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Designing an EFFICIENT NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE

Oct 1, 2007 12:00 PM, BY DENNIS M. GLENN

Securing the network

I once visited a client site and had to go through an extensive process in order to get access to the building. First, I had to clear one guard station, where I was given a token. Then, I had to present the token at a second guard station before I was given permission to enter the building. However, when I got to the server room and logged into the systems, I noticed they did not have any antivirus protection software or firewall for protection from the outside world.

It is important that business operators do not overlook the value of information that's moving over the network. Companies often go to great lengths to protect physical property, but do not discern the importance of protecting creative and intellectual assets.

The digital video system network should be protected with a firewall device that can process data at wire speed. Through the use of security applications and security policies, a network admission control regimen should be in place to inspect all people, applications and systems accessing the network.

Network cables

Meeting the high I/O demands of video editing applications requires an agile workflow with an IP base solutions infrastructure. The network cable of choice is gigabit Ethernet, also known as GigE or 1000BASE-T. GigE is base Ethernet and Fast Ethernet technology, and it comes in two forms: copper (Cat 5e or Cat 6) and fiber. Ethernet is the network media of choice for a LAN, so by using GigE, network engineers and architects do not need to relearn a new technology in order to implement and provide support for GigE.

Managing assets

A digital media creation solution should be attached to a DAM system that is built around an agile IT application and service infrastructure. The DAM system should possess the following components:

Lightweight directory access protocol for tight access control and ease of directory browsing, and a cluster server configuration for high availability of the content database;
An open platform that integrates applications and systems into the production workflow, and supports a wide range of industry standards and application programming interfaces (APIs);
Content management tools and centralized administration;
Access to up-to-date project assets and information for people across the organization, including producers, graphic artists, assistant editors, writers, storyboard artists, video and audio editors, directors, archivists, and legal and finance departments;
Embedded control and communication, with automatic revision tracking, conflict management and integrated messaging — so noneditors can efficiently and accurately log and mark material;
Task automation for such processes as encoding, transcoding and transfers in the background; and
Archive tools that improve access while saving online storage space.

Figure 3. Today’s workflows require an intelligently integrated business continuity framework. Click on the image to enlarge.

Meeting the demand of today's fast-moving workflow requires a highly adaptive, digital media network. (See Figure 3.) The network must intelligently integrate with the IT physical infrastructure and the IT service infrastructure to optimize rich media application management, security and throughput. This seamless integration is necessary to maximize workflow and ensure business continuity.

Dennis M. Glenn is a solutions architect for the Global Client Solutions group at Avid Technology. He is a Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and a Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) with more than 10 years of network design and system integration experience.