This session will discuss the solution used by Sony Pictures Entertainment to achieve rapid business continuity in digital media delivery and secure IT services. The combination of AWS infrastructure, Amazon Workspaces, and Aspera application software allowed Sony Pictures Entertainment to restore file transfer business services in less than one day and give business users and administrators secure access to infrastructure. Details include: An overview of the software and AWS infrastructure architecture used on day one and through expansion of the service; statistics for media transfer volumes and delivery times achieved; use cases for VDI secure access and associated controls; an overview of the longer-term hybrid architecture using the cloud solution as a cost-effective disaster recovery/secondary complement to Sony’s on-premise capabilities; and business benefits, practical challenges, and best practices learned in the process.

1. © 2015, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved.
Ryan Kido, Sony Pictures Entertainment
October 8, 2015
Sony Pictures Rapid Recovery
Solution for Disaster Recovery and
Business Continuity using Cloud Services
ISM 202

2. What to Expect from the Session
This session will discuss the solution used by Sony
Pictures Entertainment to achieve rapid business continuity
in digital media delivery and secure IT services.
The combination of AWS infrastructure, Amazon
WorkSpaces, and Aspera application software allowed
Sony Pictures Entertainment to restore file transfer
business services in less than one day and give business
users and administrators secure access to infrastructure.

3. What to Expect from the Session
Details include:
• An overview of the software and AWS infrastructure architecture
used on day one and through expansion of the service
• Statistics for media transfer volumes and delivery times achieved
• Use cases for VDI secure access and associated controls
• An overview of the longer-term hybrid architecture using the cloud
solution as a cost-effective disaster recovery/secondary
complement to Sony’s on-premises capabilities
• Business benefits, practical challenges, and best practices learned
in the process

4. A Quick Introduction

5. In the Beginning, Peace in the Kingdom
On Premises
Infrastructure
Global Access File Transfers Happy People

6. We Planned for Rain…

7. No One Expects the Spanish Inquisition
… our chief weapon is surprise… surprise and fear…

8. No time to cry over spilt milk… or bits…

9. Prior Experience with AWS
Proof of Concepts Next Gen DAM Leveraging Services

10. Secure File Transfer

11. So you’re telling me there’s a chance…
AWS Quick Option Existing Experience Aspera On-Demand Full Install in Hours

12. What’s in the Box?! Software: Aspera FaspEx
• Users send and receive
packages
• Web browser or a desktop
application (Drive)
• Administrators manage
permissions, control
transfer settings

13. What’s in the Box?! Software: Aspera Shares
• Web interface virtualizes
file systems and transfer
nodes as folders
• Security model for user
management, access
control

14. What’s in the Box?! Software: Aspera Console
• Centralized monitoring,
management, reporting
• Real-time dashboards show
all transfer activity
• Control file transfers,
priority, and bandwidth

15. What’s in the Box?! Software: OS
• RHEL version 6

16. What’s in the Box?! AWS Platform: Networking
• Amazon Route 53
• DNS and service routing

17. What’s in the Box?! AWS Platform: Compute
• Amazon EC2
• Web Servers: m1.xl
• File Transfer Servers: c3.8xl
* C3 chosen for enhanced networking

18. What’s in the Box?! AWS Platform: Storage
• Amazon S3
• Primary Storage Type
• One Bucket Per Service
• Amazon EBS
• Required when using
sync with “Aspera Shares”

19. What’s in the Box?! AWS Platform: App Services
• Amazon SES
• Application Notifications

20. Started Small… added On Demand

21. A Multi-Purpose Tool: What are we Moving?

22. Final Deployment
AWS S3
/Faspex
AWS S3
/Shares
EC2 Faspex
Transfer
Nodes
EBS
(1TB Each)
Faspex
Web Server
Shares
Web Server
EC2 Shares
Transfer
Node
Route 53
DNS
SES
SMTP Gateway
Console Web UI
m1.xl m1.xl
c3.8xlc3.8xl c3.8xl

23. So What can it DO? In an large month…
Transferred In Transferred Out S3 Storage
To S3 To S3 Per c3.8xl instance

24. Data Movement Over Time (TB-Month)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Nov
10
Dec
10
Jan
11
Feb
11
Mar
11
Apr
11
May
11
Jun
11
Jul 11 Aug
11
Out (TB)
In (TB)

25. Single Node Throughput

26. Single Node Volume

27. Multi-Node Throughput, Hybrid, Cloud Only

28. Graphic – Geographic Locations

29. Data Mix: Video

30. Data Mix: Audio

31. Data Mix: Image

32. Data Mix: Other

33. Benefits

34. A More Resilient Future

35. Amazon WorkSpaces/VDI

36. Trust Issues
When you can’t entirely trust end points, how
do you secure access?
Manage as much as you can….
… but, limit the surface area to the end point

37. More Uses than duct tape
• Vendor Access to Server Environment
• Developer Access to Server Environment
• Many, many flavors of software configuration
• User Access to test and validate systems
• Leverage flat monthly pricing for Workspaces

38. What’s in the Box?! Software: Authentication
• AWS Identity and Access
Management (IAM)
• Additional Two Factor
Authentication

39. What’s in the Box?! Software: Desktop
• Multiple Customized/
Hardened Image(s)
• Desktop Management
Software and Agents
• Anti-virus/Anti-malware
Agents
• Optional software based on
usage type

40. What’s in the Box?! AWS Platform
• AWS Direct Connect
• Amazon WorkSpaces
• Ireland – support India
and Europe
• Oregon – support US

41. Amazon WorkSpaces Deployment
Administrator
Developer
User
Workspaces
Ireland
Workspaces
US West -
Oregon
Data Center Network

42. Benefits
Workstations

43. Lessons Learned

44. In Conclusion…

45. Wrap-up
• AWS as a dynamic BCP resource
• Large file/data maturity
• Other uses not always obvious
• Easy to move quickly; plan ahead
to maintain

46. Questions?

47. Thank you!

48. Remember to complete
your evaluations!