Storage

The storage platform for IRIS’s Video on Demand (VOD) environment is a Hitachi Thunder 9500v Storage Area Network (SAN). The Hitachi Thunder 9500v is a fiber channel connected array, with multiple redundant drive systems, secondary power circuits, and an intelligent management environment. It is currently deployed as a 75 Terabyte (TB) solution.

Server Operations

Our entire server farm is comprised of enterprise-level machines from the Dell PowerEdge family of products. All servers contain multiple Pentium Xeon processors.

Clustered Servers

Each clustered server pair has complete and exclusive ownership of their LogicalUnit Number (LUN) within the SAN. Two spare Clustered Server pairs are available for immediate deployment should a catastrophic issue arise taking out not one but both units in the primary pair.

Network Load Balanced (NLB) Servers

SCCtv employs Network load Balance servers for every mission-critical aspect of the operation. Current deployment includes more than 11 NLB pairs . The NLB operations can offer more than 30,000 simultaneous VOD users, leveraging both our Commodity Internet and Internet2 connectivity.

Encoder Servers

Multiple encoders are deployed to encode live content (tape, satellite, cablefeeds), as well as content intended for VOD services. SCCtv uses the ViewCast Osprey 500 family of encoder/capture cards, developed in partnership with Microsoft Windows Media group.IRIS Education support its clients and partners with their video (Windows Media, H.264, Quicktime, MPEG2, etc.) and can serve as a repository for other data if desired.

Bandwidth

SCCtv, as a member of the Seattle Community College District, has access to the bandwidth of the K20 Network. The K20 Network is a consortium of higher-education, K12, and other state agencies. Our aggregate bandwidth is more than 11.5 Gb full-duplex to the Internet: 1.5 Gb connectivity to the Commodity Internet, and 10 Gb connectivity to the Internet 2.