Listed on the stock exchange with more than 500 employees, Xilam is one of the largest animation studios in Europe. The group chose Infomaniak to centralise, guarantee data availability and simplify the exchange of files between its departments, service providers and distribution platforms. Infomaniak’s solutions are also deployed to store some of Xilam’s data. These solutions are part of the Group’s carbon reduction plan.

The needs of an animation leader operating worldwide

Xilam has its own catalogue (over 2,800 episodes) of hit films and animated series, including Oscar-nominated I Lost My Body, and global licences such as Oggy and the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko, Chicky and Karate Sheep. In addition to its own brands, Xilam also develops content for third parties as part of executive productions.

Xilam’s international reach poses a twofold challenge. On the one hand, employees and artists work in several locations: Paris, Lyon, Angoulême and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. On the other hand, sales teams regularly travel around the world to meet customers such as Netflix, Apple, Disney, Amazon and other at trade shows and business events.

In the past, Xilam relied on a variety of solutions to manage file sharing between teams. Each department had its own methods, often linked to separate servers or specific tools. But this made communication more complex, especially in this multi-site environment. When travelling, teams needed easy and secure access to large files, both on their laptops and on their mobile phones.

At the same time, Xilam embarked on a major project to reduce its carbon footprint, taking its digital environmental impact into account (Green IT). This required better management of data and their volume through a dedicated programme: Xilam Data.

What is at stake

To complete this project, Xilam faced several challenges:

  • Storing of part of its data on a reliable and secure infrastructure.
  • Ensuring seamless access to this data.
  • Facilitating file sharing between internal and external teams, often remotely (including at international trade shows), from all devices.
  • Simplifying access to data in a multi-site (Paris, Lyon, Angoulême and Ho Chi Minh City) and multi-server context, with a wide variety of departments.
  • Choosing a provider aligned with Xilam’s CSR policy, which is part of the Xilam Data programme.

Choosing Infomaniak

According to Guillaume Jallot, Chief Technical Officer – Xilam:

Infomaniak is the most comprehensive service provider for covering the business needs of teams, the confidentiality requirements inherent to the production of original programmes and XiIam’s ambitious CSR requirements.

Xilam chose Infomaniak for three main reasons:

  1. Competitiveness: “Xilam conducted an internal study and issued a call for tenders. Several providers were approached such as Amazon, OVH and a data center in Paris. Xilam selected Infomaniak, whose offer met the requirements set by the company.”
  2. Support: “The accessibility of the Infomaniak teams and the performance, security and quality of communication were decisive criteria.”
  3. Security and trust: “Infomaniak now allows us to offer data storage while ensuring a maximum level of security. What’s more, Infomaniak’s ecological approach is fully in line with our CSR strategy and our Xilam Data programme.”

Implementation of kDrive and Swiss Backup at Xilam

Data storage

Swiss Backup was deployed by the Xilam IT team in accordance with the documentation provided by Infomaniak.

Data storage in Swiss Backup follows an internal procedure to optimise storage volume and reduce the environmental impact of digital technology.

In practice, the IT team applies filters to the data that has been categorised (for example: “source file,” “temporary file,” “view file,” “final file,” etc.). Only essential files are stored and accessible.

Deployment of kDrive in Xilam’s departments

kDrive is deployed in the post-production, production, distribution, operations and human resources departments. Everything is managed internally by the IT team, which manages the local installation on the workstations, configuration, access rights, passwords and share security via the kDrive management console. It also produces tutorials tailored to the teams’ specific use scenarios.

The tool had to be adapted to the specificities of Xilam’s business. For example, post-production requires the exchange of very specific files, linked to editing and sound. A workshop bringing together the Xilam and Infomaniak teams enabled the development of kDrive to be adjusted to streamline transfers.

Today, some of the files linked to post-production are managed in kDrive. This makes it possible to ensure the secure exchange of files, such as video clips or audio clips, with our partners. For larger or more specific files, Xilam continues to use dedicated environments. Finally, kDrive also permits the exchange of files subjected to our validation chain.

kDrive is installed on all the devices of certain employees to centralise and transmit presentations and content to platforms or broadcasters. The app can be accessed outside the local network, i.e. at trade presentations or trade shows around the world.

kDrive: a full-scale test in Los Angeles

During a trip to LA, the teams needed to rely on kDrive for their commercial meetings with the major platforms.

The sales team had to deliver their presentations using large files (PowerPoints containing videos) that required significant download times, sometimes under degraded WIFI conditions. The teams needed to be able to access the catalogue of Xilam series, the files for which far exceed the available storage capacities of laptops. kDrive overcame these constraints by allowing only the necessary files to be downloaded locally in advance via the Lite Sync option without an internet connection. kDrive met the expectations and requirements of the teams during these meetings. Guillaume Jallot, Chief Technical Officer – Xilam

A positive assessment

Xilam is now able to store some of its data in compliance with security and confidentiality standards.

The Xilam team has improved its file exchange procedures via kDrive, a single, centralised platform. kDrive simplifies access management, strengthens data confidentiality and improves collaboration between teams from the different departments (from distribution to production, operations, manufacturing, editing, etc.), including remotely or on the go.

According to François-Xavier de Maistre, CSR Director at Xilam:

By relying on Infomaniak’s eco-responsible infrastructure, which prioritises data centers powered by renewable energies, cooled without air conditioning and boasting an optimised carbon footprint, Xilam is taking tangible action to reduce the environmental impact of its digital activities. This choice is fully in line with the Group’s CSR strategy and consistent with its Xilam Data programme, dedicated to optimising data management, ensuring digital simplicity and controlling storage volumes.

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