Quantum StorNext-Powered Xcellis Foundation Entry-Level NAS End-to-End Appliance for Media Workflows

Quantum Corp. announced Xcellis Foundation, a performance, entry-level workflow storage system designed to address the technical and budgetary requirements of small- to medium-sized post-production facilities and corporate video departments.

Based on StorNext shared file system and data management platform, this system delivers the benefits of enterprise Xcellis storage, including high performance and scalability, in a NAS appliance for under $25,000.

By providing a more powerful, more feature-rich alternative to other entry-level storage systems at a similar price point, Xcellis Foundation is for smaller video production facilities that need the benefits of a shared workflow but have limited budgets to spend on shared storage.

Capabilities for today and future:
With the latest-generation StorNext 6 software at its core, Xcellis Foundation offers smaller video facilities and workgroups performance, scalability and management benefits:

Fast streaming file system, providing the performance essential to working with higher video resolutions, including 1080p and 4K, without introducing complexity or unnecessary cost to the workflow;
Cost-effective IP connectivity over standard NAS protocols;
Advanced data management capabilities that optimize performance and maximize capacity across different storage tiers while assuring that content is always in the right place at the right time;
Integration into a multi-tier storage infrastructure that includes flash, disk, nearline object storage, public cloud and tape archive;
Ability to scale up and scale out through readily extended capacity, connectivity and redundancy; and
Simple installation and setup via a web-based GUI.

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Flexible configuration and expansion options
The 3U Xcellis Foundation system includes the company’s QXS disk storage chassis and Workflow Director appliance, which provides NAS connectivity and support for billions of files across up to 64 virtual file systems. Xcellis Foundation comes standard with 48TB of raw capacity, and users can upgrade to 72 or 96TB. When the time comes to scale the system, adding performance and capacity can be done easily, cost-effectively and non-disruptively by simply connecting more storage. Connectivity is via dual 10GbE or optional 40GbE, and NAS protocol support is included with no per-seat licensing.

The company will highlight Xcellis Foundation at IBC2017, Sept. 15-19, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and this appliance will be available through the firm and its reseller partners later this month.

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Nick Smith, director, technology, JB&A Distribution, said: “Xcellis Foundation gives our reseller community exactly what it’s been wanting? a Quantum StorNext-powered shared storage solution designed specifically for smaller video production environments. Combining easy NAS connectivity, 4K-ready performance and simplified setup and management, all at a cost-effective price point, Xcellis Foundation is a clear game-changer.“

Keith Warburton, founder and CEO, Global Distribution Group, said: “Xcellis Foundation was specifically designed to provide small- and medium-sized media facilities with the power of Quantum’s StorNext file system and data management platform in a NAS-based system at an affordable price. It enables them to easily take on more demanding work and provides the flexibility to continue growing in a very strategic and cost-effective manner.“

Keith Lissak, senior director, media and entertainment solutions marketing, Quantum, said: “We’re offering a great entry-level product without sacrificing our customers’ ability to scale and grow their workflow storage systems. Every component of the system can be scaled or changed as their needs evolve. It’s all the goodness of Xcellis, now available at a smaller starting point.“

Resources:
Xcellis Foundation
Xcellis workflow storage
StorNext 6