In 2020, we were approached by Vanguardia to assist in delivering a proof of concept for the groundbreaking MSG Sphere project. This ambitious venue aims to accommodate a wide variety of touring events without necessitating the installation of third-party equipment.
To achieve this, the network infrastructure was designed around the SMPTE 2110 standard, enabling the seamless transmission of both audio and video content. Among the existing specifications were popular Audinate Dante audio products. However, challenges arose due to compatibility issues between Audinate’s systems and the fully routed SMPTE2110 network which Cisco had proposed, which were hindering progress. The added complexity of the network requiring over 2000 Dante endpoints meant that a robust and scalable solution was required.
To resolve these conflicts, we collaborated closely with the audio team from Clair Global, conducting numerous tests to understand and address the incompatibilities. We proposed a network design that incorporated an overlay network utilizing VxLAN technology to effectively transport Layer 2 traffic over a fully routed SMPTE 2110 network. This innovative approach allowed Dante audio systems to function seamlessly within the project specifications, implementing dual redundant links for primary and secondary Dante systems.
Furthermore, our design maintained native support for SMPTE 2110 video at 4K resolution, employing a scalable Spine and Leaf network architecture with up to six 100Gb links to each leaf node. This solution not only met the project’s stringent requirements but also ensured a high level of flexibility and scalability for future events.
