Content storage management (CSM) is a technique for the evolution of traditional media archive technology used by media companies and content owners to store and protect valuable file-based media assets. CSM solutions focus on active management of content and media assets regardless of format, type and source, interfaces between proprietary content source/destination devices and any format and type of commodity IT centric storage technology. These digital media files (or assets) most often contain video but in rarer cases may be still pictures or sound. A CSM system may be directed manually but is more often directed by upper-level systems, which may include media asset management (MAM), automation, or traffic.
Typically, CSM systems are server-based software applications that reside between the media network, which connects the various broadcast or manipulation devices, and the storage network, which connects the nearline and archive storage tiers. The most basic function of CSM is the automated retrieval of high-resolution digital content (or essence) either from a data tape library (with the aid of a robot), or from a data server, and the delivery of that content either to a workstation, playout or editing device. CSM also performs this process in reverse – moving content back to storage. In a given media operation, CSM may be used to facilitate content manipulation and repurposing; systems interoperability through high and low bit rate content transcoding; and/or site-to-site content replication for disaster recovery.
CSM solutions comply with the well known Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System (OAIS), which is fundamental to long-term archive and content preservation in file-based environments and are characterized by a set of application-specific functionality, which can include: Interfaces to proprietary media creation and consumption devices regardless of interface and storage topology Transcoding and rewrapping technologies to ensure compatibility of content despite its source, format, encoding rates, aspect ratio, content container/wrapping standards Direct integration to any type and format of storage device typically categorized as IT-centric storage devices allowing limitless or near limitless storage expansion Integration with various network technologies including Ethernet, Fibre Channel, etc. and many protocols such as SCSI, TCP/IP, etc. Full compliance with the well established OAIS model allowing combination of reference metadata, media and any other key elements, which comprise an overall asset targeted to storage and preservation goals Subjective content analysis for file-based audio/video content entering and exiting the system Data integrity and validation checks such as checksums, etc. Analytics engines for capturing, measuring and reporting on all internal aspects of the system including network bandwidth, read/write error rates, data storage profiles, etc. Features for local and geographically distributed content storage for file-based distribution as well as disaster recovery applications Extensibility through incremental addition of features and resources to allow limitless or near limitless expansion of the system
History of CSM
The concept of CSM was first introduced in November 2006 by Brian Campanotti and Rino Petricola from Front Porch Digital Inc, one of the providers of CSM solutions. CSM solutions have their origins in archive management systems, but their functionality is considerably broader. Likewise, CSM systems resemble hierarchical storage management (HSM) systems in that both migrate among storage tiers, but they are distinct. For example, CSM software is media-specific, with internal decision-making models based on media-centric parameters, and with programmatic interfaces specific to control and management by broadcast business systems such as traffic, inventory, and automation. CSM groups related assets (typically video file and related multilingual audio files) into a single managed object for storage and retrieval. CSM does not use stub files, which are pointers to files, but instead handles actual media files directly. CSM migrates files by copying them between systems rather than transferring them from system to system. And finally, by definition, CSM does not stand alone but functions as an abstraction layer between disparate systems including various storage devices, broadcast editing and playout devices and even end consumer devices such as set top boxes and Web streaming sites.