Avid NEXIS | F5 NL 1,280TB. 8x160TB Media Packs, includes two 16TB spare HDDs, Elite Support

Product Overview

The Avid NEXIS | F5 NL 1,280TB shared storage system is a high-density near-line storage engine purpose-built for media organizations requiring maximum capacity for media archiving, deep library storage, and nearline collaborative workflows. Fully populated with eight 160TB Near Line (NL) Media Packs, this system delivers 1.28 petabytes of usable capacity per engine in a standard rack-mount chassis. This configuration includes Avid Elite Support—Avid's highest service tier—for mission-critical media archive and production deployments.

Product Description

The Avid NEXIS | F5 NL 1,280TB uses near-line high-capacity HDDs to maximize storage density per unit, making it the most cost-efficient capacity configuration within the NEXIS F5 family. NL Media Packs are optimized for sequential access workloads typical of media ingest, archiving, browsing proxy workflows, and nearline content libraries. Eight 160TB NL Media Packs provide 1.28PB of storage in a single chassis—the highest per-engine capacity available in the NEXIS F5 product line.

The F5 NL integrates with the Avid NEXIS | FS file system and requires Avid NEXIS | SDA or SDA+ (sold separately) for all deployment configurations. The F5 Controller includes two 40/50Gbps Ethernet QSFP28 interfaces (unpopulated) for connection to 25GbE or 50GbE production network infrastructure. Two 16TB spare HDDs are included for immediate hot-spare deployment in the event of a Media Pack drive failure.

This system is designed to complement standard F5 Media Pack engines in tiered storage environments—where online high-performance storage handles active editorial, and the F5 NL provides a high-capacity nearline tier for media that requires shared access but not peak bandwidth. Elite Support provides 24/7 telephone access to Avid technical engineers, priority hardware replacement, and top-priority escalation for NEXIS infrastructure issues.

Key Features

• 1,280TB Near-Line Capacity — Eight 160TB NL Media Packs in a single rack-mount chassis provide the highest per-engine capacity in the NEXIS F5 family—1.28 petabytes of usable near-line storage.
• Near-Line HDD Media Packs — High-capacity near-line drives deliver maximum storage density at a lower cost per terabyte compared to standard enterprise Media Pack configurations.
• 25/50GbE QSFP28 Connectivity — F5 Controller includes two 40/50Gbps Ethernet QSFP28 interfaces (unpopulated) for integration with 25GbE or 50GbE production switching.
• Avid NEXIS | FS Integration — Operates within the NEXIS FS file system for centralized workspace management and multi-client shared access.
• Two 16TB Spare Drives Included — NL spare HDDs ship with the system for immediate hot-spare use in the event of a Media Pack drive failure.
• Rack-Mount Form Factor — Ships with rack-mount kit for standard 19-inch equipment rack installation.
• Elite Support — 24/7 telephone access, priority hardware replacement, and highest-priority escalation for mission-critical NEXIS deployments.
• Tiered Storage Architecture — Designed for use alongside NEXIS F5 standard and F5 All-Mirror engines in multi-tier media production storage environments.
• E-Series Compatible — F5 NL engines can be integrated into existing NEXIS E-Series environments as a separate storage group.

Typical Applications

• Broadcast media archive and deep library nearline storage
• Post-production house proxy and nearline media repository
• Government and agency long-term media retention and archive
• Multi-purpose production environment nearline content tier
• Training and education media library storage

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between F5 NL and standard F5 Media Packs?
A: F5 NL Media Packs use near-line high-capacity HDDs optimized for high storage density and sequential access workloads. Standard F5 Media Packs use enterprise-class HDDs delivering 480 MB/s per pack for higher throughput. The F5 NL is suited for nearline archive and media library applications; standard F5 packs are recommended for active high-resolution editorial workloads.

Q: Is Avid NEXIS | SDA or SDA+ required?
A: Yes. SDA/SDA+ is required for all F5 NL configurations and is sold separately. Contact Creation Networks for SDA/SDA+ guidance and sizing.

Q: Can the F5 NL be used alongside standard F5 or All-Mirror engines?
A: Yes. NEXIS supports tiered storage environments where F5 NL engines serve as a nearline capacity tier alongside higher-performance F5 standard or All-Mirror engines, all managed within the unified NEXIS FS file system.

Q: What network infrastructure is required?
A: The F5 NL Controller includes two 40/50Gbps QSFP28 interfaces (unpopulated). A 25GbE or 50GbE switch is recommended. Existing 10GbE infrastructure will limit performance.

Q: What is Elite Support?
A: Elite Support provides 24/7 telephone access to Avid senior support engineers, priority hardware replacement, and the highest escalation response commitments. Recommended for mission-critical archive and production environments. Contact Creation Networks for support contract details.