These four companies, respectively world-leaders in software-driven cloud networking solutions, IT, live outside-broadcast digital video production systems and broadcast audio technologies, join founding member companies, Grass Valley, Imagine Communications, Lawo, Nevion and Snell Advanced Media in the newly formed independent trade association. The alliance was formed last month with a mandate to bring IP solutions to market that offer complete interoperability, are based on open standards, and integrate seamlessly into media workflow environments to foster industry innovation and efficiency.
"The AIMS alliance and Arista Networks share a common vision on driving open standards and API's to enable a migration of the broadcast world to IP infrastructure which promises to enable new media workstreams and deliver cloud economics to the broadcast industry," says Ed Chapman, vice president of business development and alliances, Arista Networks, Inc.
"Cisco joined AIMS to catalyse the media industry transition to IP and cloud. We strongly support that the industry and developer community be based on open standards, open source and open APIs / platforms to make this transition. The creation of reference recommendations and solutions to move the community from SDI to IP is a key step forward to avoid the hurdles of the past," says Dave Ward, CTO of engineering and chief architect, Cisco.
Benoit Fevrier, CTO at EVS, comments, "EVS' IP4Live initiative demonstrates our belief that openness and standardization are key to the success of video over IP in hybrid or end-to-end IP broadcast and live production workflows. We see the launch of AIMS as a crucial step forward to achieving this."
Broadcasters and other media companies are seeking to leverage IP to increase the flexibility of their networks, help streamline workflows and improve agility to better compete in a rapidly evolving ecosystem. Open standards are the key to protecting current investments and ensuring long-term interoperability.
Announcing that The Telos Alliance is joining AIMS, Marty Sacks, VP of sales, support and marketing remarked, "We helped to create AES-67 because we have long believed in open standards. We are excited to join AIMS and help speed the adoption of IP based workflows throughout AIMS' efforts will be focused on promoting the adoption, standardization, development and refinement of open protocols for media over IP for the broadcast sector."
Open standards work for the IP transition is already underway by the 74-member Video Services Forum (VSF), with the support of organizations such as SMPTE and the EBU. AIMS endorses the work of the VSF and will continue to lend support in the development of a standard approach to IP. More than 30 broadcast equipment manufacturers are actively testing and validating the VSF's approach today.
(Jim Evans)
