Transoft interview in Videography mag...A little dated since that G2 merger has been cancelled............
videography.com
Mac, Windows, and SGI computers work in harmony in today's post houses, thanks to
high-speed networking solutions from such companies as Transoft Technology Corp.
(Santa Barbara CA). Transoft develops, manufactures, and markets Fibre Channel
Storage Area Network (SAN) software and systems and FibreNet software to allow
different video-computer platforms to become an integrated, intelligent SAN.
Videography Contributing Editor Sheldon Liebman recently spoke with Michael Klein,
President, Co-Founder, and CEO of Transoft, about the fast-changing world of the
networked facility.
Videography: Multi-platform video computing has become the standard in the
postproduction industry. What platforms does Transoft support and how do
cross-platform networks operate and perform with Transoft products?
Klein: Currently, FibreNet supports Windows NT, Mac, SGI, DEC Alpha native, and
cross-platform. Transoft is the only company shipping Fibre Channel direct I/O
cross-platform (XPL), forming a truly heterogeneous workgroup. No matter what the
platform, digital data can be shared and stored at high speeds; up to 90 MBps for native
software through a single host adapter.
Transoft's product development path is to develop a transparent, fully integrated,
high-speed Fibre Channel network including all important devices and platforms.
Transoft has opened a new Integration Lab Service, where products can be tested for
compatibility on a Transoft network. Companies interested in integrating FibreNet
functionality into their software applications can get a Software Developer Kit.
Videography: There seems to be more than one "flavor" of Fibre Channel. How can
Transoft products be linked to other Fibre Channel solutions?
Klein: Linking solutions is a matter of software. Transoft has programs that enable
testing for compatibility of Fibre Channel products from other vendors.
Videography: What are the benefits of Fibre Channel, as opposed to, say, SCSI or
Gigabit Ethernet?
Klein: Gigabit Ethernet is fast and will continue to have its place in the enterprise. Right
now it's the technology for LANs and WANs, but it will never be practical for video
streaming. Fibre Channel--at speeds to 2,000 Mbps--is ten times faster than SCSI and
an excellent technology for video streaming. Among the networks that are actually
intended to handle streaming video and support SANs are SCSI, SSA (Serial Storage
Architecture--a non-ANSI standard), and Fibre Channel, an open-architecture,
high-speed, ANSI-approved standard.
Videography: How does the new Hemingway architecture change the way video
networks operate?
Klein: Transoft Networks FibreNet DataShare (DS) is the first product introduced that
reflects the Hemingway architecture. It provides breakthrough SAN technology that
maximizes productivity by building a SAN-enabled standard Network File System upon
the Fibre Channel standard.
FibreNet DS creates an ideal environment for data-intensive applications. True data
sharing allows all nodes to transfer data directly to and from shared high-speed storage.
FibreNet DS allows a group of network nodes to read and write to the same file system,
even the same file.
Videography:What's special about FibreNet?
Klein: FibreNet embraces an open-systems architecture, accommodating users
worldwide in all areas of digital content creation. FibreNet SAN software includes the
features of its predecessor, StudioBOSS. It also brings to market advanced support for
I/O throttling, new fabric-switching technologies, higher performance Fibre Channel
networking cards, and continued support for the latest Avid systems. Further, FibreNet
is the only Fibre Channel software on the market presently that competently handles
both native and cross-platform networks.
Videography: How is the merger with G2 Networks enhancing Fibre Channel SAN
solutions from Transoft?
Klein: With this merger, Transoft becomes the only company in the SAN industry that
has end-to-end technology ownership of all key network components. G2's products are
a strong complement to Transoft's.
Videography: How do you view the future of Fibre Channel in the video market?
Klein: Fibre Channel is growing more and more prevalent as the market experiences
the clear advantages of greater speed, more versatile and scalable products, and more
time to create in this fast-paced, often cut-throat business. Transoft products include the
features that make video professionals' lives easier. And isn't that what we all want?
Same issue.....................
True enough. His fellow Contributing Editor David Leathers has been chronicling that
fact in a monthly trio of Videography Mac, Windows, and SGI Hands-On Reviews for
more than a year. Leathers reports being increasingly impressed with the capabilities of
the many of the video tools running under Windows, a sentiment echoed by Bob Turner,
George Avgerakis, and other video professionals who write for this magazine. And
companies such as Transoft and Mercury, meanwhile, are making it increasingly easy to
interconnect Mac, Windows, and SGI platforms to maximize productivity. |
