ASK NC

Hello!
My name is Miguel and my colleague and I are currently tasked with setting up a small pipeline for visual effects and video editing work at a small studio. I just wanted to get your opinion on the setup we are planning on implementing. We are planning on purchasing a Blackmagic Cloud Store (20TB) for our main storage and we would like to have multiple PCs connected to it. This Cloud Store comes with 4 10G ethernet ports but we were thinking of purchasing a 10G switch to connect to the Cloud Store and then at least 5 computers (Mac and Windows) connected to the switch. This would be a 10G setup for all devices. Is this the correct way to set something like this up? We would also want all the computers to see each other on the network since we could potentially be implementing a render farm in the future. Based on some light research I've done so far, I found the TL-SX3016F JetStream 16-Port 10GE SFP+ L2+ Managed Switch. At what point would we run into any limitations? TY!

Hi Miguel, it sounds like you're planning a solid setup for your small studio's visual effects and video editing work! Connecting multiple devices to a central storage location is a common practice, and a 10G network should provide plenty of bandwidth for your needs.

Using a 10G switch to connect your Blackmagic Cloud Store to your computers is a good approach, and the TL-SX3016F JetStream 16-Port 10GE SFP+ L2+ Managed Switch you mentioned should work well for your purposes.

As for limitations, the main bottleneck for a setup like this would likely be the storage speed of the Blackmagic Cloud Store itself. While the 10G network should be able to handle large file transfers between the storage and your computers, if the Cloud Store's read/write speeds are not fast enough, you may experience slower performance overall. Make sure to check the specs of the Cloud Store and compare them to your workflow requirements.

Another factor to consider is how many users will be accessing the storage simultaneously. While a 10G network can handle multiple users, there may be a limit to how many users can access the storage simultaneously before performance is impacted. This can vary depending on the type of work being done and the size of the files being accessed.

Lastly, keep in mind that as your studio grows and your needs evolve, you may need to add more storage or upgrade your network infrastructure to accommodate additional users or larger file sizes. But for now, the setup you've described should be a solid starting point for your needs.