Network Attached Storage

MLB (News - Alert) Network has recently selected Crossroads Systems’ StrongBox, a non-proprietary, fully portable digital archive for long-term data retention.

StrongBox functions as network-attached storage and provides MLB Network with a simple, secure file-based system for storing and accessing digital project footage using Liner Tape File System technology.

In a press release, Tab Butler, Director of Media Management and Post-Production for MLB Network, said, "StrongBox has been natural for streamlining this type of storage. Instead of keeping projects on spinning disk, we're able to offload to StrongBox." "If I look down my future roadmap, my project archive is going to continue to grow for the lifetime of the network. By placing project content on LTO-5 media, it's much more cost-efficient.

StrongBox features drag-and-drop functionality, which makes accessing archived projects easy for MLB Network and helps deliver content on-demand to multiple, simultaneous editors and producers.

To develop programming that is updated throughout the season with the latest information, MLB Network's production staff uses a SAN-based Final Cut Pro platform. With the ability to recall an archived show, and repackage it with current information, utilizing the data tape as the storage medium, helps reduce storage costs for the archived content.

Once these projects are ready for storage or archival, the video, audio and revision files, along with their metadata, they are stored in StrongBox.

"Crossroads is extremely pleased to see high-profile organizations such as MLB Network turn to StrongBox due to its unique ability to cut archiving costs through the use of tape storage," said David Cerf, executive vice president of business and corporate development at Crossroads. "We continue to see significant interest in StrongBox throughout the media and entertainment industry -- and for the clear reason that storing tremendous amounts of content is, indeed, their business. StrongBox not only does this much less expensively, but it does so securely and efficiently."

In related news, Time Warner (News - Alert) has collaborated with MLB Network to offer a behind-the-scenes experience during the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

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