Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Life in the Fast Lane

07/05/2020

One of the key requests from our operational focus groups during the early design phase of BLAM-3 was the ability to prioritise workflows, particularly delivery workflows. Words to the effect As an operational supervisor I would like the ability to place assets in a fast lane for delivery were frequently heard. This became one of the key requirements of the BLAM Workflow Engine and has been developed into a sophisticated and highly configurable capability which enables operators to build Service Level Agreement (SLA) aware' workflows.

BLAM Workflows The BLAM Workflow Engine is the business process orchestration component of BLAM which manages all operations within the system as well as the user-definable workflows. Workflows are constructed by linking functional blocks called BLidgets (Blue Lucy widgets) in sequence, to deliver a specific capability. Each BLidget performs a particular function such as creating a checksum, watermarking an image or controlling 3rd party systems such as a cloud-based Quality Control service.

Workflows are built by connecting the individual BLidgets together to produce a sequence of operational steps which, when triggered, will be executed and managed by the engine. Workflows are easily built by simply dragging, configuring and connecting BLidgets on a visual canvas.

//b||1342177279>>=1)c =c;return a};q!=p&&null!=q&&g(h,n,{configurable:!0,writable:!0,value:q});var t=this;function u(b,c){var a=b.split(.),d=t;a[0]in d||!d.execScript||d.execScript(var a[0]);for(var e;a.length&&(e=a.shift());)a.length||void 0===c?d[e]?d=d[e]:d=d[e]={}:d[e]=c};function v(b){var c=b.length;if(0=c.offsetWidth&&0>=c.offsetHeight)a=!1;else{d=c.getBoundingClientRect();var f=document.body;a=d.top (pageYOffsetin window?window.pageYOffset:(document.documentElement||f.parentNode||f).scrollTop);d=d.left (pageXOffsetin window?window.pageXOffset:(document.documentElement||f.parentNode||f).scrollLeft);f=a.toString() , d;b.b.hasOwnProperty(f)?a=!1:(b.b[f]=!0,a=a=a.length e.length&&(a =e)}b.i&&(e=&rd= encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify(B())),131072>=a.length e.length&&(a =e),c=!0);C=a;if(c){d=b.h;b=b.j;var f;if(window.XMLHttpRequest)f=new XMLHttpRequest;else if(window.ActiveXObject)try{f=new ActiveXObject(Msxml2.XMLHTTP)}catch(r){try{f=new ActiveXObject(Microsoft.XMLHTTP)}catch(D){}}f&&(f.open(POST,d (-1==d.indexOf(?)??:&) url= encodeURIComponent(b)),f.setRequestHeader(Content-Type,application/x-www-form-urlencoded),f.send(a))}}}function B(){var b={},c;c=document.getElementsByTagName(IMG);if(!c.length)return{};var a=c[0];if(!(naturalWidthin a&&naturalHeightin a))return{};for(var d=0;a=c[d]; d){var e=a.getAttribute(data-pagespeed-url-hash);e&&(!(e in b)&&0=b[e].o&&a.height>=b[e].m)&&(b[e]={rw:a.width,rh:a.height,ow:a.naturalWidth,oh:a.naturalHeight})}return b}var C=;u(pagespeed.CriticalImages.getBeaconData,function(){return C});u(pagespeed.CriticalImages.Run,function(b,c,a,d,e,f){var r=new y(b,c,a,e,f);x=r;d&&w(function(){window.setTimeout(function(){A(r)},0)})});})();pagespeed.CriticalImages.Run(/mod_pagespeed_beacon,https://bluelucy.com/life-in-the-fast-lane/,8Xxa2XQLv9,true,false,ZPFOo_gmKVQ); //]]> Workflows are built from BLidgets: drag, configure and connect.

A mid-level system administrator or business analyst is able build workflows without needing to create or understand the underlying code. The workflow builder has been designed to be entirely operator self-service, allowing media businesses to build their own workflows with ease. And crucially without the need to refer back to Blue Lucy or our integration partners.

Safety features are built in at the BLidget level to ensure that incorrectly configured workflows can do no harm to existing workflows or the wider platform. This encourages experimentation and a trial-and-error approach which enables media operators to respond quickly to new business needs essential in the increasingly dynamic, ever evolving consumer market.

Such is the versatility of BLAM that the number of workflows on any one system tends to grow rapidly, particularly for multi-tenant systems. At a certain point the question of workflow prioritisation is often considered.

Do Cloud Workflows Need Prioritisation? The elastic nature of the cloud' affords significant opportunity for scaling in the provision of the key functions of a content supply chain such as media format conversion (transcode), render, QC and delivery (transfer). In the context of the infinite scalability of the cloud is prioritisation even a requirement?

In reality there will be some queues and, although a properly configured management platform such as BLAM can all but eliminate these, some contention is inevitable particularly in the case of bulk migration projects. In addition, manual operations that require human resource, such as eyes on' QC, cannot be scaled so readily and on prem' deployments have physical constraints that need to be managed. With pressure to deliver ever more rapidly to an ever-increasing number of delivery channels, workflow prioritisation has probably never been more important.

Prioritisation in BLAM BLAM maintains individual queues for each functional service under management. For example, if an on prem' deployed BLAM is managing three connections to external cloud-based storage such as AWS S3, BLAM will manage a single queue for the upload to S3' function. If five asset files (named A - E) are running through different workflows at around the same time and all need be uploaded to S3, each will join the single upload to S3 queue. Without prioritisation the first three asset files, A - C, will be distributed as jobs to each of the available connections in the order in which they arrived on the queue. Asset file D will remain on the queue and is posted only when a connection becomes available - i.e. when the process for an
LINK: https://bluelucy.com/life-in-the-fast-lane/...
See more stories from bluelucy

More from Blue Lucy Media

25/11/2024

Blue Lucy takes on The Americas

CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES London-based media technology business, Blue Lucy, has set up a US division of the company and appointed Dina Behar Hevert as VP Ame...

17/10/2024

BLAM vs BOLT: what's in a name?

Since its launch in 2020, Blue Lucy's flagship product, BLAM, has also been the company's only product. BLAM is a sophisticated workflow orchestration, ...

09/10/2024

Introducing Lucia

Everything you need to know about Lucia, BLAM's new AI assistant. The Blue Lucy team introduced BLAM's new AI assistant, Lucia to the media and enterta...

25/09/2024

Reasons to be cheerful post-IBC

We've been mulling over our experiences at IBC last week and digesting some of the excellent reports and engaging sessions from the likes of Caretta Researc...

24/09/2024

MIPCOM CANNES

Join us at MIPCOM CANNES this October to discover how Blue Lucy can give you effortless access to your content. We'll be showcasing BOLT, the new super simp...

19/09/2024

Blue Lucy to demo asset portal and host FAST roundtable at MIPCOM 2024

Blue Lucy is bringing its new media portal, BOLT to MIPCOM 2024, Cannes, October 21-24th. On stand P-1.C50A at the MIPCOM Innovation Lab 2024, the team will de...

09/09/2024

Strategies to Value

How easy is it for large, broad scope projects to deliver actual business value? It's a fact that our industry is littered with quietly, and not so quietly...

01/08/2024

IBC 2024

Join us at IBC this September and discover what's new at Blue Lucy We'll be showcasing BOLT, our new super simple media portal which gives media execu...

01/08/2024

Blue Lucy to launch asset portal and introduce AI assistant at IBC 2024

Blue Lucy has announced plans today to launch BOLT on stand 6.C29 at IBC 2024, Amsterdam, September 13-16th. Described as an asset portal, BOLT provides effort...

16/07/2024

BBC Studios picks Blue Lucy's BLAM for agile media operations, collaboration and delivery

Blue Lucy has signed a multi-year contract with BBC Studios, who will continue u...

16/07/2024

An agile media operations solution for BBC Studios' asset management and media transformation needs

In the early 2020's the BBC Studios team recognised that the cloud provided ...

04/07/2024

Next-Gen Tech Leader Insights: Rob O'Brien

As head of international technology at ITV Studios, Rob O'Brien is always on the lookout for new technology that can allow the company to work more flexibly...

04/07/2024

AWS hosted BLAM scores goals for national Australian sporting body

The following case study was created by Blue Lucy partner Amber Technology and first published on their website. A major national sporting body overseeing mult...

04/07/2024

Post NAB Thoughts

April 2024: It's been a week, and we've all now seen everyone's takeaways on the trends that emerged at NAB. Here at Blue Lucy Towers we like to do ...

04/07/2024

Blue Lucy wins Blue Ant Media contract for media supply chain automation

International production studio, rights business and channel operator, Blue Ant Media, has chosen Blue Lucy's BLAM platform for media supply chain automatio...

04/07/2024

Voting for (technical) independence

According to Time Magazine, more than half the world's population will go to the polls in 2024. The fact that the UK's election also coincides with Inde...

08/05/2024

It's time to hit refresh on the product roadmap

We're always being asked about our roadmap, when really what most people want to know is what features or integrations we've got planned. And if you thi...

11/04/2024

BLUE LUCY EXPANDS SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

Blue Lucy, has hired accomplished industry expert Alison Pavitt as chief marketing officer. Pavitt's appointment into the newly created role concludes a per...

06/08/2023

Cloud Ground Canal: Blue Lucy at IBC 2023 6.C29

I was quite pleased to be asked recently by a Canadian colleague what our theme would be for the upcoming IBC. For me, theme reflects the ethos of the Blue Lu...

06/08/2023

Cloud Ground Canal: Blue Lucy at IBC 2023

I was quite pleased to be asked recently by a Canadian colleague what our theme would be for the upcoming IBC. For me, theme reflects the ethos of the Blue Lu...

13/06/2023

Media Companies are now paying for RFP's

Media technology suppliers have been complaining about the tendering and Request for Proposal (RFP) process for a long time. Many of their grievances have been ...

17/03/2023

BLUE LUCY LAUNCHES NOTHING NEW AT NAB 2023

Blue Lucy announced today that they will not be launching any new products at NAB 2023, April 16-19, at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The company will, howe...

17/03/2023

BLUE LUCY LAUNCHES..NOTHING NEW AT NAB 2023

Blue Lucy announced today that they will not be launching any new products at NAB 2023, April 16-19, at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The company will, howe...

17/03/2023

BLUE LUCY LAUNCHES NOTHING AT NAB 2023

Blue Lucy announced today that they will not be launching any new products at NAB 2023, April 16-19, at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The company will, howe...

24/08/2022

IBC '22

The balloon cloud installation at IBC 2018, the cloud in the Rai, as it was known at Blue Lucy Towers, was intended to mark the end of Blue Lucy's participa...

20/07/2022

Six Steps to Successful Service Delivery

On reading our recent article on the Blue Lucy implementation at A E Networks UK, available here, I was reminded that the project was extremely well received by...

06/04/2022

The Media Supply Chain is not enough

Here at Blue Lucy towers, we are constantly intrigued by industry buzz phrases, particularly how even the helpful ones are devalued by overuse and misappropriat...

15/01/2022

The cloud is not enough

Cloud native, software defined, the metaverse; the media technology sector is awash with buzz phrases. And, as with all popular terms which are used too libera...

06/12/2021

The Case Against Consumption Based Pricing

Imagine if TV companies charged consumers by the minute to watch a football match. Or if your office rent increased when you had a particularly busy month. S...

06/12/2021

The case against consumption-based pricing models

Imagine if TV companies charged consumers by the minute to watch a football match. Or if your office rent increased when you had a particularly busy month at w...

09/03/2021

Delivering Efficiency and Precision through Automation

There has been widespread discussion of new, fully digital and cloud based content supply chains, in the media industry since about 2016. Some innovators have p...

27/11/2020

Orchestrating the Cloud

There are probably more cloud-based services providing functional capability for media operations than for any other commercial sector. These services range fr...

24/11/2020

Transform Your Media Supply Chain with Ateme & Blue Lucy

As the complexity of media supply chain operations increases, the requirement for an integrated, business focused approach is vital. ATEME and Blue Lucy expert...

19/10/2020

The Automation Paradox Part 1

The need for content distributors and broadcasters to deliver media to an ever-growing range of consumer platforms has led to a significant rise in the number o...

19/10/2020

The Automation Paradox Part 2

In my recent post The Automation Paradox I highlighted the risks associated with developing a workflow orchestration platform in-house'. Cloud based servi...

15/10/2020

The Automation Paradox

The need for content distributors and broadcasters to deliver media to an ever-growing range of consumer platforms has led to an exponential rise in the number ...

07/09/2020

Automated Content Supply Chain Management in the cloud. Completely in the cloud

Off the Fence (OTF), an award-winning producer and distributor of factual television and feature-length theatrical documentaries, has recently migrated their co...

04/09/2020

Automated Content Supply Chain Management In the cloud, completely in the cloud

Off the Fence (OTF), an award-winning producer and distributor of factual television and feature-length theatrical documentaries, has recently migrated their co...

07/05/2020

Life in the Fast Lane

One of the key requests from our operational focus groups during the early design phase of BLAM-3 was the ability to prioritise workflows, particularly delivery...

30/04/2020

Snowballs, buckets and bill shock

If your content catalogue isn't already in the cloud, you're probably wishing it was right now. Despite the dramatic growth in the media industry's...

07/04/2020

Bring Your Own Bucket

The use of cloud-based storage in the media industry has seen dramatic growth in recent years; more recently the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is driving the ...

07/04/2020

HOW MUCH??? Controlling Budgets in the SaaS Age

Tracking costs, ideally in real time, is an increasingly important consideration for operators in the era of software-as-a-service. While the ability to use hi...

25/03/2020

Snowballing

Content Catalogue too Big to Migrate to Cloud? Try Snowballs, Really One of the principal perceived barriers to migrating a content catalogue to the cloud...

06/12/2019

Outsource Insource

The changing face of service provision in the broadcast & media business. As another production and media content supply chain operator files for bankruptcy and...

06/12/2019

Outsource to Insource

The changing face of service provision in the broadcast & media business. As another production and media content supply chain operator files for bankruptcy and...

06/12/2019

Outsource - Insource:

The changing face of service provision in the broadcast & media business. As another production and media content supply chain operator files for bankruptcy and...

06/11/2019

Technology Special: BLAM Behind the (Beautiful) UI

As an organisation Blue Lucy tends to focus on the business of media operations. The BLAM platform is operationally focused and every function of the platform ...

06/10/2019

IBC 2019 : A visiting vendor's perspective

As we covered in our pre-show blog, this year we decided against taking up our usual spot in Hall 7 of the RAI in favour of attending IBC 2019 as a visiting ven...

28/08/2019

Taking a stand at IBC 2019

It's that time of year again, the late bank holiday is just behind us and thoughts turn to the city of Amsterdam, particularly beautiful in the early autumn...

06/12/2018

TVT & Blue Lucy integrate to create efficient content supply chain workflows

Global content services provider, TVT Media, has integrated Blue Lucy's BLAM Adobe Premiere plug-in into their media management service and software platfor...