Australia's Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) has deployed Aspera to power its new contribution file delivery and workflow management system. A broad suite of Aspera software products will automate ingest, management and synchronisation of content across multiple types of storage systems in disparate locations.

The complex requirements from SBS included allowing remote journalists to use a simple web interface to upload and download assets in the field, synchronising data across disparate storage platforms, and centrally managing the entire system from a single location.

Working under extreme conditions including disaster situations and warzones, field reporters needed guaranteed data transmission and delivery, regardless of location or connectivity. The whole system also required centralised management capabilities from a single interface that provides detailed information about historical, current and scheduled transfers, as well as reporting on multiple interfaces with the system.

Additionally, it was mandatory to synchronise data between Isilon, Omneon, and Windows Storage Servers in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra, as well as a remote disaster recovery site, allowing immediate data access from any SBS location.

The Aspera solution includes faspex, a global collaborative file exchange and distribution platform that delivers support across enterprise and cloud storage, with mobile client applications for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.

Cargo, Aspera's automatic desktop downloader for receiving faspex packages, was selected to avoid delay in obtaining content. SBS chose the Aspera Console to centrally manage the entire infrastructure including all Aspera transfers from any location, with detailed and customer-specific configurable reports, event-based auditing, as well as automatic and scalable database maintenance.

Lastly, Aspera Sync, a high-speed, multi-directional synchronisation software, was selected to complete the automated file transport system that bridges the gap between disparate storage solutions across the SBS network. The Aspera solution enables maximum speed data transfer and highly efficient delivery and sharing of digital assets facility-wide through several different interfaces, yet does not hamper editors and content creators by requiring multiple logins.

"We evaluated several options as we put together the multiple internal use cases," said Rohit Kumar, broadcast IT manager at SBS. "Aspera was the only vendor that could meet all of our requirements for file exchange and delivery, detailed system management and enterprise-wide data synchronisation. Installation and configuration was very simple and straightforward, with only minimal initial on-site assistance and training from the Aspera team."