Gamble on avant-garde software pays off

Sophie Nadeau

Paul Dion is a gambling man and so are his colleagues in the Teaching and Learning Support Service. But there's no folding, rolling or walking away in their corner of campus, where a dedication to providing students with the latest technology requires nerves of steel.

The service was working on a complete upgrade of its video editing systems when Apple Computers Inc. came calling last summer. “There's nothing more important in communications than to stay current and expose students to the latest equipment technology,” explains Dion “Our infrastructure was growing old and we obviously needed to update our systems.”

Paul Dion, client services coordinator at the Teaching and Learning Support Service, explains the new Xsan and Apple Final Cut Pro installation, which is located in the Department of Communication labs.

Dion found his solution in a partnership between the University and Apple for the testing of Xsan through the Apple Final Cut Pro editing system. Final Cut Pro is a Mac-based video editing software, which is widely used in television and video production. However, it is the Xsan product that is causing all the excitement.

Xsan is a surprisingly simple high-speed central file storage system that makes the saving of video, audio and image information more efficient and secure. “I'd compare it to a kind of traffic police. It controls where and how files should be saved and, in doing so, protects the information from file corruption errors,” says Dion.

The catch here is that the system has never been used before. Dion and his colleagues are essentially the first production group to put the system through its paces. “It was a big gamble to take on this software as quickly as we did,” admits Dion. “We had to get guarantees from Apple that the system would perform and that the core elements of it were solid. We got a promise from them on that and so far so good.”

It seems the gamble has certainly paid off for teachers and students because saving video, audio and images has become a great deal simpler. But the benefits extend further. “The Apple solution is a sole source for all the technology we need,” Dion says. By being able to count on central support from a single provider, the University will achieve savings down the line.
 
Dion's next big project will keep him busy for a while: the multimedia service is looking to maximize its space in the basement of Morisset Hall. If approved, the project could begin next summer.