB (6 ISIS 5000-16 Engines) and bandwidth to 1.8GB/sec.
• Intelligent, self-balancing data architecture and linear and predictable scalability.
• Simple set-up, administration, diagnostic user interface.
• Availability with Force10 S25N, S25P, S60N, Cisco 4948E, or 4900M Ethernet-switch included.

Avid ISIS 5000-16 is expected to be available Q2 2011. Pricing will start at $37,500 GRP which includes Force10 S25N 24-port switch, a one-year Priority Support (5×8), and 90 client licenses. ISIS 5000-32, which was launched last year, starts at $54,500 GRP and includes 24-port switch, a one-year Priority Support (5×8), and 90 client licenses. All configurations support Mac or PC clients.