Best of Show 2004
Xsan let users create and manage storage networks that handle terabytes of data at very high speeds.
I designed the UI for the first version of Xsan, which won the Vidy Best of Show Award at the 2004 National Association of Broadcasters conference. Xsan was one of the two most popular products on the show floor.
Apple Xsan
Solution—At-a-glance status with integrated controls
Here’s a sample UX solution: Quota Settings provide an information-rich update on storage usage. Management controls are directly below the list. In the screenshot below, you can see at a glance that the Interns have exceeded their “soft” quota by 3 GB for 26 hours.
Challenges
Xsan is used by media production shops working with very large files in high-bandwidth networks, IT users who create large storage infrastructures, and scientists using computer clusters to perform and store research. Users want to (1) understand how the pieces of a storage network work together and (2) be able to change storage quickly in response to project needs—e.g., to set up a new network, add or reconfigure storage, and change user quotas.
