Kantana selected IBM Scale-out File Service (SoFS)

With 56 years' experience in the entertainment industry, Kantana is one of the leading entertainment companies in Thailand. It has been widely recognized for a variety of entertainment works such as drama series, feature films, TV commercials, documentaries, and a reality show. The company also produced the first Thai 3D animation film "The Adventure of Khan Klauy", which was widely accepted by Thai audiences and was greatly acclaimed winning both Thai and international awards.

The pioneer in the animation production industry in Thailand, Kantana foresees that not only computer graphic programs, which are considered front office, is needed for animation work but also IT system, which is considered back office, plays an important role in data storage and processing in order to expand the abilities of its animation team to create works with the same quality as international productions.  As a result, the company has decided to use the IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) solution to increase the efficiency of its storage system.

Kantana, the first entertainment leader using data storage innovation for animation business

Even though the first Thai 3D animation film produced by Kantana's talented animation team became a huge box-office success, Kantana has never compromised its idea of capability enhancement for animation film production. Kantana perceives that fine components including characters, scenes, lighting and camera angles in film-making are essential for quality animation productions. Apart from using their power of imagination to create animated components, Katana's animation team has to review the components several times in order to revise and develop them closely to meet a high degree of fineness. For this reason, Kantana chose IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) solution, an all-in-one data storage solution creating efficient data storage and managing data in parallel with the growth of Kantana's animation business. Moreover, IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) solution allows Kantana to enhance its creative capabilities for more quality works thanks to IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS)' quick processing capacity

"Kantana implemented the IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) solution for central data storage system which allows our animation team to keep their animated works in a central data base in the same direction. This helps other animators to access easily to the works and develops them into completed works. The reason we chose IBM's solution is because we need an efficient data storage system to support management system in response to the company's animation business growth and to enhance animators' ability for high quality works. Kantana therefore discussed an appropriate solution with IBM. We have also studied the IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) solution for 18 months until we reached a conclusion that this solution addresses the company's requirements," said Auchara Kijkanjanas, managing director of Kantana Animation Studio.

"Kantana chose IBM for the implementation of IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) because they are confident that we are the leader in technology for the entertainment industry. Our professional team advises Kantana's technical team and allows them to test the efficiency of the IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) before reaching decision. IBM's expert technical team are always ready to give Kantana a hand as well as prepare ready-to-install servers, which can immediately function in case existing servers are fully loaded while processing a maximum of animation works. All IBM's dedicated efforts assure Kantana that IBM is the appropriate business partner and means to be a part of Kantana's success for a long term," said Tanapong Ittisakulchai, country manager, Systems and Technology Group of IBM Thailand Company Limited.

IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS), the all-in-one data storage solution

IBM Storage Optimization and Integration Services - IBM Scale-out File Services (SoFS) is designed to help every business eliminate information sharing challenges by consolidating fragmented islands of information into a global, infinitely scalable, heterogeneous grid, operating the most resilient, high performance environment that meets most challenging business needs, and improving TCO through storage, server and management platform consolidation. The solution can be applied to various businesses such as Research & Development, telecommunications, TV, etc.