Centralized SAN ensures interruption-free World Cup coverage

By Victor Ng | Jul 3, 2010

0 comments

 Facebook

 Linkedin

 Twitter

Digg

 Email

Print

QLogic 5802V Series Fibre Channel stackable switches are providing the backbone for the International Broadcast Center (IBC)'s SAN at the 2010 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa.

QLogic 5820V Series Fibre Channel switches, the linchpin between the integrated Apple Xsan server and Promise VTrak E-Class RAID storage systems, handle the continuous high-speed exchange of audio-visual data for the IBC. The 8Gb Fibre Channel 5802V’s high data transfer rate ensures that the IBC’s 55 editing desks can simultaneously access all audio-visual data at any time, essential for real-time editing, and more importantly for the uninterrupted transmission of television coverage around the world.

The storage systems on the IBC’s 8Gb Fibre Channel SAN are connected by eight QLogic 20-port 5802V Fibre Channel stackable switches configured in two four-switch stacks via QLogic’s innovative 20Gb Fibre Channel inter-switch links (ISLs). The two fabrics provide the redundancy, high reliability and availability necessary for uninterrupted communication between server systems and storage. To address performance requirements, the QLogic 5802V-based fabric leverages Fibre Channel multi-pathing technology for optimized load sharing.

Close collaboration
The IBC is the data hub at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. All video captured by the 29 to 32 cameras installed in each of the nine stadiums -- for the first time ever in high resolution HDTV format -- are sent to the IBC, where it is edited and thereafter broadcast to TV stations all around the globe.

Host Broadcast Services AG (HBS), the host broadcaster of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, is in charge of the production of 2,200 hours of total coverage including transfer to the broadcast rights-holders in individual countries, and it cannot afford any blackouts or interruptions in transmission during this rather significant sporting event.

Interruption-free broadcasting of the games places the highest demands on the IBC’s technical equipment, making high-performance, highly-reliable systems a must. To assure coverage without breaks,

HBS entrusted Mediatec, a system integrator located in Cologne, Germany, with planning, testing and installation of all the technical equipment at the IBC as well as providing ongoing support during the games. Mediatec, a recognized broadcast expert, and Bell Micro, one of the world’s largest storage-centric, value-added distributors, have orchestrated an infrastructure that delivers the highest standards of reliability, system performance and data availability, and have laid the foundation for continuous soccer fun in countries all around the globe.

0 comments

 Facebook

 Linkedin

 Twitter

Digg

 Email

Print