On-field media action finds a home in the cloud

Intergen creates demonstration technology for Microsoft.

Intergen Chief Technology Officer Chris Auld crossed the line in his keynote demo at Microsoft’s annual Tech.Ed event in Auckland in August. “I had to get up on stage and say: ‘Look at this amazing piece of technology we’ve built for one of the All Blacks’ biggest competitors at the World Cup this year!’"

The technology, which features the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), was developed to showcase the Microsoft cloud platform and Windows Azure service. It delivers a Media Assets Library that allows uploading and downloading of rugby-related photos, video and information.

For example, a photographer in the field can upload photographs to ARU’s media portal. These are then fed into a SharePoint workflow to be approved for use. As part of this process, ARU staff can view the images and attach the appropriate metadata, (e.g. players’ and sponsors’ names and venue information) and then approve them for use. Approved photos or video can then be accessed by accredited media members.

The technology is a pilot only at this stage. It was developed at the request of Microsoft Corporation and built over a couple of months. Intergen already had a relationship with the ARU and thought of them when approached by Microsoft, says Chris.

“Intergen has become the go-to company for Microsoft’s keynotes globally.

“Keynote demos are huge creative productions, similar in scale and drama to a short movie. We develop creative scenarios and really push the technologies to show them at their greatest potential. We’re in the privileged position of having access to many of Microsoft’s products well before they are in the market.

“This keynote put rugby and down under technical skills on the world stage.”

When approached by Intergen, the ARU took part in early brainstorming and provided content.

ARU Head of Online Business and IT Services, Paul Templeman, says he is pleased Australian rugby could play a part in helping to showcase Microsoft cloud services.

“With more and more people getting their news from social media and online outlets in real time, it is imperative we have a system that allows us to distribute content to media in a timely fashion.

“The prototype Media Assets Library meets that need in a simple yet effective way and once complete will allow ARU to effectively manage and distribute our photographic and video content,” says Paul.

The technology demonstrates integration between Office 365, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Microsoft Lync. It also shows the potential ways in which companies already making use of Microsoft technologies can leverage the Windows Azure service.

An international rugby event is a perfect example of a situation where a large-scale event with huge but short-term spikes in activity creates a need for the elasticity of scale that the Microsoft cloud platform can offer. The Azure service allowed the ARU to extend capacity for a short period of time.

The technology demonstration will feature in front of international audiences at global Microsoft events over coming months.