Sledgehammer NAS is an enterprise level, high performance file server that delivers maximum throughput over your existing network:

Extremely fast, multi-protocol file server

Provides unparalleled throughput and performance

Multiple available configurations for online and nearline usages

Easy upgrade path to Sledgehammer SD!O and HD!O

Lowest cost-per-megabyte-per second of throughput anywhere

Sledgehammer NAS is the perfect storage & infrastructure upgrade for any facility. It supports any type of network client, regardless of the operating system (UNIX, Windows®, Mac OS®, Linux®), and its system administration is simplified with MAXmin, a web-based system management utility.

High-performance NAS

Sledgehammer NAS is the ideal high-performance file server solution for computer graphics, color grading, compositing, editing, and 2D/3D render farms. Designed from the ground up to maximize network throughput, Sledgehammer can deliver aggregate sustained network throughput exceeding 500MB/s. Sledgehammer NAS utilizes the latest in high-density storage arrays, with hardware RAID controllers and can be easily scaled from 2TB up to a maximum of 64TB per system.

Sledgehammer NAS increases the flexibility and efficiency of the storage and network infrastructure of any facility, satisfies the I/O demands of the hungriest rendering clusters, simplifies network administration, and delivers data more efficiently. Access times for multi-megabyte or multi-gigabyte-sized files are radically reduced from minutes to seconds. Sledgehammer eliminates the need for local copies of data, which greatly simplifies project management, system administration, security, and backup procedures.

Sledgehammer's MAXmin tools allow system administrators to analyze system and network performance. A series of time-based graphs display disk throughput, CPU utilization, and the actual amount of data moving through the network. This helps system administrators track where bottlenecks might exist in the facility.

Fast and Reliable NAS storage

Employs hardware-based RAID 5 controllers managing FibreChannel, SAS, and SATA storage arrays – multiple drive types can be supported within a single server head

Storage can be easily expanded without restriping or system downtime

A journaled file system provides a high degree of data integrity

Supports large file systems, with up to 16TB in capacity per file system

Second Online Server (SOS) option provides automatic NAS head failover for mission critical environments and is available in both passive/active and active/active configurations

MAXmin, Sledgehammer’s web-based system administration tool provides a straightforward way to manage your system with powerful performance monitoring tools and configuration utilities

Versatile network support

Sledgehammer provides an aggregate throughput exceeding 500MB/sec. via six bonded Gigabit Ethernet ports or 10Gigabit Ethernet

Supports multiple system access through industry standard protocols (NFS, CIFS, AppleTalk®, FTP, and others)

Provides simultaneous connectivity from heterogeneous network clients (UNIX, Windows, Mac OS, Linux)

Provides sustainable system performance under high loads

Tools are included to simplify mapping of existing networks including user-account information and individual authentication parameters

IEEE 1394/1394b (Firewire 400/800), USB 2.0, and Infiniband connectivity options available

Usability and Flexibility

Simple, fast, and non-disruptive installation using our web-based MAXmin management utility for Linux configuration and administration

Powerful tools are included for system diagnostics

MAXmedia for Digital Media Management

MAXmedia is a web-based application (Java) that is included with Sledgehammer at no additional charge. It is designed to simplify the data handling tasks of colorists, editors, visual-effects artists, and data operators. It includes a media browser with streaming proxy images for the selection and organization of material, a streaming viewer for live-sequence playback, and a timeline interface for multi-clip assembly.

MAXmedia functions in 2 different modes: online and offline, enabling you to get the maximum benefit from its rich toolset — only the offline toolset is available for NAS configurations

The media browser displays scrubbable, thumbnail images of all clip-based material stored on the Sledgehammer system, regardless of image resolution

The media viewer provides compressed, live-image and audio-stream playback within the MAXmedia interface, with tape-deck-like controls, audio-level indicators, and variable- speed scrubbing support

Real-Time Video I/O, Playback, DDR Emulation

Sledgehammer SD!O or HD!O systems support Real-Time Video operations with:

Real-time video capture and record to tape of uncompressed SD or HD video in any format at either 8-bit or 10-bit color depth

Real-time playback of any resolution up to 4K at either 8-bit or 10-bit color depth

DDR master or slave mode for capture and playback of multiple clips under RS-422 external control

Dual stream software option allowing simultaneous playout and record under external control from a real-time color grading suite (e.g. da Vinci 2K or Pogol)

Real-time 2:3 pulldown insertion in online mode, with near real-time support for 2:3 pulldown insertion/removal in offline conversion mode, including support for phase detection

Real-time support for key (alpha) channel during playback and layout (record) to tape. RGB and alpha channels originating from the same RGBA image sequence are played out as an RGB stream, an alpha stream, or both.

Real-time image crop, pan, scan and scale in online mode with near real-time support in offline conversion mode, including support for bilinear scaling

Real-time timecode/text overlay during playback and capture from tape; ability to add black segments and slates

Digital embedded and AES/EBU audio with up to eight channels (four stereo pairs) in 32-bit formats at 48 kHz stored as AIFF or WAV files

Media Assembly, Manipulation, and Processing

You can process your media directly on Sledgehammer with:

Project-based workflow and content organization tools including clip/file browser with very fast media access and sorting

Timeline assembly and playback of mixed resolution (SD, HD, 2K, 4K) and multi-format sequences (DPX, TGA, SGI, CIN, TIFF, and others) via timeline interface

Frame-accurate, multi-user timeline editing and preview support in offline mode for image sequence assembly, format and raster conversion (e.g. 2K @ 24fps to 1080i, 720p to 480p), and media organization

Multi-resolution timeline support for display format conversions (fit-to-fill, letterbox, pillarbox, etc.) and variable play speed (e.g. play at 80% or 110% of normal speed)

EDL import, conform of standard formats such as CMX 3600, and support for vendor-specific formats such as Autodesk® Media & Entertainment DLEDL; standard EDL export for online assembly of multiple shots

Digital Intermediate (DI) and telecine workflows are fully supported by the ability to store timecode, keycode, and user-bit information in the DPX file header upon capture, including support for 3-line VITC

Enhanced segment editor with support for LUT editing, including import of LUT parameters, pan, scan, crop, and scale
 

Easy Upgrade Paths

Sledgehammer SD!O & HD!O

Sledgehammer NAS systems can easily be upgraded to Sledgehammer SD!O (NTSC and PAL resolutions) or Sledgehammer HD!O (SD, HD, and 2K film resolutions) for the real-time capture of uncompressed SD or HD video at either 8-bit or 10-bit color depth. With our MAXmedia (online) web-based interface all operations are timeline based and are EDL-compatible. Once saved, timelines simply appear as any other clip on the system.

HD!O Dual Link and Additional Storage

Any Sledgehammer HD!O system can be upgraded to a Sledgehammer HD!O dual link for the real-time capture of uncompressed 4:4:4 RGB quality SD, HD, and 2K film resolutions (via HSDL) at either 8-bit or 10-bit color depth. Up to a maximum of 64TB of storage (16TB per file system) can be added at any time without the need to restripe or reboot the system.