Aurora is the automated file-based QC tool you can rely on in your FileCatalyst® file transfer workflow to identify any visual, audio, or metadata issues after ingest and before distribution. The Tektronix focus on minimizing false positives and a high degree of correlation to human perception means test reports highlight just the issues you need to address. Our architecture delivers guaranteed QC capacity and unrivaled the speed of QC analysis – complementing the unrivaled speed of FileCatalyst® file transfer solutions to meet the file QC and transfer demands for whatever your size of broadcast or media operation.

Traditional methods of file transfer, like FTP, HTTP, or CIFS, are unable to keep up with today’s large media files. Due to the underlying issues with TCP, these methods are impeded by latency and packet loss.

Aurora file-based QC is typically included in the FileCatalyst file transfer workflow before distribution at the source location (although it can be placed at the reception at the end-user location). Files to be transferred can be placed in a watch folder, automatically tested by Aurora, and then only placed in the FileCatalyst HotFolder if they pass the QC test. Operators can be automatically emailed when files fail QC, with PDF copies of the QC test reports attached. In addition, files coming in from the field can be ingested into a FileCatalyst Server and then passed off to Aurora for QC.

Aurora VUs (verification units) are installed on separate standard IT hardware servers, blades or fully virtualized infrastructure. The quantity of VUs installed and the number of servers depends on the number of concurrent QC tasks and the speed of QC analysis required. One or more Aurora Controllers are installed to manage QC job queues, allocating QC tasks to the next available VU instance. Each VU tests one file at a time with dedicated CPUs and GPU acceleration for guaranteed QC capacity. An overview of an entire FileCatalyst deployment, enabling the viewing of ongoing transfers in realtime, digging into transaction histories, and checking or clearing alarms, is available using the FileCatalyst Central web application.

From one central management console, you can inspect connected nodes and remotely control FileCatalyst Server and FileCatalyst HotFolder instances.