User Guide

7
Preface
Welcome to Final Cut Server
This chapter covers the following:
 About Final Cut Server (p. 7)
 Resources for Learning About Final Cut Server (p. 9)
 Contacting AppleCare Support (p. 11)
Final Cut Server is powerful media asset management and workflow automation
software. Final Cut Server can manage your assets and refine the processes in your
organization’s workflow, freeing you from the repetitive tasks of managing media and
projects. It can be customized by your Final Cut Server administrator to automate
common tasks. Whether you’re running a small production studio or are part of a larger
workgroup, Final Cut Server can streamline your organization’s workflow.
About Final Cut Server
Final Cut Server works similarly to other client-server computer networks. A client
computer sends a request to the server computers. Upon receiving the request, the
server computer performs a job to process the request and then sends the result (or
message of completion of the job) back to the client computer. Jobs can include
uploading, copying, transcoding, cataloging, and otherwise tracking media files. Media
can be stored on the server computer’s internal and external drives as well as on many
supported network devices. Larger facilities may use an Apple Xsan storage area
network (SAN) for asset and production storage.
The Final Cut Server client is the focus of this user manual. The Final Cut Server client is
software that communicates with the Final Cut Server server. The client allows you, one
of multiple users, to access the assets shared across your organization’s system. In your
Final Cut Server client, you can quickly search your organization’s asset catalog and
transfer media files between your local computer and the devices on which the assets
are stored. You can run the Final Cut Server client on Mac OS X v10.4 and Windows XP
or Windows Vista operating systems.