Archive which has steady needs

So far, in the broadcasting industry, the most of the video has been accumulated in the VTR tape. However, maintenance of equipment for recording and playback VTR tape will become impossible within next 10 years.

This situation means that historically valuable video assets become garbage. Also, when the picture taken by local area such as earthquake will be transported, the trend starts to use digital tape rather than the traditional VTR tape. In order to meet such a historical background and needs, Panasonic started to tackle LTO tape-based archive business from around 2009.

Searching for the flexible LTO archive which can be used anywhere

Originally LTO tape drive which is used for storage of LTO archive system was developed to be used with servers by connecting with SAS interface. Therefore, it was not suitable for the backup application by using user interface. So, Panasonic has been responded to the various needs by co-development of the packages with IT manufacturers and implemented them mainly to video production companies in broadcasting industry.

However, Panasonic faced with the reality that "There are many customers who need more compact system. For example, there are many applications can be operated by notebook PC such as non-linear editing software. This causes that the system which can have better portability is requested even for video backup and archive. Also, requests came that the company wants to change the work place for archive of shooting video", Mr. Seguchi said. When the server or workstation is carried, the work place and power environment will be limited. Therefore, we have been investigating the possibility that Panasonic's "Let's Note" can be utilized.

Responses from users are quite good

Mr. Seguchi has been researching a LTO solution with good portability which can be connected to "Let's Note" notebook PC by USB easily.
On end of 2012, he said " I finally arrive to the device which I want to use" and found Unitex LT50 USB.

Immediately he ordered "LT50 USB" and started to verify the features and durability. "My biggest concern is transfer speed. Fortunately, the drive accomplished 100-120MByte/sec and there is no significant difference on the transfer speed between server/workstation and Note PC. We came to a conclusion as "satisfactory performance". Moreover, no problem was found on the aging which supply a large data in large volumes and all verification was done in total 2-3 weeks. Since satisfactory results were obtained, promotion towards the Panasonic customers has been deployed.

“Reputations from our customers on this product are quite good. There are several companies who determined to introduce the product in order to satisfy the necessity of the archive. In fact now, the demand of the archive has been increasing not only in video production of broadcast industry, but also in ordinary companies who archive the video of seminars or products. These customers will archive the video to the Tape or Hard Disk. What we need to be careful is there is a possibility that data will become unreadable in Hard Disk Drive within one year when the data was left after archiving. Hard Disk is not an archive media. If the Hard Disk Drive won't work when user needs the archived data, user cannot get the data. There is an option to use optical media instead of Hard Disk Drive. However the optical disc has a disadvantage that transfer speed is low. Therefore, we consider that the LTO tape is the most suitable archive media at present time.”

Toward the further spread of overseas

Utilization range of LTO tape has been expanded drastically by connection with USB3.0. This is a system that provides freedom and innovation to future archive solutions.

It seems Panasonic is currently considering whether the video archive system which is offered to Japanese users caAn be introduced to overseas users. Because, if troubles on the PC or on the IT related issue will occur, it is impossible to make rapid support in abroad.

"If we can offer a solution that our notebook PC "Let's Note" and "LT50 USB" will be connected by USB3.0, we believe the IT trouble in overseas users will be decreased significantly. As a result, we expect that introducing the Japanese system will become easier.”, Mr. Seguchi said as future prospect.

How to respond to any needs, Advice from Panasonic

Unitex "LT50 USB" which is adopted by Panasonic as LTO archive system has advantages. LT50 USB compares favorably with conventional server spec LTO archive system on speed and aging in terms of functionality. Also, there is good portability with notebook PC "Let's Note" and easy connectability by USB3.0 in compare with SAS in terms of usability. "Customers aim to continue to archive accumulation of video data assets, want to manage video contents itself and do not want to have big storage. Rather than such a thing, they may prefer to manage the assets with the same kind of feeling with existing video tape. This system is exactly matches solution to such needs" Mr. Seguchi said with full of self-confidence.