Flight

A unique utility to optimize the transport of large datasets to and from the cloud

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How Flight Works

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Cloud-Native Implementation

Accelerated data transfer to the cloud requires server-side infrastructure (Signiant software running on cloud compute resources) in each target cloud platform. Flight is implemented as a fully managed cloud service, so deployment and management of that infrastructure is our problem – not yours.

Flight automatically spins up the necessary cloud compute resources and relinquishes them when no longer needed. Our customers never need to worry about procuring cloud servers or deploying software in the cloud. Signiant handles all of those tasks in a multi-tenant, auto-scaling, load-balanced deployment that is managed 24/7 by a professional DevOps SRE (Site Reliability Engineering) team.

Getting started with Flight is as easy as installing a proxy software client and transferring data to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Storage at multi-Gbps speeds.

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Scale Out Architecture

Flight’s patented scale-out architecture delivers unprecedented speed by enabling the use of multiple cloud compute instances for a single transfer.

An enormous improvement over first-generation accelerated cloud data transfer utilities, Flight eliminates bottlenecks associated with “scale up” transfers that transmit each file via a single cloud compute instance.

In addition to the raw speed benefit, this architecture greatly simplifies the entire data management workflow. There’s no longer a need to reorganize data for optimal transfer speed.

Customers can simply initiate the transfer of any data set, and Flight will ensure the fastest possible delivery.

Try Uploading a File to the Cloud

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UDP Acceleration

Flight utilizes Signiant’s core acceleration and security technology to move data into and out of the cloud.

Often called “UDP acceleration,” Signiant’s acceleration technology advances standard Internet protocols (TCP, UDP and FTP), transferring data up to 200 times faster and is especially impactful when latency is present.

With the additional advantage of scale-out architecture mentioned above, Flight manages extremely high transfer rates to and from the cloud.

Learn More about Signiant’s acceleration protocol

Key Features

Fast

The Fastest Way to Move Large Files Into and Out of the Cloud.

Signiant Flight is a unique SaaS solution that addresses the challenge of transporting large data sets to and from the cloud, and is particularly useful when ingesting large files from multiple global endpoints or when data must travel over long distances.

With a patented scale out architecture that accelerates any HTTP(S)-based transfer, Flight achieves unprecedented speed. But speed is not the only advantage of Flight.

This powerful new solution provides the flexibility, reliability and security critical for success in today’s cloud-based global media workflows.

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Flexible

Flight is flexible on multiple dimensions. As a cloud-native solution, Flight harnesses the flexibility of the cloud, delivering an elastic, high-availability solution that is easy to deploy and use.

As an independent company, Signiant is committed to flexibly supporting our customers’ storage choices, whether they have on-premises file or object storage, cloud object storage (like Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Storage) or a hybrid approach combining several types.

With Flight, customers have the flexibility to use any client-side software. Easily accelerate transfers via familiar interfaces such as web browsers or CLIs and SDKs from cloud vendors. Improve the performance of any cloud workflow where AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud Storage client software is already embedded.

Learn why storage independence matters

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Secure & Reliable

Signiant has long been committed to security. Flight encrypts all data during transit and Signiant’s 24/7 operations team provides global monitoring and support service for thousands of clients around the world.

Our customers never have to worry about when or if their data will arrive. Even over long distances and in the event of network congestion typical of Internet connections, Flight’s transfers are reliable and predictable.

If needed, our dedicated customer support team is always here if you have questions or want to talk with an expert.

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Control & Visibility

Many media companies rely on Signiant’s flagship Manager+Agents (M+A) solution for scheduled delivery and global oversight of file transfers.

When Flight is used in conjunction with M+A, transfers to the cloud and transfers between on-premises storage are managed identically.

With full visibility of all transfers and advanced functionality such as resource control, a Flight/M+A integration affords seamless management of data transfers in a hybrid cloud deployment from one central console.

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How Customers Use Flight

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Distributed Ingest

In global organizations, data is often spread across many geographically distributed facilities. With Signiant Flight, companies can ingest content to the cloud quickly from multiple locations, anywhere in the world.

Each remote location can send data directly to the cloud data center of choice, distributing network load, and eliminating bottlenecks and single points of failure. And, when long-distances are involved, Flight overcomes latency.

This also works in the opposite direction. Many companies that need to distribute the same content to multiple locations around the world send that file out from one location, repeatedly.

Utilizing Flight, companies can send the file to cloud storage once, and each location can download it in an optimized, secure, and accelerated manner

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Incorporate Cloud Storage

Media companies have long embraced on-premises tiered storage models, and Signiant’s flagship solution Manager+Agents (M+A) has been central to automating content transfers between on-premises storage locations.

Today, many of those companies are implementing hybrid cloud strategies that utilize both on-premises and cloud storage, including the adoption of on-premises object storage.

Flight’s fast on-prem-to-cloud transfer greatly simplifies a hybrid cloud tiered storage model for any company. And for M+A customers, a Flight integration allows for seamless management of data transfers within the entire environment from one central console.

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Connect to Cloud Services

While transferring data to and from the cloud is Flight’s main use, it doesn’t stop there. Flight’s standards-based approach enables direct access via HTTP to other cloud services, expanding its flexibility and utility.

For example, customers who are using AWS Glacier or AWS Kinesis now have direct, accelerated access to those cloud services with Flight. There’s no need for the data to pass through S3 to get to Glacier.

Flight’s direct access to cloud services enables media companies to transcode and render huge video files, researchers to process genome sequencing, medical scientists to analyze clinical trial data, geospatial industries to process big data analytics and more.

Cloud-based tools are the most cost effective and efficient way to approach large file and big data processing, no matter the industry. Flight connects you directly to those services.

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Accelerate Live Video Feeds

Flight allows media professionals to easily optimize delivery of any live video feed that utilizes an HTTP-based streaming protocols (such as HLS, HDS, or MPEG-DASH).

As adoption of IP grows and remote production becomes feasible, industry professionals are paying more attention to the negative impact of latency and packet loss on the quality of contribution feeds. Flight provides a simple solution that doesn’t involve complex integration.