News
NEP The Netherlands Transforms its IP-Based Production Platform with Juniper Networks
April 2017 by Emmanuelle Lamandé
Juniper Networks announced that NEP The Netherlands, media technology specialist, is using Juniper Networks’ solutions to create an IP multi-camera production platform for TV.
The company is now expanding that platform further by adding more applications on air, with more flexibility and efficiency. Juniper Networks® QFX Series switching technology was chosen by NEP to deliver innovative television services, including 4K video on demand, interactive split screen and 360 degree virtual reality. NEP provides the technology, people and know-how that enables its clients to produce high-profile television events, such as the Oscars and Olympic Games.
Transforming its production systems from a traditional broadcast Serial Digital Interface (SDI) environment to future-proof, cloud-based open IP platforms enable faster service delivery, lower total cost of ownership, and more flexibility for NEP and its clients. For example, cloud-based production enables flexible deployment of key directing elements, such as the director’s control room, audio, video and EVS operator at the studio site.
NEP’s pre-and post-production functions run in a cloud environment created by Juniper’s QFX switches, which are high-performance, high-density switching platforms with open architectures that serve as universal building blocks for automated, programmable fabric architectures. This production environment is needed to support applications that move hundreds of gigabits of uncompressed video.
NEP clients, including many of the world’s premier television broadcasters, cable networks and event producers, demand high-quality solutions for functions, such as remote and cloud production, video display, host broadcasting, post production, playout and uplink communication. By using Juniper’s scalable QFX switches, NEP can offer flexibility for all types of production services.
With an IP-based cloud production platform, NEP centralized its resources, so they can be shared more efficiently, sustainably and easily across multiple locations and productions. The centralization reduced on-location and studio costs for sports and multi-camera live shows, with reduced physical footprint on location.
NEP plans to expand its capabilities further by adding two more studios, four extra cloud production galleries, 30 playout channels and live 4K OTT (Over the Top) delivery from sports venues. It is important for NEP to run all applications over open standard technology with Juniper, so that upgrades can be easily made from HD to 4K to 8K and beyond by adding more capacity or a new compression algorithm without changing the overall network.
The overall switch network infrastructure is underpinned by Junos® OS, Juniper’s single operating system for centralized management, further streamlining and simplifying NEP’s network operations.
