Trolls World Tour: Peek into the NetApp Technology Behind the Hair and Glitter
Taryn Moy
Creativity, fueled by data solutions
DreamWorks Animation brings new stories and characters to life every year. But one thing that’s remained the same is the company’s commitment to innovation in its data-driven infrastructure. This world-renowned animation studio has empowered its filmmakers with NetApp® technologies on every one of its CG films. For over 20 years, NetApp has delivered solutions to accelerate DreamWorks’ data-driven environment.The storytellers, animators, and engineers at DreamWorks use NetApp high-performance technologies to create stories that the world loves. For Trolls World Tour, 1,200TB of storage and a half-billion digital files were managed and accessed within NetApp solutions by the creative teams as they worked on the movie.
A hybrid cloud; unprecedented performance
DreamWorks uses a NetApp hybrid cloud to:- Manage billions of digital files
- Optimize workflows in the cloud and in the data center
- Provide unprecedented performance for artists workflows
DreamWorks uses NetApp data storage and virtualization software and NetApp data infrastructure management tools for a unique data fabric that supports whatever story the studio wants to tell.
DreamWorks stored and managed 1,200 TB of data on NetApp’s AFF and FAS storage systems during the production of Trolls World Tour.
NetApp FlexCache® software helped prioritize artist workflows across hundreds of millions of files created for the movie.
Throughout the production, Trolls World Tour used NetApp data management solutions, including NetApp ONTAP®, NetApp E-Series systems, NetApp StorageGRID®, and NetApp Cloud Insights.
CIO has also recognized that DreamWorks Animation is in many ways a manufacturer of digital data that keeps production on track with AIOPs - an emerging trend in which AI and machine learning are used to automate the monitoring and mitigating of operational issues — powered by NetApp Active IQ .
A great partnership, built on trust
NetApp solutions have been a part of every DreamWorks CG animated production. Kate Swanborg, DreamWorks Senior Vice President of Technology Communication and Strategic Alliances, said, “NetApp creates an infrastructure for us that is robust and stable. We trust NetApp’s people. They work side by side with our engineers to future-proof our strategies.”Learn how NetApp supports DreamWorks in defining a data management strategy to advance its hybrid cloud capabilities.
About DreamWorks
Home to some of the world’s most beloved animated franchises like Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, and Trolls, DreamWorks Animation creates award-winning films for a global audience. Dedicated to helping families dream and laugh together, DWA pursues the future of storytelling in all platforms by crafting cutting-edge technology and immersion in fantastical worlds.
Taryn Moy
Taryn is a Brand Program Manager in the Brand Strategy team at NetApp. She enjoys spreading the word on the depth of NetApp’s portfolio and how it enables customers, like DreamWorks Animation, to lead with data and achieve new heights in their businesses. Prior to NetApp, Taryn worked at Forbes Media and United Business Media, creating content programs for many technology companies. In her spare time, she enjoys keeping up with her kids, eating sweets and long walks with good friends.
