With remote and hybrid working the new normal, how can broadcasters and media organisations leverage cloud-based solutions to support that transition? Vendors and solution providers have some answers.
Two years into the pandemic, many changes previously considered temporary have become permanent. The realities of the new business environment, coupled with changing consumer habits such as a huge increase in OTT viewing, are driving a sea change in working practices, from cloud-based editing workflows to remote access media asset management.
Of course, ‘cloudification’ was an ongoing trend before the pandemic, but adoption has rapidly accelerated in response to unprecedented disruption – and not everybody was fully prepared. “Any change requires careful consideration,” says Neil Anderson, CRO at Codemill. “Moving content from static infrastructure to the cloud can be a long-term commitment, especially for large media organisations with vast archives.” Couple that with the constant demand for fresh content, and the full transition will necessarily be a lengthy one.
Organisations still in the early stages of adoption should therefore be mindful of the complexity of the task before them. As Kieran Kunhya, CEO of Open Broadcast Systems, points out: “The cloud requires a different set of expertise.”
Rapid evolution
Even businesses at the cutting edge of their industry can struggle when adapting to new technologies and ways of working. It’s human nature – if you establish processes that you find comfortable and efficient, sudden changes inevitably result in a few growing pains.
Up until recently established workflows have taken precedence over cloud adoption, but as Chris Clarke, CEO of Cerberus Tech, explains: “The spike in demand for remote workflows has propelled the industry to take the cloud more seriously. As more vendors start to offer cloud-based solutions, it can be quite overwhelming for media companies and broadcasters. But there are ways of implementing a staggered transition until broadcast engineers become more familiar with the technology, such as using IP as a back-up feed for a satellite broadcast.”
Such agility is a boon against the chaotic backdrop of the pandemic, but as Clarke goes on to say, the media landscape has always been fast-moving: “Uncertainty and changing schedules are an ongoing reality in the world of live events. I think we will see more demand for the flexibility to spin up and spin down broadcast environments, and interfaces that simplify this process. Due to the adaptable characteristics and agnostic capabilities of IP, we will see wider adoption across the media industry. Broadcasters are gaining confidence in IP workflows, especially when they are supported by reliable transport protocols such as RIST [a protocol allowing high-quality video to be sent over unmanaged networks like the internet], which promotes secure and interoperable standards.”
However, even companies that have already incorporated cloud-based methods face challenges. “Moving media assets to the cloud requires research into the best solutions,” says Parham Azimi, CEO of iconik, “which hasn’t always been the case. Some rapid adopters are now facing issues as they realise their chosen cloud solution is not the right fit for their workflows.”
Not unexpectedly, the organisations with the biggest repositories of archive content are finding the transition especially complex. “Having a large number of assets makes migration a longer process and requires a staged transition,” says Nicholas Pearce, co-founder and CRO of Object Matrix. “But by not making the shift to the cloud, organisations cannot effectively monetise content, so there are missed opportunities hidden in those LTO libraries.”
Proceed with caution
The key thing for media organisations to bear in mind when introducing new tech is to know their requirements. Does the proposed solution meet their specific needs, and can it be integrated into existing workflows with minimal disruption?
“Broadcasters are under an increasing amount of pressure to deliver more content, and they have to consider how they can meet the demand,” says Kieran Kunhya. “Is a cloud solution going to make their workflow more efficient or help them achieve more? There isn’t a definitive answer, because every organisation works differently and what works for one might not work for the other.”
Parham Azimi echoes this point, asserting that organisations must “consider why they are looking to migrate their content and how a cloud-based approach is going to help their organisation in the long run. The best cloud solutions should be scalable and adaptable, and should enhance collaboration between teams regardless of location.” Such solutions should therefore be viewed holistically; they are not merely stopgaps or quick fixes, they can also be major improvements in flexibility, functionality and security.
“Media workflows are complex,” says Neil Anderson, “and there are many different processes and people involved with various stages. In the last few years, there have been some great developments within the final post-production stages, making QC and compliance tasks much easier to automate within the cloud. There is still some work to do around high-end finishing/mastering in the cloud, but new components are constantly being trialled, so I expect to see more stages being handled within the cloud over the next few years.”
Workflow implementation
It is important to remember, however, that the cloud is not a solution in and of itself. Indeed, it should not be seen as a catch-all descriptor, as there are myriad options available under that broad umbrella. Some are fully cloud-based, while some take a hybrid approach – and organisations often do not fully understand these distinctions.
‘Cloud-ready’ vs ‘cloud-native’ is a case in point, as Anderson points out. “I regularly see the terms used interchangeably, which feeds the confusion. Cloud-ready solutions aren’t built for the cloud, they are essentially bolt-ons that can be accessed remotely. Being cloud-native means that solutions are designed from scratch to work specifically in the cloud. It is the cloud-native solutions which are revolutionising media workflows – they integrate seamlessly and deliver endless scalability.”
“Cloud-ready solutions,” counters Nicholas Pearce, “have the benefit of maximising a mix of on-prem infrastructure and cloud workflows, enabling users to access content from anywhere while saving on egress costs and offering organisations more control over their assets.”
Businesses need to familiarise themselves with these distinctions before they commit to an option, or else risk expending time, effort and capital on an inappropriate solution.
Confusion between the nature of public, private, hybrid and multi-cloud is another frequent headache for organisations looking to transition. If these basic principles are not understood, says Pearce, neither are the potential benefits. “Although there are features that set each apart, they can also work together to provide better accessibility and higher levels of content security. In fact, they should be used alongside one another to avoid egress fees and improve workflow efficiency. Most media organisations would benefit from a mix that has been tailored to their specific needs.”
A bright future
While questions remain over exactly how the future is going to shape up, experts seem to agree that adoption of fully or partially cloud-based workflows is a matter of when, not if. Pearce says: “As technology progresses, having cloud-ready infrastructure in place will be standard for all media workflows and the industry will have completely moved on from legacy storage such as LTOs.”
The media world is highly competitive, with more channels and platforms popping up almost every day. Chris Clarke notes that to remain relevant, “Broadcasters and media organisations must capture new audiences and boost engagement by exploring IP opportunities that will help them to reach new territories and reduce the downstream cost for takers in those regions.”
Kieran Kunhya, meanwhile, cites the continuing roll-out of 5G as a catalyst. “Developments in technology and connectivity will remove the need for expensive hardware such as satellite vehicles and enable live video to be transported with minimal latency. Additionally, with support for protocols such as RIST, customers can further benefit from interoperable and robust delivery solutions, which will result in global, industry-wide IP adoption.”
Organisations should not be daunted by this feeling of inevitability, however. By proceeding cautiously, in possession all the necessary information, the transition need not be painful.
“Look for a cloud solution which will integrate seamlessly with existing workflows,” advises Neil Anderson. “Disruption can be minimised by running systems in parallel until the final switchover. Every workflow is different and there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ when it comes to cloud-based solutions. Look for a provider that can offer a tailored solution rather than an off-the-shelf product – that way, you can ensure you have all the right tools and costs remain efficient.” Regardless of the route you end up taking, it’s clear that the remit of the cloud will only continue to expand throughout the media supply chain. Parham Azimi concludes: “The industry is full of innovation, so it won’t be long before cloud workflows become common practice.”
