Pixit Media Integrates IBM Spectrum Scale (GPFS) With Spectra Logic BlackPearl

Pixit Media Ltd, in software-defined storage solutions for the media and entertainment industry  enhanced its PixStor Ngenea HSM software to archive digital assets to the Spectra BlackPearl Converged Storage System.

Ngenea HSM for PixStor

Pixit Media used the Spectra S3 API to build its certified Spectra S3 client for PixStor and IBM Spectrum Scale to address the challenges of transparent migration and recall of data between file system and tape in order to free up valuable tier 1 storage. BlackPearl clients use the Spectra S3 protocol, an extension of the commonly used S3 cloud storage interface.

Ngenea HSM provides a single, simplified ingest point that manages the flow of content to each tier of storage from Spectrum Scale into the BlackPearl Converged Storage System. The integrated solution provides a transparent means for users within any media and entertainment to migrate, search for and restore their assets, regardless of the storage tier it resides on, as well as make smart decisions based on storage requirements and budget through its provision of intelligent capacity usage analytics.

Ngenea HSM is provided in either an appliance or software-delivered format and connects to both existing Spectrum Scale and BlackPearl deployments. By integrating Ngenea HSM with BlackPearl, Spectrum Scale users are provided with a cost-effective tier of storage within their existing file system namespace, without requiring users or administrators to manually copy or manage data. Users continue to access data in the same way they have, with automated migration and recall of data occurring in the background between Spectrum Scale and BlackPearl. Data movement from flash all the way through to public cloud and back again becomes a simple, online operation.

BlackPearl acts as an object storage gateway to deep storage. It enables the use of RESTful interfaces to manage large amounts of data on multiple storage domains including online and nearline disk, LTFS tape, as well as public cloud. BlackPearl and Ngenea HSM deliver a solution that provides users the ability to move data to various storage tiers, including the lowest-cost storage tiers for savings. Together, the solution offers a hybrid storage environment, by utilising object storage to manage data on multiple tiers of storage.

“Pixit Media’s strategic partnership with Spectra is an enormous boost to our integrated end-to-end storage workflow for our customers who wish to store digital assets much more cost effectively,” said Ben Leaver, MD, Pixit Media. “Spectra is the perfect partner to help us round out our storage offerings, given its unmatched expertise in the media and entertainment storage industry, and BlackPearl’s flexibility and rich feature set.“

“Media and entertainment workflows are both complex and unique, where no two environments are exactly alike,” said Matt Starr, CTO, Spectra Logic. “BlackPearl is an incredibly flexible solution that offers connections to multiple storage types, including tape, SATA and SAS, to meet the individual requirements of many different types of workflows. The solution’s numerous client offerings including the latest from Pixit Media, position BlackPearl as the ideal converged storage solution for customers managing and protecting digital assets.“