Active Storage: mPATH Fast Storage Backplane and Data Accelerator

Active Storage, Inc., in storage solutions for media and entertainment production, post and broadcast professionals, announced mPath, a technology to transform the way that modern media SANs manage and move files and content.

mPath adds a high-speed content movement backplane and file copy accelerator to Active’s mMedia Platform by installing mPath modules into the expansion slots of mRAID systems. When connected via industry-standard FC cables, they form a high-speed dedicated backplane that offloads data movement between storage volumes.

"mPath evolved out of our work with our top media and creative customers, some of the most-recognized media brands in the world," said Skip Levens , co-founder and VP, Active Storage. "While the environments of every one of our customers is different, the shortage of bandwidth is a challenge they all face. mPath frees up the available SAN bandwidth to deliver optimal performance for users and lets users make the most of their SAN investment."

"Post-production media environments are facing extraordinarily difficult challenges in content amount, content size, and the evolving form factors that consumers expect to view that content in," said Marc Staimer , president, Dragon Slayer Consulting. "The old ways of keeping content forever directly on production SANs is no longer competitive. As with all evolution, adaptation is essential to survival. Active Storage’s mPath technology enables media and entertainment concerns to not just evolve, but stay ahead of the curve and thrive."   

"With the exponential growth in data and bandwidth requirements escalating rapidly, Active’s mPath technology is a valuable tool that is certain to revolutionize how media and entertainment concerns keep ahead of the petabyte world we now work in," said Tom Coughlin , president, Coughlin Associates. "mPath isn’t just an improvement. It’s a game-changer."

According to Levens, "Every day, post-production and broadcast facilities must make hard choices on when they can backup their critical assets – many have given up archiving of their valuable assets entirely and simply store everything in their primary work-in-process SAN. They aren’t realizing the full potential of the incredible storage architecture that underpins their SANs or getting the most from their systems. mPath unlocks that potential and changes the way they organize and optimize media SANs by giving editors the ability to backup while they work, with no loss in performance."

mPath-enabled SANs give editors and creatives more bandwidth to work with, more predictability in their SAN environment, and the freedom to archive and retrieve assets around the clock without impacting their critical primary creative workflows. Users can now conduct backup operations and move critical files to near-line archive around the clock with no need to wait for a tiny overnight backup window.

Data movement workflows are configured with the included mPath Actions software by leveraging the mPath API. Assets can move automatically over the mPath backplane when using mPath enabled asset management software such as Levels Beyond’s Reach Engine and axle Video’s production asset manager.

"We’re taking mPath even further through API integration and compatibility with leading asset manager solutions from Levels Beyond and axle Video," said Venkat Ramakrishnan, VP engineering, Active Storage. "With the mPath API, customers can easily add high-speed file and asset movement and retrieval to their in-house applications."

mPath is in final testing now with key customers, and will be available February 18, 2013 from Active Storage qualified resellers for a suggested retail price of $11,499 per mPath module pair with included software, support and maintenance for one year.