Choosing a media server
What is a Media server?
A media server is simply a file server optimised for use with rich media DATA.
e.g. digital video & audio files
What are the benefits of a Media server?
• Secure centralised DATA storage and back-up
• Hot Desking (the ability for users to log-in at any computer)
• Advanced user & DATA management
Configuration
For general use including in a music classroom environment, we recommend synchronised "mobile" home folders. This means that when a student logs on to any Mac in the classroom, their work is automatically delivered to them. Once they have finished and log off, it is automatically sent back to the server. For example, a student can start a project using any Mac and then move to a different workstation, perhaps in a soundproofed recording studio, by simply logging off and on using their normal username and password and without having to manually move or copy files at all. This system is very secure and means that students only have access to their own work and folders; thereby their work can't be deleted or tampered with by others. In the case of video editing, we recommend the same configuration but we create a symbolic link to the server so that video content always remains on the server and is accessed directly across the network. For the students, this is seamless. They can still move between Macs in the same way, by simply logging on to any computer.
Specification
We always recommend that students' data is stored on drives in a RAID configuration (normally RAID5) because this offers reliability. It actually provides redundancy so that if a drive fails, the data is still available. Although we always consult with you regarding your specific requirements, there are two popular server specifications dependent on how many simultaneous users you have and how much data you require per user/student.
“What makes our Media servers unique is that users can log-in to any workstation, work locally
on an audio project and across the network on a video project all in the same log-in with no need
to think about where their files are being stored.”
Download our comprehensive Media server guide PDF: HERE
Xserve with internal RAID
The maximum capacity of an Xserve is 3,500GB of usable space (after RAID configuration and formatting). However, the maximum number of simultaneous users is governed by data delivery speed: approximately 150MB/per second.
Music classroom
For general use and use in a music classroom we recommend you work to a maximum of 1Gb per user. Therefore, for example, If you have 20 users all logging-on at the beginning of a lesson, the capacity is calculated as follows:
20 x 1GB = 20GB at 150MB/s = 2.2 minutes - acceptably fast
Expand the class to 40 users and log-on will take 4.5 minutes - too slow
Video editing
Video files are considerably larger than audio files, and it is not normally viable to download them to each computer at the beginning of a lesson. Therefore it is necessary to work direct from the server. To do this, each user requires a sustained data transfer rate of 4MB/s. Although the server can deliver at 150MB/s, multiple video users put a huge load on the server's hard drives. In reality, the sustained data rate can drop to as little as a third of its optimum performance.
Therefore 50MB/s divided by 4MB/s per user = maximum 12 simultaneous users*
Xserve with external RAID
An external RAID can offer much larger capacity and faster performance. With suitable networking, a RAID can store up to 16,000GB delivered at 500MB/s.
Music classroom:
If you have 20 users all logging-on at the beginning of a lesson, the capacity is calculated as follows:
20 users (1GB per user) = 20GB at 500MB/s = approximately 40 seconds to log on - acceptably fast
Now expand the class to 40 users and log-on will still only take around 80 seconds - acceptably fast
Video editing:
Each user requires a sustained data rate of 4MB/s. Although the RAID can deliver at 500MB/s, as with our previous example, multiple video users put a huge load on
the RAID's hard drives. In reality, the sustained data rate can drop to a third of it’s optimum performance.
Therefore 500/3 = 166MB/s divided by 4MB/s per user = maximum 40 simultaneous users*
Back-up
Although RAID provides resilient storage, it is still necessary to back-up your data. We specify back-up technology to suit your required capacity, speed and resilience; it is always advisable to have a minimum of two back-up copies, be they hard drives or tapes.
• We need to choose a technology that is capable of backing up in the time available - normally overnight.
• Backup should be automated, and therefore requires software to schedule your backup routines.
We always prefer to consult with our customers face-to-face before specifying a server to suit your individual requirements.
Please contact your regional Education Advisor on 0844 8751 610 for more information.
Download our comprehensive Media server guide PDF: HERE
* figures provided are simplified and only intended as a guide
N.B. Performance will also vary dependent on other factors such as network traffic or additional server activities.
