Techtel Upgrades Nine Network’s Sydney Broadcast Facilities with State-of-the-Art Spectra Logic Technology

Techtel Media Release

(Sydney, Australia, 29 August 2024) – Techtel, a leading broadcast technology systems specialist in the Asia-Pacific region, proudly announces the successful upgrade of Nine Network's data management facilities in Sydney with the latest technology from Spectra Logic. This significant enhancement leverages state-of-the-art object storage solutions, including the Spectra® BlackPearl® Nearline Media Gateway, BlackPearl S3 Hybrid Cloud Object Storage, and BlackPearl H3300 delivery appliance, ensuring unparalleled performance, security, and efficiency. The upgraded storage infrastructure can store 4.5 petabytes of media—equivalent to over 1 million hours or 120 years of HD video content. This capacity is complemented by additional Linear Tape-Open (LTO) storage capacity and is set to grow, ensuring that Nine Network can continue to expand its media library without constraints.

Overseen by Nine Network Broadcast IT Manager, Andrew Crofts, the upgrade was completed seamlessly in May 2024, ensuring Nine Network's readiness for the 2024 Olympic Games broadcast. Being one of the first customers worldwide to receive the latest and fastest platform from Spectra Logic, Nine Network can now enjoy cutting-edge performance with unparalleled efficiency.

The system also offers enhanced storage with more depth and bandwidth, critical for handling extensive media content. As an on-premises solution, it ensures sovereign ownership of content protecting and storing data with robust security. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with Network Nine’s AVID production system streamlining media workflows.

The BlackPearl S3 Hybrid Cloud Object Storage provides S3 compatibility, allowing for flexible configuration with S3 Infrequent Access and Glacier storage tiers. This upgrade enables cost-effective data management, storing large datasets at a fraction of the cost compared to public cloud storage without compromising security. Combining cloud flexibility with on-premises performance ensures accessible and responsive data management.

Providing Spectra support and maintenance for Network Nine since 2018, Techtel has a proven track record of keeping the storage system humming. For this latest upgrade, Techtel managed the entire upgrade process, ensuring a smooth transition with minimal disruption.

"We are thrilled to support Nine Network with this crucial upgrade," said Mal Chandler, CEO at Techtel. "The BlackPearl Nearline Media Gateway deployed on their new H-Series appliance is a real statement by Spectra to the market that on-premises solutions can be easy to deploy, simple to integrate, and perform in a way that is difficult for hosted services to match.”

"Spectra Logic BlackPearl Nearline Media Gateway and BlackPearl S3 Hybrid Cloud Object Storage are enabling Nine Network to securely manage more than a million hours of high-definition video,” said Mike Cocks, country manager for ANZ, Spectra Logic. “This significant storage expansion allows Nine Network to continue growing its on-premises media library without limitations, pushing the standards of what is capable in the M&E industry in Australia. We're proud to partner with Techtel to provide Nine Network with a solution that effortlessly meets their evolving storage requirements."

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Photo by: Luc Remond

Nine is Australia’s largest locally owned media company with investments spanning television, video on demand, print, digital, and radio. Nine’s assets include the 9 Television Network, video on demand platform 9Now, talkback radio stations 2GB, 3AW, 4BC, 6PR, 2UE, 4BH, 6GT, Magic1278, major mastheads such as The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, digital properties such as nine.com.au, 9Honey, Pedestrian.TV and CarAdvice, subscription video platform Stan, and majority investments in Domain and Future Women.

BlackPearl, Spectra, and Spectra Logic are registered trademarks of Spectra Logic. Corporation. Spectra Logic develops a full range of Attack Hardened™ data management and data storage solutions for a multi-cloud world. Dedicated solely to data storage innovation for more than 40 years, Spectra Logic helps organisations modernise their IT infrastructures and protect and preserve their data with a broad portfolio of solutions that enable them to manage, migrate, store and preserve business data long-term, along with features to make them ransomware resilient, whether on-premises, in a single cloud, across multiple clouds, or in all locations at once.

Techtel is a leading independent broadcast technology systems specialist, providing innovative hardware and software solutions across the Asia-Pacific region. Our comprehensive services span Broadcast Systems Integration, AV Systems Integration, IPTV, Software Integration, and Webcasting Solutions, catering to diverse industries, including sports, live events, education, and enterprise. For more, visit techtel.com.au or contact us at info@techtel.tv +61 2 9906 1488.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Suzanne Costello
Senior Marketing Specialist, Techtel
Email: scostello@techtel.com.au
Phone: +61 2 9906 1488