Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1505509
parameters like number of concurrent parts and part size for the operating envi- ronment. This optimization is done using a machine-learning model trained on a data set made up of millions of transfers performed by Signiant in widely varying operating environments. Standard tools and standard mechanisms for interfacing with public cloud object storage often don't provide the performance required by media applications. The challenges of working across file and object storage When media files are stored in a file system, operating system tools like the Mac Finder or Windows File Explorer can be used to browse files, view thumbnails, search and sometimes perform basic me- dia operations, like playing, trimming and rotating video. Folders can also be used to organize and group files. While this level of interaction is restricted to file systems mounted on the user's system, this is still a powerful capability. Tools for browsing ob- ject storage often present a file-system-like hierarchical view, if file pathing and naming map directly to object keys, but richer interaction with media stored as objects requires new tooling. The Signiant Platform abstracts differ- ences between file and object storage. Media on storage is presented to the user identically, regardless of whether it is stored in public cloud object storage, local object storage or file storage. And Signiant does this without having to take over ownership of the storage or the media. We simply plug in to our custom- er's storage and present what is there in an intuitive and highly-performant manner. Other applications can continue to interact with storage in the way they always have, and Signiant will keep up to date with any changes they make. The Signiant Platform enables nor- malized powerful search across all these types of storage using metadata discov- ered in files and objects either embedded with the media or in common sidecar formats, like Adobe XMP. Signiant also enables browser-based interaction with these media assets to play the assets and to create and transfer clips. With built in support for a broad range of professional media formats, it expands what's tradi- tionally possible without specialized appli- cations on both file and object storage. When to use object storage? What we're seeing in the market is a mix of file and object storage at most media companies. While object storage is still mostly public cloud and file storage is mostly on-prem, we do see on-prem ob- ject storage and working file storage in the cloud growing. Persistent file storage in the cloud is typically backed by object storage leveraging a storage gateway. A hybrid world with a complex mix of storage types across public and private clouds is the trend, and it doesn't look like that will change soon. What type of storage to apply to a particular use case is a complex decision. Signiant helps simplify this decision by pro- viding a common fast and intuitive access mechanism regardless of what type of storage you choose and where that stor- age is located. Using Signiant to normalize some of these differences between file and object storage helps bridge the gap. While there is no hard rule, we see more object storage used in parts of the supply chain where content changes less frequently. Active archiving is a great use case for object storage, as files are writ- ten once and may be retrieved multiple times but never change. We're seeing more object storage in use with aggre- gation and distribution workflows, many of which are operating in the public cloud. During the early stages of content creation, where raw footage is being cut, tagged, organized and needs rapid access by a variety of desktop applica- tions, we see a lot of on-prem, high-per- formance file storage in play. In most cases though, a mix of storage types and locations is the norm, and the ability to access media — no matter where or how it is stored — in a fast, seamless and secure way is mission-criti- cal. In addition, the need to move content easily between storage types, locations, across businesses and even between cloud storage endpoints continues to grow. Customers need a view into their storage, they need to be able to search, preview, clip and access assets, no matter where and how they are stored. These are just a few of the reasons why over a million users and fifty thousand compa- nies rely on the Signiant platform. STORAGE www.postmagazine.com 31 POST JULY/AUG 2023