Sonnet and Archiware Join Forces to Demonstrate Advanced Thunderbolt Connectivity for Video Archiving

IRVINE, Calif. -- Sept. 10, 2014 -- At IBC2014, Sonnet Technologies will partner with Archiware GmbH to demonstrate an advanced video postproduction editing system connecting a remotely-located, rack-mounted Mac Pro(R) computer with attached storage expansion and LTO tape drive for archiving of video files, via optical Thunderbolt(TM) cable to a Thunderbolt dock with attached keyboard, mouse, and monitor. The demo at IBC2014 will feature Sonnet's xMac(TM) Pro Server Thunderbolt 2-to-PCI Express(R) (PCIe(R)) expansion system and 4U rackmount enclosure for the latest generation of the Mac Pro, Archiware's P5 long-term archiving software, and the Sonnet Echo(TM) 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock.

The demo will create a model video postproduction workflow that begins with a workstation in Archiware's IBC2014 stand (7.G03). The workstation will consist of a monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected to a Sonnet Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock. An optical Thunderbolt cable will connect the workstation to a Mac Pro located in Sonnet's booth and mounted in the xMac Pro Server, running Archiware's P5 Archive professional archiving software for moving data offline to disk or tape, which in this case will be an HP LTO-6 Ultrium tape drive mounted alongside four SATA drives also in the xMac Pro Server.

"The new high-performance Mac Pro is the ultimate tool for media production and looks great on top of a desk, but many of our customers indicate a preference to locate the computer and connected expansion devices in a secure mechanical room," said Greg LaPorte, vice president of sales and marketing, Sonnet Technologies. "With this demonstration, we are showing how production professionals can conveniently set up a Mac Pro with added PCIe card expansion, storage expansion, and an LTO tape-based archiving solution in a 4U rack space located up to 60 meters from their workstation, while enjoying expanded peripheral connectivity through our compact Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock on their desktop. The Archiware P5 software enables users to conserve their Mac Pro's valuable internal and attached storage through seamless connectivity and the capability to backup to an LTO storage device."

The xMac Pro Server securely mounts a Mac Pro, consistent with Apple guidelines, horizontally inside a specially designed 4U modular enclosure. It connects three PCIe card slots via Thunderbolt 2 expansion and offers support for the installation of two 5.25-inch mobile rack devices, such as the LTO-6 tape drive. Connected to the Mac Pro via Thunderbolt cable, the Echo 15 Thunderbolt 2 Dock offers Thunderbolt 2, USB 3.0, 6 Gb/sec SATA and eSATA, FireWire(R) 800, Gigabit Ethernet, and audio connectivity -- enabling users to easily connect a display, keyboard, mouse, and other devices. With the Archiware P5 Archive installation, users can move any unused files to their media archive on disk or LTO tape. Proxy videos and metadata remain available at all times, so users can easily browse, search, and restore any material they need for production directly from the workstation.

More information on Sonnet and its other products is available at www.sonnettech.com. More information about the partnership between Archiware and Sonnet on display at IBC2014 is available at www.archiware.com/archiving-from-xmac-pro-server.378.1.html.

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About Archiware
Headquartered in Munich, Germany, and privately held, Archiware is a manufacturer of data management software for backup, synchronization and archiving. Archiware P5 software is platform independent and aimed primarily at media and production companies. The latest product line includes
- P5 Synchronize - Replicate data to ensure high availability
- P5 Backup - Back up server data to disk and tape
- P5 Backup2Go - Back up desktop and laptop data to disk
- P5 Archive - Move or migrate data offline to disk and tape
For more information, visit www.archiware.com.

About Sonnet Technologies
Sonnet Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of Thunderbolt(TM) 2-to-PCIe(R) card expansion systems, pro media readers, RAID storage systems, and storage, network, and other interface cards for pro users in the audio, video, and broadcast industries. Sonnet's Thunderbolt expansion products enable the use of pro audio I/O and DSP cards, pro video capture and transcoding cards, network and storage interface cards, and other high-performance PCIe cards with Thunderbolt technology-enabled computers. For nearly 30 years Sonnet has pioneered and brought to market innovative and award-winning products that enhance the performance and connectivity of Mac(R), Windows(R), and other industry-standard computers. More information is available at www.sonnettech.com.

All trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

Photo Links:
www.wallstcom.com/sonnet/sonnet-xmac_pro_server.jpg
www.wallstcom.com/sonnet/sonnet-xmac_pro_server_w_lto_4ssd_mrdmk.jpg
Photo Caption: Sonnet Technologies' xMac(TM) Pro Server PCIe(R) 2.0 expansion system/4U rackmount enclosure for new Mac Pro(R) with Thunderbolt(TM) 2 ports, shown with optional Mobile Rack Device Mounting Kit (Mac Pro computer not included).