ITV Opts for Spectra Logic Archive Solution

Spectra Logic Corporation announced that ITV, the UK’s largest commercial television network, has selected two Spectra BlackPearl converged storage systems and two Spectra T950 tape libraries to protect and preserve the organisation’s digital assets long-term.

The solution enables ITV to send digital assets to dispersed data centre locations on differing media types, to assure the safety and security of their content with a genetically diverse data preservation strategy. 

“Spectra has met all of ITV’s criteria, providing a simple, affordable and easy-to-use digital archive that is purpose-built to meet our needs,” said Marcel Mester, senior project manager, ITV. “We are confident in the ability of our Spectra solution to preserve our video content for future generations.“

ITV is an integrated producer-broadcaster that creates, owns and distributes high-quality content on multiple platforms. The network produces massive amounts of digital content that needs to be stored for many years. ITV was looking for a solution that was high-capacity, durable and scalable to support their current needs and future growth. It also required a system that was non-proprietary, open standard and flexible so that several creative departments within ITV could access and move content to and from the organisation’s archive.

ITV selected two Spectra BlackPearl Converged Storage Systems and two Spectra T950 Tape Libraries to be utilised at two separate data centre locations: Greenwich and Leeds. The Greenwich data centre deployed a BlackPearl and T950 with IBM TS1150 drives, and the Leeds data centre deployed a BlackPearl and T950 with LTO-7 tape drives. Data is moved to and from the organisation’s archive automatically via BlackPearl using a variety of integrated partner applications and a Customer Created Client (CCC) that ITV built through Spectra’s BlackPearl Developer Programme. They also move data manually via Spectra’s BlackPearl Eon Browser.

“As an existing Spectra customer, ITV was familiar with Spectra’s products and services and confident in our ability to deliver exactly what they needed in a digital archive solution,” said Brian Grainger, chief sales officer, Spectra Logic. “The combination of Spectra’s BlackPearl and tape libraries streamlines ITV’s digital workflow, eliminating costly middleware and simpli?fying the management of their assets. It keeps their content safe and secure, while still allowing creative departments to quickly access data as needed.“