Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1256765
REMOTE WORKFLOWS www.postmagazine.com 23 POST MAY/JUNE 2020 W ith the COVID-19 pandem- ic having spurred a huge increase in remote working, professionals in the media and enter- tainment industry have had to confront new challenges in storing, sharing and accessing large video, audio and image files. Shipping tapes and hard drives is no longer an option with facilities closed, and virtual private networks (VPN) are stretched to their limits with the surge in remote workers. To enable remote work and collabo- ration while keeping content secure and compliant with company policies, object storage provider Cloudian has part- nered with Storage Made Easy (SME), a multi-cloud management solution, on a cost-effective storage solution that meets this need. Securing content Unlike most cloud-based file sharing services, the solution from Cloudian and Storage Made Easy lets IT managers control their data's physical location and manage access permissions via existing company authentication frameworks, such as Active Directory and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. The solution also provides secure file sharing controls, such as password-protected links, con- figurable download limits, and expiration dates after which links will be disabled au- tomatically. IT departments can custom- ize security and access policies for remote workers, enable two-factor authentica- tion to confirm user identity, complete virus scans, and leverage an audit trail to search user and system activities. Remote workers have secure access to content regardless of where it is stored and where they are working from, reducing friction while enabling a streamlined workflow as if they were back in the office. Collaborating with ease The secure, Dropbox-like solution allows remote workers to access files stored on network filesystems back in the office without having to use VPN or expensive virtual desktops. By enabling users to ac- cess these files directly from within their applications, the joint solution alleviates the need to transfer files back and forth, and minimizes company data being stored on desktops. Field workers, such as news camera- men or photographers, can also share data with others quickly and securely, increasing overall productivity. The joint solution enables cloud sync, which syn- chronizes files and folders needed to be viewed or edited offline, and also enables file access from mobile applications, al- lowing users to find, open and share files directly from their iOS and Android mo- bile devices. The solution also uses cloud copy, eliminating the need to download/ upload large image and video files. New capabilities without increasing costs Well suited for remote collaborators, such as graphic designers and produc- ers, the solution eliminates the need for expensive cloud services (which charge users for accessing files) by providing secure sharing links. Users can create links where external collaborators can drop files and restrict access to "view only" with trackable digital watermarks. Users also have the capability to revoke shared links when projects end or team members change. With the COVID-19 pandemic necessi- tating new capabilities to ensure business can continue as usual, having a secure, cost-effective storage solution that enables ready access to existing tools and applica- tions from home is essential. Cloudian and Storage Made Easy have partnered to help users meet this challenge. Enabling secure content collaboration for remote workf lows BY JON TOOR CMO CLOUDIAN SAN MATEO, CA HTTPS://CLOUDIAN.COM Streambox enables remote workf low for editor Alan Bell BELLEVUE, WA — Streambox (www.streambox. com) specializes in delivering IP-based video streaming solutions over low bandwidth connec- tions. The company's Sessions product offers a simple and cost-effective way to connect media professionals who require remote, realtime collab- oration of high-quality, color-rich content across multiple locations. Reviewers use a Cloud account from Streambox Cloud Services or make a direct connection. Session IDs are generated and the ID codes are sent out to use with Streambox media players or decod- ers. Codes are entered in the Session ID field of the Streambox Media Players or decoders, and an immediate connection is made for realtime review. There is no need for setup, managing the network or performing configurations. Editor Alan Bell recently moved from Los Angeles to New Hampshire, where he built a com- plete editing suite in the basement of his home — all with the goal of working remotely. His recent credits include work on Red Sparrow, The Dark Tower and three Hunger Games releases. "Streambox is the key part of my toolbox for remote editing," says Bell, who uses a Streambox Chroma encoder in his New Hampshire home office to engage in remote sessions with a director and creative team in LA. Chroma encoders allows him to deliver the video quality and format that is needed for the project, which can range from ordinary SD to 12-bit HDR and Dolby Vision. The remote crew can likewise select from a variety of Streambox decoders to suit their needs. The Chroma Plus model is a cost effective, desktop decoder that delivers high quality video on an HDMI output for the screening room and is more than capable of supporting a remote grading scenario. Alternatively, software-based decoders, such as the iOS media player, enable viewing on iPhones or iPads for those who do not need review quality. "I just turn it on, control the entire system from my laptop, they start watching, and it all just works," Bell concludes.