Casting the Spotlight on Cloud for Media and Entertainment Industry

A digital transformation is underway in the media and entertainment sector and the industry is facing an array of challenges.

Companies – from filmmakers to broadcasters to publishers – are pushing to grow profits and maintain consumer audiences in the face of stiff competition. At the same time, a demand for multifaceted digital media and entertainment content continues to rise with consumers’ increasing appetite for media to be delivered anytime, anywhere.

In the data-rich media and entertainment industry, cloud computing — with its flexible delivery options and pay-as-you-go consumption model — is an attractive option to streamline operations and share assets. But security continues to be a concern in some cases, especially for companies wanting to guard intellectual property rights and protect prized information like unreleased motion pictures, music and even novels.

“The high-end video postproduction market has serious concerns about using public cloud services to store or compute their Big Data,’’ according to a story in the August-September issue of Streaming Media magazine.

Rick Capstraw, director for the media and entertainment practice for Verizon Enterprise Solutions, said: “Cloud computing offers some very real benefits for the media and entertainment industry – including managing workflows across content creation, production and distribution. While the industry concerns are valid, cloud-based infrastructure can be just as secure as a traditional framework. With the cloud – just as you would in a traditional network environment – it is important to plan carefully and take into account good security practices.’’

Some points to consider when deploying the cloud include:

• Begin with the End in Mind — Before deciding to move applications and processes to the cloud, evaluate goals and whether a move is appropriate. Some business benefits to consider include the ability to scale projects quickly while lowering capital expenditures.
• Pick a Flavor — Once a media and entertainment company is committed to a cloud model, decide which deployment model – public, private or hybrid – best meets the business demands.
• Decide What Goes — Once a cloud provider and an offering are chosen, it is important to decide what work applications will move to the cloud. For instance, companies need to determine whether they want to use the cloud for storage, archiving or full workflow management and distribution.
• Security, Security, Security — Devise and validate appropriate security protocols before migrating assets and processes. Identify and protect the most important data with techniques like data islanding and implement new layers of protection. Make sure a plan is in place to respond to a potential breach.
• Consider Mixing it Up with a Hybrid — By incorporating a mix of services delivered via the cloud and a dedicated environment, it can help allay data privacy and security concerns. At the same time, a hybrid approach can help make the most of existing investments.

“From big shows to big data, the potential of the cloud for the media and entertainment industry is virtually limitless,’’ Capstraw said. “With good planning, cloud services can provide an efficient, economical way to streamline operations and connect with audiences and can provide a starring role in the media and entertainment space.’’

Visit the Verizon Enterprise Solutions media and entertainment site for more information.