NAB Reflections: Scale Logic's Bob Herzan on Proactive Monitoring for Storage, Sports' Sophisticated Needs HMS tracks health' of Genesis storage products installed at customer sites By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Wednesday, April 25, 2018 - 8:00 am
Print This Story
Story Highlights
Scale Logic was at NAB 2018 showcasing its portfolio of storage solutions and introduced a new feature across the entire range of products: a proactive Health Monitoring Service (HMS). The service communicates directly with installed products at customer sites, using the equipment serial number to track service outages, system temperature, power-supply failure, data-storage drive failure, and dozens of other mission-critical status updates.
SVG sat down with Scale Logic President/CEO Bob Herzan to discuss HMS, the company's recent installation with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Linx, Scale Logic's growing third-party warranty service, and more.
Scale Logic's Bob Herzan: We have a heartbeat built into the [Genesis platform] that reports back to our NOC.
What is the big news at the show this year for Scale Logic?
I think the coolest announcement is that we have introduced 24/7 proactive health monitoring to the entire Genesis platform. That means, when we install these at our customer site, we have a heartbeat built into the system that reports back to our NOC [Network Operations Center]. It is reporting all the basic health symptoms within the system, so it's looking at the drives, the rate sets, the motherboards and heat level, the fan efficiency. This is an enterprise-level feature that this industry has never seen in this level of storage, unless you were buying on the level of IBM or EMC and paying through the nose. And we don't even upcharge for the service.
We have the NOC already in place for all the other services that we're doing for our [Media Storage Services] third-party extended-warranty program. We're just taking that and implementing a new proactive health platform.
All new shipping products will now have the health monitoring, and then we're going to go back and start adding it to our legacy support contracts. To me, it's a genuine game-changer for our customers
We have also introduced HyperLock [at NAB 2018]. HyperLock is a feature set that goes on top of our HyperFS [file system], Genesis NX [NAS solution], and Genesis ZX [software-defined storage] and provides Avid bin locking for all three platforms. Those people looking for traditional Avid workflow can now do that on top of any one of those three file systems.
Scale Logic recently completed a large installation with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Linx. Tell us something about the project.
This type of configuration has become a real sweet spot for us. [The Timberwolves and Linx] are using a multi-tiered configuration that starts with Genesis Unlimited, which is our high-performance, high-capacity storage. It's connected in two ways - via Fibre Channel and Gigabit Ethernet - so that they can have multiple workflows with that shared storage. We also have an agent inside the Genesis Unlimited that will sync the primary data over to our second tier, which is Genesis NX. That's a second instance of the data on spinning disk that they keep as an archive copy. And that same agent inside the Unlimited also can write to a tape library, which they have there.
In the end, this client has three copies of their data across two different technologies, and they can even take some of it offsite if they want to store it elsewhere. It's a very small footprint that gives them a completely automated workflow that protects the data and is scalable as they grow. They're already talking about upgrading more storage because they're starting to go back and digitize a whole bunch of old legacy, historical content now.
How does the T-Wolves and Linx installation reflect where the sports market is headed in terms of storage?
All of the [teams] have the same issues, and they're all struggling with the same types of workflows. [Large organizations like] MLB and NASCAR can spend the money for big, multi-tier infrastructure like that with high availability. But we are giving them that same footprint and doing it at a price point that is a fraction of the cost, depending on the size, of the primary storage that they're putting in. We also try [to integrate] with as many MAM players as we can so that we can show our customer and the resellers a very completed turnkey solution that includes that asset-management layer as well.
In addition to the Scale Logic product portfolio, you've put a major focus on your Media Storage Services third-party extended-warranty business over the past couple of years. How is that segment of the company doing, and how has the market reacted to it?
It's growing hand over fist right now, and we've been very successful in mid and high-end accounts. I think one of the trends that I'm seeing right now is the mid to larger companies are unsure of what the next few years have in store for them. They're trying to figure out what their cloud play is and if they're going to be migrating a lot of content to the cloud or not. At the same time, they're being bullied to either refresh or pay heavy fees for the support [of existing equipment]. And they feel each decision is rotten because either they are going to spend a whole bunch on opex and keep this thing alive or they are going to refresh and be stuck for the next three to five years anyway. We are saving them from having to make those decisions right away; we give them a chance to breathe a little bit. We customize this SLA for them and save them a ton of money, and now they can really start to focus in on what they think they can do.
This interview has been edited for leng
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
13/11/2026
The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...
13/11/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/11/2026
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...
13/11/2026
SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...
13/11/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...
13/11/2026
Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...
13/11/2026
MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...
13/11/2026
Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...
13/11/2026
The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...
13/11/2026
ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...
13/11/2026
Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive
One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...
13/11/2026
Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled
The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...
13/11/2026
Download Now!
To view the white paper, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name
Company*
Country* Please select your countryA...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...
13/11/2026
Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...
13/11/2026
Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...
13/11/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...
13/11/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...
13/11/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...
13/11/2026
Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...
13/11/2026
From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients.
Health systems and startups...
12/11/2026
Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...
12/11/2026
The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...
12/11/2026
Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...
12/11/2026
RTL Deutschland will bring the NHL to free-to-air TV in Germany starting Nov. 30...
12/11/2026
Clear-Com supported On Air 2026, a 24-hour student-led broadcast connecting 45 u...
12/11/2026
uniqFEED has opened a Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Madrid, Spain. It is already operational, delivering virtual advertising for LaLiga matches. The ROC is ...
12/11/2026
Disney, ESPN and the NBA will present Dunk the Halls, the third real-time animated NBA game using Sony's Beyond Sports data visualization technology, on Chr...
12/11/2026
Van Wagner has launched Van Wagner RELAY, a digital platform for official athlet...
12/11/2026
Deal brings together two of the industry's most established graphics brands and significantly expands Vizrt's footprint in U.S. sports and regional broa...
12/11/2026
Euro TV Production GmbH of Austria has upgraded its outside broadcast vehicle with Lawo technology. The mc 36 Classic console in service since 2019 was replaced...
12/11/2026
Tagboard has launched Spark Resize, an AI-assisted tool now in beta that takes an existing graphic and produces a new version for a different aspect ratio or sc...
NAB Reflections: Scale Logic's Bob Herzan on Proactive Monitoring for Storage, Sports' Sophisticated Needs HMS tracks health' of Genesis storage products installed at customer sites By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
