Asia-Pacific Broadcasting (APB) Systems Integration 2017 | Page 13

TRANSITION TO iP
What to consider for your journey to IP
The world of broadcast is
undergoing yet another
major transformation as
it moves from traditional
baseband SDI towards IP
infrastructures using IT and
cloud-based platforms, says
JON FLAY.
This imminent transition is even more
complex than the switch from SD to
HD, because the very nature by which
content and data is transported over IP
is fundamentally different — whereby
broadcast-specific systems are replaced
with commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS)
platforms,
The IP road leads to incredible
operational and commercial benefits but
the implementation challenges are many,
so hiring an experienced and imaginative
systems integrator should be top of the
priority list for any media organisation
considering this journey.
Until recently, the IP revolution has
been confined to islands within a facility
and tasks that naturally lend themselves
readily to the transition. Now, the
technology allows the use of the basic
three elements — storage, computing
(servers) and networking — supporting
software solutions that can run in a private
or public cloud.
For broadcasters, this offers huge
opportunities in the longer term. The
old toolbox of standalone hardware is
gone and replaced by a richer and more
extensive software toolkit, which increases
flexibility and workflow efficiencies while
reducing operational costs and generating
new revenue streams — as long as the
implementation is managed properly.
IP adoption on the rise
Just a quick glance at the entries for the
IBC Innovation Awards this year shows the
progression that has been made towards
the adoption of standard IT infrastructures
over the past year. The short list was
peppered with examples of successful
implementations, including virtualised
playout and full-IP broadcast trucks.
We at Megahertz recently facilitated a
landmark migration to IP of a South-east
Asian pay-TV service provider by designing
and implementing a media headend at
the organisation’s new state-of-the-art
“This imminent transition is even
more complex than the switch
from SD to HD, because the very
nature by which content and
data is transported over IP is
fundamentally different.”
— JON FLAY
Managing Director, Megahertz
hub, moving across its 280 channels
while maintaining 24/7 operations —
including the relocat ion of its media asset
management (MAM), traffic scheduling
and playout systems.
The customer required a 4K/Ultra HD
(UHD)-capable headend that would allow
its operators to manage both its traditional
SDI video and new IP systems on a single
platform. In place of potentially two
separate SDI and IP systems, Megahertz
was able to utilise a single master control
room platform built from an upgradeable
technology (to support future 4K/UHD
channels and IP-enabled pay-TV services)
in line with the future demands of the
service provider’s subscribers.
But, taking the first steps into this new
environment is not easy and there is much
to consider.
Common concerns about IP
For example, a network path — perhaps
a single network cable — can now carry
tens or even hundreds of compressed
video signals, but how do you calculate
when it has reached capacity, and what
drives that? And other questions include:
Where to use multicast or unicast? How
to dynamically route and switch? When
signals are put on a network, how do you
know where they are going? How is a
fault/problem tracked?
In the old world, one cable equals
one service; in the new, it is not that
straightforward.
Monitoring is always of paramount
importance. In the new IP environment,
tracking the signal path requires more
in-depth and dynamic monitoring to keep
up with the redundancy built into the
network and systems. Software that runs
on virtual machines, to specifically identify
the hardware culprit that failed, could
take vital seconds. So, a mix of open
source and proprietary tools need to be
presented in a simple, readable form,
preferably on one display.
In the facility hub referenced above,
Megahertz deployed a clever bespoke
facility monitoring system that correlates
information from multiple signals and
systems and uses sophisticated alarm
management to ensure that the hub’s
operators can focus on the big jobs and
not on the intricacies that underpin them,
including whether a channel is SDI or IP.
Those embarking on a transition to
IP should also be aware that existing
broadcast solutions may not communicate
well with new IT-based control systems
and conversely, there are IT systems that
have no concept of broadcasting — so
your systems integrator should be well-
schooled on the possibilities that are
presented in a hybrid SDI/IP infrastructure.
Then, there are concerns surrounding
security. Any network needs to be
protected, but balancing that with the
demands of live production, for example,
and the ability to deliver immediate
responses during mission-critical
operations, requires careful planning and
design.
Don’t go it alone
With all of this to consider, preparing
your organisation to operate in this new
environment can be a daunting task. To
avoid the pitfalls, take advantage of the
knowledge gained by the early adopters
and their technology partners. Finding the
expertise can be a challenge; however,
the systems integrators who have
been involved with the transition from
traditional broadcast to an all-IP world are
ideally placed to help.
Just as they have supplied support
through technology evolutions in
broadcasting before, they can provide
the foundation of a successful transition
into a public or private cloud and help
you optimise the use of IP and IT building
blocks for your business.
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