New Tailored Data-Storage Platform Offers Extreme Scalability While Helping Keep Costs in Check

HP today announced DreamWorks Animation SKG, the computer-generated animation company that introduced the world to Shrek, selected HP scale-out storage technology to more cost-effectively store and easily access the data behind its cutting-edge visual productions.
According to DreamWorks, animated content for a feature film such as its recent hit Monsters vs. Aliens creates nearly 100 TB of files that need to be stored in an easily accessible archive. DreamWorks chose the HP StorageWorks 9100 Extreme Data Storage System (ExDS9100) to act as an online reference library for previous films such as Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda. The new platform offers the company’s artists fast, simple access to archived content, saving valuable time and resources when developing future projects.
Before it had incorporated the ExDS9100 into its storage architecture, DreamWorks was required to painstakingly search through backup tapes to find the archived materials needed to start a new project. This process impacted production schedules since many of DreamWorks’ new projects leverage existing animated material.

In addition to using it as an archiving solution, DreamWorks will use the ExDS9100 as an online backup solution for ongoing projects. This provides artists a real-time platform for sharing content and allows them to focus on creating the next DreamWorks hit movie or TV show.

“Our goal of delivering two to three computer-generated animated films per year means that DreamWorks continues to look for ways to streamline the process of creating and delivering great stories for our audience,” said Derek Chan, head of Digital Operations, DreamWorks Animation. “The HP ExDS9100 facilitates this by providing easier access to archived content in a simple-to-manage, highly scalable storage architecture.”

The ExDS9100 provisions performance and capacity independently, allowing customers to react to changing business needs more quickly than with traditional file-based storage solutions. These capabilities have enabled DreamWorks to create a 170 TB archive ‘ the equivalent of approximately 36,000 DVDs ‘ as an online storage environment that provides fast, easy access to those files. DreamWorks’ goal is to “keep everything,” and with the ExDS9100’s ability to scale to 820 TB, they are well positioned to do this as well as handle future data growth.

On June 17, Skottie Miller, senior technologist at DreamWorks Animation SKG, will discuss this solution as part of a special session titled, “Real World Use Cases: Customers Discuss Extreme Storage for Extreme Content,” being held at the HP Technology Forum and Expo 2009 customer event in Las Vegas.