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Powering global distribution for leading aggregator of independent digital content
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IBM® Aspera® Connect Server moves large media files, including full-length feature films, at maximum speed between Cinedigm and partners, and IBM Aspera Point-to-Point Client enables internal collaboration.

Business Challenge story

As Cinedigm’s business continues to grow, the company is faced with the dilemma of how to retrieve more content from production companies and disseminate more content, and faster, to their distribution partners located across the country and even internationally. Presented with full-length HD films, often uncompressed or in ProRes or other high-res versions, Cinedigm needed a transfer solution that could accommodate very large file sizes while maintaining speed, efficiency and security. Along with receiving content from producers and delivering to distribution partners, Cinedigm also needed a faster transfer mechanism for their internal business needs.

Transformation

Cinedigm adopted the IBM® Aspera® Connect Server to enable content partners to deliver files directly to Cinedigm. Once content is received, it goes through a series of steps including processing, transcoding and ingest, and subsequently Cinedigm uploads the files to ‘workflow watch folders’ where the Aspera Connect Server picks them up for high-speed delivery to distribution channels. Internally, Cinedigm selected Aspera Point-to-Point to transfer feature-length films directly to their Tier 3 mirror SAN storage facilities and to their sister office, enabling collaboration between cross- country team members.

Aspera is the most trusted partner for companies we deliver content to. It’s an easy and elegant solution. We can deliver content faster and more efficiently using Aspera. It would be hard to manage without it Ben Rothman Senior Manager, Digital Distribution Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp.
Benefits

With IBM Aspera, Cinedigm doesn’t have to worry about whether their content is going to land in the hands of their distribution partners in a consistent and timely manner; FASP transfers are fast and reliable without requiring a lot of user effort on either end, so Cinedigm administrators and end-users with varying levels of technology proficiency can initiate transfers with ease. Today, Cinedigm delivers media files ranging from 40 to 90 GB in just a few hours or less, a stark improvement over shipping times, which take a minimum of 24 hours. IBM Aspera provides a seamless user experience while offering comprehensive monitoring and control for Cinedigm administrators, who can set transfer priorities and define bandwidth allocation, monitor all incoming and outgoing transfers in real time, and provide access to unlimited users with defined access rights and transfer settings for each.

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Produced in the United States of America. February 2015.

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