Case Study: Ringling College of Art and Design achieves accelerated student creativity and 10x faster 4K media workflows with DataDirect Networks (DDN) high-performance, scalable storage

Ringling College of Art and Design Accelerates Student Creativity with High-Performance Computing and Powerful, Scalable DDN Storage

Ringling College of Art and Design, a top BFA institution known for placing graduates at leading studios, faced explosive data growth from high-resolution, file-based media workflows and needed storage that was reliable, easy to use, and able to scale for 4K and beyond. With a 2:1 computer-to-student ratio and an emphasis on invisible, classroom-friendly technology, the college wanted a unified platform that eliminated siloed storage, ensured seamless access across platforms, and prevented interruptions to the creative process.

Ringling deployed DDN SFA10K and SFA12K storage (1.6PB) integrated with its HPC cluster and Solaris/ZFS file servers to provide a single, high-performance, highly available storage environment. The implementation delivered transparent access to files, 10x faster HD/3D/4K playback without frame loss, and the ability to render 2.8 million frames in one week (equivalent to 89 years on a high-end workstation), while giving the school the scalability and redundancy needed to support next‑generation media production.

Ringling College of Art and Design

Mahmoud Pegah

Chief Information Officer