Final Cut Server + LTO-4
by Andrew Saliga
on
Oct 26, 2009 at 10:15:23 pm
We recently purchased an LTO-4 drive for all of our backup/archiving needs. We're now looking into investing into Final Cut Server. Will FCS work along with the LTO-4 drive for archival? I read some threads on Apple forums saying that it wouldn't but they were somewhat dated.
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
www.steelehouse.com (undergoing a much-needed redesign)
www.vimeo.com/steelehouse
Re: Final Cut Server + LTO-4 by Craig RussillRoy on Oct 27, 2009 at 6:54:10 am
I used to use lto with retrospect with watch folders - horrible times !!! Try time navigator - fcs can't control the lto so you will need additional software
MINTedit
London, England
Mac Pro - 8gig ram - FCS 3 - CS4 - Cinema 4D
Film, Edit and Deliver
Re: Final Cut Server + LTO-4 by Matt Bodman on Oct 27, 2009 at 12:07:04 pm
Hi Andrew,
You do really need additional software as the archiving function in FCS isn't really "tape-aware". We have an LTO4 library with a couple of drives in it. We use Xendata (xendata.com) to interface between the library and FCS. Xendata makes the LTO library look like any other (Windows) volume, so FCS can just throw files at it like it would any other drive. Maybe overkill for you, but there are other similar things out there. Find Nicholas Stokes (hangs out on this forum). He's done a lot of that stuff.
Re: Final Cut Server + LTO-4 by Andrew Saliga on Oct 27, 2009 at 2:19:54 pm
Sorry, one detail I didn't mention is that we run Macs and I'm using Bru PE to interface with the LTO-4. Maybe my questions lies in the fact that I don't too much about FCS. Are its archiving capabilities similar to that of Gridiron Flow where I can easily create an archive for backup? Basically, can FCS package this archive so I can send it to my LTO-4 with Bru PE?
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
www.steelehouse.com (undergoing a much-needed redesign)
www.vimeo.com/steelehouse
Re: Final Cut Server + LTO-4 by Matt Bodman on Oct 27, 2009 at 8:42:56 pm
Hi Andrew,
Final Cut Server's "archive" is really just a copy/delete. When you archive an asset, it copies it from your online storage to the archive device you have predetermined, then deletes the original once the copy is complete. When you restore, the opposite happens. The file is copied from the archive device back to the online device, then deleted from the archive.
You can't package things together or wrap things up without doing some scripting outside of FCS.
Re: Final Cut Server + LTO-4 by Andrew Saliga on Oct 27, 2009 at 8:54:03 pm
Yes. Thanks Matt.
So am I correct to create the following workflow in this example scenario?
We're working a project that happens to have 2 graphics guys and 3 editors involved, all running FCS. The project wraps and it's time to make backups to the LTO that is connected to my box. I use FCS to create an archive on a local drive that contains the media used for that project. Then I'll send it to my LTO with Bru PE (the backup software I use to interface with my LTO).
-Andrew Saliga
Steelehouse Productions
www.steelehouse.com (undergoing a much-needed redesign)
www.vimeo.com/steelehouse
Re: Final Cut Server + LTO-4 by Matt Bodman on Oct 27, 2009 at 11:00:20 pm
Andrew,
I think that'll work fine. Remember that Final Cut Server won't archive Final Cut Pro Project files though. You'll need to manually take a copy of those.
Re: Final Cut Server + LTO-4 by Toby Dalsgaard on Oct 30, 2009 at 6:58:02 pm
I don't know if you are aware of this, but reading what you have posted, I'm not sure. When you archive something in FCS, you are merely telling something under the hood to move the media from POINT A to POINT B (or whatever you have designated as an ARCHIVE DEVICE). It's very similar to Media Managing. You then have to drag and drop that stuff from POINT B (however you have it organized) onto your LTO. I'm not familiar with the LTO interface you are speaking of. Perhaps that has some tools that makes this shockingly clumsy and babysitting intensive project a little easier.
