Introduction
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Amazon Web Services (AWS) and AWS Elemental have consistently dedicated themselves to delivering the most adaptable and comprehensive range of physical encoding devices for clients operating within their own data centers and technical operations centers (TOCs). We are excited to announce the continuation of this commitment with the launch of the next generation of AWS Elemental Live L900 series appliances, now available for our customers.
Our clients expressed the need for an enhanced solution that allows for greater density while transitioning their on-premises infrastructure from SDI to uncompressed IP. In response, we present the new series of AWS Elemental L900 Appliance Edition encoders, which provide increased density at a predictable cost-per-channel, alongside a more diverse array of I/O configurations. Whether you are contributing hundreds of channels to AWS for downstream processing and distribution or constructing statistical multiplexers within your data center, these new appliances can serve as the backbone of your physical video infrastructure. For a comprehensive overview of the new appliances and their specifications, please visit the AWS Elemental Live Resources page.
Noteworthy Updates
UHD and HDR workflows have become commonplace within the media and entertainment sector. The new hardware L900 appliances empower more customers to support these high-quality channels. The L920, L940, and L980 appliances facilitate one or multiple UHD HEVC workflows, various HDR protocols such as HLG or Dolby Vision, and optionally, uncompressed IP inputs and outputs. At the top end, the L980 boasts the highest density of UHD/HDR channels that AWS Elemental has ever offered, maximizing channel density within a single device.
On the software front, with the release of Elemental Live software version 2.26.0, the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system is now the preferred choice. New units are shipped with RHEL and Live 2.26.0 (or newer) pre-installed, ready for customization to fit your on-premises environment. Customers using L700 and L800 series appliances that are covered by an Elemental Support contract are encouraged to upgrade to Live software 2.26.1 or newer through the AWS Elemental Support Console.
As customers transition from SDI to uncompressed IP, we aim to simplify this process with our whitepaper on Uncompressed IP on AWS. To extend this support, each new appliance now features two distinct SKU lines: one tailored for uncompressed IP workflows that operate both SDI and SMPTE ST 2110, SMPTE 2022-6, and JPEG XS (designated with a “-U“ in the name), and another focused on traditional compressed network and SDI workflows. Regardless of the path chosen, achieving higher density per node is now possible. For further details, a great starting point is the SMPTE ST 2110 workflows on AWS Elemental Live blog series, and you can also check out this excellent resource on how to do JPEG XS contribution in Elemental Live.
The “-U“ IP L900 appliances now support up to four times the bandwidth of L800 models, thanks to the new NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX 6 I/O cards. These Live appliances support red/blue network configurations, where each NIC is independently connected to 10/25/40/100 Gbps QSFP28 modules, enabling packet-level failover via SMPTE 2022-7. (50Gbps SFPs are not supported.) Direct cabling is required for these SFPs, so please refrain from using breakout cables or attempting channelization between the SFPs and your network switch, as errors will occur. The ConnectX 6 card is essential for any L900 series to support uncompressed live media.
Specifications
The AWS Elemental Live L900 series appliances are housed in a new 1 rack unit (RU) chassis, compatible with standard racks measuring 31.85 inches deep. The smallest appliances in the series, the L900 and L901, with a depth of 21.04 inches, fit conveniently in nearly any rack or road case. The CPUs range from 16 to 192 physical cores, depending on the unit, with density improvements ranging from 44% to 100% over the previous L800 series. DC power conversion kits can be acquired for the L910 appliance (or higher models) if necessary. As always, the L900 series appliances sport the familiar orange bezel.
Other significant enhancements include an upgrade to DDR5 RAM, which boosts memory bandwidth and improves thermal management, effectively doubling the write performance to the SATA drives. The BIOS has transitioned to UEFI, and the legacy BIOS is no longer supported. AJA PCIe cards are utilized for HD-SDI, 3G-SDI, and 12G-SDI workflows. Comprehensive specifications for each SKU can be found on the resources page, and example workflows are available in the previous release announcement blog post.
Upgrading Existing Appliances
Current customers can seamlessly download and run a new RHEL kickstart from the AWS console, simplifying the upgrade process to the latest software. This allows customers who purchase new units to operate the same software across their entire fleet, a necessity when the fleet is managed by AWS Elemental Conductor Live. For customers with an Enterprise Red Hat subscription requiring additional package installations, using personal login credentials to download and install custom packages is fully supported. Our engineering team continually releases minor software versions without the need for an additional kickstart.
Upgrading from standard to uncompressed (-U) appliances can be arranged either at the time of purchase or later by coordinating directly with your AWS Account Manager. Given the NVIDIA licensing and specialized SDK requirements, all upgrades must go through AWS, and you should not attempt to provide your own NVIDIA hardware when moving to uncompressed IP workflows.
SMPTE ST 2110 outputs necessitate an add-on license to operate with the latest software, which can be obtained at no extra cost from your AWS Account Manager.
Ordering Process
Every customer presents unique density requirements, so we recommend contacting your Account Manager who works alongside a dedicated Solutions Architect to conduct density simulations across various SKUs. This helps minimize the risk of over- or under-provisioning hardware, ensuring expenditures are limited to what is necessary. The Solutions Architect will align your I/O requirements and Live channel settings to produce density testing results that will assist in determining the optimal SKU and fleet size for your workflow.
If you are a new customer, please feel free to reach out to us to learn more.
Smaller Size Options
For straightforward HD and UHD channel contributions to AWS Elemental MediaLive or AWS Elemental MediaConnect, you can utilize the compact form factor and low power AWS Elemental Link HD and UHD devices. Link can alleviate much of the heavy lifting from your on-premises data center by providing contribution feeds directly to the cloud, with control managed via the AWS Management Console.
For clients who need the detailed control that the Elemental Live software offers, we now provide a new bring-your-own-hardware model for qualified small-form factor hardware. More details can be found in this upgrade guide.
Final Considerations
Many customers effectively utilize hybrid setups to reduce capital expenditures and achieve enhanced scalability and resiliency. AWS Elemental Live encoders can be deployed for contributions to Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), AWS Elemental MediaConnect, or AWS Elemental MediaLive, helping to mitigate bottlenecks as you expand globally.
To provide in-depth insights for your technical teams about our native Media and Edge Services, AWS offers Media Immersio, a program designed to enhance your understanding of these technologies. This is particularly beneficial for those looking to pivot their careers, as discussed in this blog post about career transitions after layoffs or furloughs. Additionally, you can read about how managers can create a productive work-from-home culture over at SHRM, an authority on workplace dynamics. For further guidance, check out this excellent resource on YouTube.
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