Modernization of French Senate's Recording Infrastructure

The French Senate, a key institutional player, turned to MBT to support the modernization of its outdated video recording infrastructure. The previous servers were no longer maintained by the vendor, putting the service at significant risk of operational failure. This upgrade is part of a broader effort to improve the reliability of content capture and archiving systems while maintaining regular production output.

Project Overview

Objectives

• Update the server architecture to ensure continuous recording operations.
• Migrate to modern, supported equipment without disrupting ongoing production.
• Leverage this opportunity to enhance the system's overall reliability and scalability.

Major Constraints

• Continuous production environment, with very limited downtime available during vacation periods.
• Mandatory uninterrupted recording throughout the project.
• Deployment timeline dependent on the availability of new servers.

MBT Solutions Implemented

Deployed Products & Key Features

• Sphere Workflow Management: Automation and control of acquisition and archiving workflows.
• Phoenix Video Management: Automation and control of recording and file transfers.

Custom Developments

• Upgrade of the Nexio API driver to ensure full compatibility with the new servers and pre-existing workflows.

Technical Partners

• Imagine Communications – Supplier of the new servers.

Project Timeline & Key Milestones

• Total project duration: 4 months

• Project Phases:

1. Risk analysis and schedule validation with the Senate’s technical teams.
2. Configuration and testing of the updated drivers.
3. Progressive server migration during periods of low activity.
4. Final functional validation across all channels post-installation.

Results & Benefits

• Significant gains in storage capacity.
• Enhanced system reliability and ease of maintenance.
• Increased security of recordings, with zero service interruption.
• Infrastructure expanded to support a total of 12 main/backup channels.

Outlook

This project illustrates MBT’s ability to deliver robust solutions for mission-critical infrastructures under tight availability constraints. The MBT team is proud to support institutional stakeholders such as the French Senate in evolving their technical environments, enabling them to harness the full potential of next-generation audiovisual technologies.