MOSS is a twelve-month project to research and develop object-based ‘blob’ storage systems that are optimised for the network-based processing, distribution and archiving of very large collections of media files.

The project will advance the state of the art in object storage and functional programming to create a new kind of Functional Object Storage, develop a prototype (using Open Source technologies and standards) together with exemplary applications, demonstrate results and publish a White Paper mapping Functional Object Storage to media industry workflows. The demonstrator will show ways of combining object-based storage and functional programming to archive, store, process and distribute professional media data across networks and in the Cloud.

The result will provide far greater data resilience, permanence and ease of network delivery than current systems, and resolve problems of versioning.The project leader is a SME solutions provider (Ovation Data Services), working with a large creative media facilities company (Smoke & Mirrors), and a research group at Imperial College with a strong track record in distributed computing systems and functional programming.

This project is funded by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB Ref: 35941-254227)