Imagine Communications Introduces Magellan SDN Orchestrator

Imagine Communications introduced the Magellan SDN Orchestrator, a software control system for managing hybrid baseband and IP facilities. An anchor component of Imagine Communications’ Software-Defined Networking (SDN) portfolio, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator enables seamless integration of baseband and IP networks, protecting customers’ existing technology investments while providing a clear path to an open, interoperable and IP-based future.

“Our announcement today is a major milestone for media companies, signaling that we have overcome one of their most critical challenges,” said Charlie Vogt, CEO of Imagine Communications.  “The decision to build a baseband or all-IP facility is no longer a difficult one since the Magellan SDN Orchestrator enables operational transparency between legacy and IP networks.  This is the assurance that media companies need to move forward with their IP investment strategies, continuing to operate with today’s staff and workflow processes – yet migrating to IP at their own pace without disruption.”

The Magellan SDN Orchestrator is one more example of Imagine Communications’ focus on cutting edge innovation, taking full advantage of the flexibility, scalability and efficiency that next-generation IP-based architectures can offer while dramatically improving the way video is managed through broadcast facilities.  It utilizes dynamic signal-flow connections, managing signal mappings, addressing, and translations between legacy protocols and IP. Due to this tight alignment across protocols and signals, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator understands the available resources, whether legacy or IP, and turns the “sea of equipment” into a set of defined, managed workflows that support the concurrent coexistence of IP streams, files, and baseband signals.

Media companies can now maximize their investments in high-quality video processing done in baseband/SDI/ASI technologies using familiar controls, while also managing on-ramps and off-ramps for baseband over IP via the software control layer.  The Magellan SDN Orchestrator instantiates pre-defined workflows through commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) IP switches, providing professional broadcast performance for all connections. By leveraging the continued evolution of data center-grade COTS switching technology, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator enables media companies to use the latest generations of IP switches to ride the ever-improving cost/performance curve of the IT industry.

“Our unique, hybrid approach to SDN allows the entire bit flow to be software-defined, which significantly improves the way video is managed throughout broadcast facilities,” said Steve Copeland, Director of Product Management for Imagine Communications. “Regardless of what equipment is underneath, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator provides an overarching management layer that makes everything look like a ‘simple router.’ It integrates the elements into one system with commonly used controls, and provides the necessary transparency and visibility required for our customers who need to support hybrid operations.”