Starting October 1st, Zype customers can choose to use Zype for long-term storage of their uploaded, pre-processed video content. This new feature will allow users to take control of their storage by setting time-based retention policies for uploaded videos. All customers will receive 72 hours of free storage of their uploaded pre-processed content and usage beyond 72 hours will be charged at $0.04/GB per month, starting in 30 days.
While most customers do not need to use Zype as a long-term storage option for uploaded, pre-processed video content, customers that do require this for their video distribution configuration, or for convenience, can set their policy in Zype based on their needs.
Customers with significant uploaded, pre-processed video content already stored in Zype will be contacted individually to discuss which policy makes sense for them.
Customers should take action to review their storage needs and set their policy accordingly by November 1st, 2024 to avoid any unexpected charges.
What's new: Storage Policies for Uploaded, Pre-Processed Videos
Storage management for uploads introduces flexible storage retention policies for uploaded, pre-processed video, giving users the ability to manage how long assets are stored in Zype. Once videos are uploaded to Zype, and transcoded into the requested processed outputs, Account Owners can now choose how long Zype should store the pre-processed uploaded video files. All customers have been set to the “Forever” policy as of this announcement.
After November 1st, 2024, a customers’ selected storage policy will determine whether or not they will be billed for long-term storage for pre-processed video uploads. Zype customers will be billed monthly in arrears for long-term storage of video uploads according to the video storage retention policy they have selected.
Why are we implementing this change?
This change is being implemented to give our customers more control over their storage costs and data management strategies. By introducing flexible storage retention policies, Zype ensures that each customer can tailor their storage usage to their unique needs or workflows, whether they require long-term archival storage, or syndication and playout workflows, or simply operational convenience. This update helps customers avoid unnecessary storage costs while maintaining the ability to store content as needed, all within the Zype platform.
How does it work?
Once pre-processed videos are uploaded into Zype Admin, they will be stored as determined by each customer’s Storage Management retention policy. Account Owners must select a time-based retention policy for video uploads in Zype that best fits their preferred storage strategy.
Policy options for long term storage for uploaded pre-processed videos include:
- Forever, Zype will retain uploaded videos in long-term storage
- Zype will automatically delete uploaded videos after 90 days
- Zype will automatically delete uploaded videos after 72 hours
Please note: video uploads completed less than 72-hours ago are non-billable and will not be included in these totals.
The Zype system will automatically manage the retention and deletion of assets based on the policy you choose, reducing the need for manual intervention and helping you optimize storage usage.
Only Account Owners for each Zype property have the authority to select a storage retention policy. All users on each account can go to the Account Center > Storage Management tab in Zype Admin to track their upload storage usage for video uploads and video outputs.
All pre-processed content stored by Zype for long-term storage will be charged on a monthly basis, according to the total amount of video upload storage being utilized, measured in gigabytes (GB). This includes all uploaded video content stored on the platform, reflecting the current storage usage for your billable media library.
To determine the monthly bill, Zype collects data on your upload storage usage at daily intervals throughout the month. The average storage usage calculated from these daily intervals is used to determine your total billable storage. This approach ensures that your monthly storage bill accurately reflects your typical usage patterns rather than peak storage moments.
You can see your current storage utilization here, at any time:
https://admin.zype.com/site/storage_management.
You can also review historical usage here, on the Usage Report within the platform: https://admin.zype.com/site/usage
Why it matters:
With this new storage option, Zype empowers users with greater transparency and control over their storage costs, providing tools to manage storage resources more effectively. By tailoring retention policies to meet a Property’s specific needs, each Account Owner can optimize storage usage, reduce storage complexity, minimize waste, and potentially lower their expenses. This scalable, equitable solution ensures that Zype customers only pay for the storage they actually use, improving cost-efficiency on Zype’s platform.
Who gets it:
All customers using Zype Streaming Platform for long-term storage of pre-processed video uploads can now benefit from this feature.
In keeping with Zype’s open and compatible design, customers not wishing to use Zype for long-term storage can choose to utilize their own long-term storage solution for uploaded video content, whether in-house or third-party supplied.
Notice Period:
Customers must review and update their storage retention policies by November 1st, 2024. This notice period ensures that all customers have ample time to assess their storage needs and take the necessary actions to avoid unwanted charges.
How it’s Charged:
Storage beyond the initial 72 hours after upload is charged at $0.04/GB per month.
To calculate these charges, Zype collects data on your upload storage usage at daily intervals throughout the month. The average upload storage usage over these daily intervals is then used to determine the total amount of billable upload storage. Once the retention policy is applied, you will be billed monthly based on the average upload storage usage from the previous month.
What do I need to do to avoid charges?
To avoid incurring additional storage charges, customers should evaluate their current storage usage and select a retention policy that aligns with their needs. For example platform use cases with examples and recommendations on storage policy assignments, please see this article on Storage Policy Cohort Examples.
For all customer profiles, it's important for Account Owners to review and update their storage retention settings in the Zype Admin by November 1st, 2024. If you do not take action, you may incur charges for storage beyond the 72-hour free tier after November 1st.
Each customer should carefully consider their use case and set their policy accordingly in the Zype Admin.
When should I expect to see charges?:
Customers can expect to see storage charges appear on their invoices starting from the next billing cycle after November 1st, 2024. These charges will reflect the storage usage incurred after November 1st, based on the selected retention policy.
Where can I get help related to storage policies?:
If you have questions or need assistance in choosing the best storage retention policy for your needs, our Account Management team is ready to help. Please contact your Account Manager to discuss your options and ensure you’re making the best decision for your storage strategy. For general inquiries regarding storage retention policies, please contact us at support@zype.com.
For more information, please visit the following article resources in our Storage Management section that cover how to adjust and manage your storage policy.