Objective
Ways of working changed in the blink of an eye during the pandemic. Everything from small team meetings to large global events went virtual. It was a profound shift that had a big impact on Microsoft Production Studios (MPS).
This 65,000 square-foot facility on Microsoft’s Redmond, Washington campus is the primary full-service broadcast studio for the world’s largest software company. The 25+ year-old building has been renovated throughout the years, but the technology needed a refresh. Even before demand skyrocketed, they were already operating at full capacity and had to rely on SDI systems that were at end of life and end of support.
Leadership seized the moment to future proof for scale and quality. The goal? Upgrade the entire facility from SDI to IP-based 2110 and expand their capabilities without any lapses in production. It was a bold aim, even for a giant in technology innovation. Microsoft knew they needed the right partner. Enter Diversified.
Solution
Discussions with Diversified began in 2019 as part of a long-term innovation and emerging technology consulting agreement. As a trusted partner (we’d been supporting MPS in upgrading their technology for years), we were already familiar with their systems, maintenance and production demands.
3,000
Productions Per Year
Innovation without Interruption:
Transitioning from SDI to IP is a challenging undertaking. Doing it without any lapses in production capabilities at such a massive scale is even more difficult. Broadcasting across time zones for global coverage, Microsoft Production Studios essentially works round the clock and couldn’t afford for any systems or subsystems to be offline for more than a few hours at a time.
The initiative was a true transformation in every sense of the word. The Diversified team had to build systems and cutover systems in place parallel to existing ones and coordinate deployments in narrow windows when the legacy systems were scheduled to be down. Over the course of four years, a team of up to 10 Diversified engineers and 12 on-site team members worked together with Microsoft staff and vendors to replace each of the core systems—bringing one up and then taking the next down.
65,000
Sq Ft Production Space
Looking Past the latest Shiny Object:
MPS’s transition to IP wasn’t about implementing technology for technology’s sake. It was always about implementing the best technologies to serve the needs of the business, particularly at such an unprecedented time.
Diversified helped revitalize the space amidst the global pandemic by repurposing under-utilized physical spaces within the facility. This move had a double benefit. It expanded MPS’s broadcast capabilities to support more productions while getting more value out of their total space.
5X
Increase in Engagement
Leveraging Teams for Enterprise Broadcasting:
More organizations have turned to Microsoft Teams to effectively collaborate and connect with remote workforces. But could it go from boardroom to broadcasting? Absolutely.
The new infrastructure includes 58 built-in Microsoft Teams machines used for broadcasts that feature globally dispersed speakers, delivering the collaborative look and feel of Teams at an elevated broadcast quality.
Team
Meet the team behind the work.
Discover how their unique skills and collective efforts have created lasting impact.
Duane
Yoslov
Senior, Vice President
Mike
Meglathery
Project Director
Tina
Marsh
Project Manager
Charlie
Coburn
Senior, Design Engineer