John Carucci

Article / Updated 12-01-2023

Getting the most out of your unstructured data is an essential task for any organization these days, especially when considering the disparate storage systems, applications, and user locations. So, it’s not an accident that data orchestration is the term that brings everything together. Bringing all your data together shares similarities with conducting an orchestra. Instead of combining the violin, oboe, and cello, this brand of orchestration combines distributed data types from different places, platforms, and locations working as a cohesive entity presented to applications or users anywhere. That’s because historically, accessing high-performance data outside of your computer network was inefficient. Because the storage infrastructure existed in a silo, systems like HPC Parallel (which lets users store and access shared data across multiple networked storage nodes), Enterprise NAS (which allows large-scale storage and access to other networks), and Global Namespace (virtually simplifies network file systems) were limited when it came to sharing. Because each operated independently, the data within each system was siloed making it a problem collaborating with data sets over multiple locations. Collaboration was possible, but too often you lost the ability to have high performance. This Boolean logic decreased potential because having an IT architecture that supported both high performance and collaboration with data sets from different storage silos typically became an either/or decision: You were forced to choose one but never both. What is data orchestration? Data orchestration is the automated process of taking siloed data from multiple data storage systems and locations, combining and organizing it into a single namespace. Then a high-performance file system can place data in the edge service, data center, or cloud service most optimal for the workload. The recent rise of data analytic applications and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities has accelerated the use of data across different locations and even different organizations. In the next data cycle, organizations will need both high-performance and agility with their data to compete and thrive in a competitive environment. That means data no longer has a 1:1 relationship with the applications and compute environment that generated it. It needs to be used, analyzed, and repurposed with different AI models and alternate workloads, and across a remote, collaborative environment. Hammerspace’s technology makes data available to different foundational models, remote applications, decentralized compute clusters, and remote workers to automate and streamline data-driven development programs, data insights, and business decision making. This capability enables a unified, fast, and efficient global data environment for the entire workflow — from data creation to processing, collaboration, and archiving across edge devices, data centers, and public and private clouds. Control of enterprise data services for governance, security, data protection, and compliance can now be implemented globally at a file-granular level across all storage types and locations. Applications and AI models can access data stored in remote locations while using automated orchestration tools to provide high-performance local access when needed for processing. Organizations can grow their talent pools with access to team members no matter where they reside. Decentralizing the data center Data collection has become more prominent, and the traditional system of centralized data management has limitations. Issues of centralized data storage can limit the amount of data available to applications. Then, there are the high infrastructure costs when multiple applications are needed to manage and move data, multiple copies of data are retained in different storage systems, and more headcount is needed to manage the complex, disconnected infrastructure environment. Such setbacks suggest that the data center is no longer the center of data and storage system constraints should no longer define data architectures. Hammerspace specializes in decentralized environments, where data may need to span two or more sites and possibly one or more cloud providers and regions, and/or where a remote workforce needs to collaborate in real time. It enables a global data environment by providing a unified, parallel global file system. Enabling a global data environment Hammerspace completely revolutionizes previously held notions of how unstructured data architectures should be designed, delivering the performance needed across distributed environments to Free workloads from data silos. Eliminate copy proliferation. Provide direct data access through local metadata to applications and users, no matter where the data is stored. This technology allows organizations to take full advantage of the performance capabilities of any server, storage system, and network anywhere in the world. This capability enables a unified, fast, and efficient global data environment for the entire workflow, from data creation to processing, collaboration, and archiving across edge devices, data centers, and public and private clouds. The days of enterprises struggling with a siloed, distributed, and inefficient data environment are over. It’s time to start expecting more from data architectures with automated data orchestration. Find out how by downloading Unstructured Data Orchestration For Dummies, Hammerspace Special Edition, here.

Article / Updated 09-13-2023

One phenomenon created by the Internet is the spread of viral video. Just like a virus (except that it’s the good kind that won’t make you sick), a viral video spreads rapidly online and can garner a million views in a relatively short time. On the opposite side of the spectrum lies the evergreen video: As its name implies, videos with this distinction usually remain fresh and vibrant for longer periods, providing a timeless quality to the content. Your channel’s objective depends on being able to bring as many viewers as possible to your content. Sometimes that comes from a single, albeit extremely popular video, whereas at other times it’s more about having a healthy lineup of relevant content. Creating a single viral video can bring a great deal of attention to your channel, and those visits can quickly monetize into big bucks, especially with a video that garners a couple of million views. On the other hand, evergreen videos (see below) lend themselves to less dynamic, though more steady buildup through a variety of content that keeps people coming back. Don’t bet your YouTube strategy trying to create a viral video. When it comes to viral videos, there’s a random element to their success that cannot always be duplicated the next time around. Nevertheless, you can do some things to make success just a tad less random. Viral content Viral videos usually consist of some trendy or contemporary aspect that allows it to build a huge audience quite quickly. For example, a new dance craze or music video sometimes makes for the most watched video, but it can also consist of a dramatic news event or wild stunt that people can’t stop talking about. Sometimes it fades away as quickly as it started, whereas at other times it sticks around. Evergreen content Like a tree of shrubbery that never turns brown, the evergreen video remains popular with its niche audience for a long time. That’s because it consists of content that people are going to search for often and over an extended period. If YouTube were a refrigerator, comparing the two, a viral video would have a shorter expiration date to more evergreen content. Though there’s less pressure to creating a successful evergreen video, it still requires a lot of work to gain a following. You have to let people know that it’s out there while keeping it relevant for them to venture out and find you. The types of content that may have (potential) evergreen value include Instructional videos Educational videos Travel videos Overviews of holiday traditions Biographies of famous people Most evergreen content — instructional videos or content associated with a historical event, for example — doesn’t usually go viral but can enjoy a longer run of popularity because the content will continue to attract a steady stream of viewers.

Article / Updated 10-19-2022

When someone infringes on copyright — whether it’s someone doing it to you or you doing it to someone else — there will be consequences. YouTube takes the breach seriously and will take down the infringing video. It also penalizes the offender with a strike. And as in baseball, if you get three strikes, you’re outta there! YouTube boots you and your channel if it gets to this point. To ensure that it doesn’t happen to you, follow this advice: Remember who owns the copyright It’s fairly simple: If you created the video, the copyright belongs to you; if you upload content created by someone else, the copyright belongs to that person, and you better get their permission before you upload it it. As soon as the work is created, so is the copyright, and since 1992, there’s no longer a renewal process. Copyright lives with the creator — and even lives on for a period after the death of the creator. Attribution does not absolve a copyright violation Some people steal other people’s work and claim it as their own, and that’s blatant infringement. But it’s no less of an offense when you use content and then add a line saying, “Created by so‐and‐so," or "No copyright infringement intended," or "All rights belong to their respective owners." It’s still a breach that can earn a strike and a block of the video. If you use someone else’s work in your video without that person’s permission, it doesn’t make it less of an offense just because you give the person credit. You’re still in violation because attributing the creator doesn’t absolve you if you don’t get permission. Know the consequences Two things can happen if you commit a copyright violation, and though they sound similar, they’re completely different: Takedown notice: If someone spots content they’ve created being used without their permission, they can send YouTube a complaint. If it’s a breach, YouTube takes down the video and issues the offender a copyright strike. If you feel compelled to lodge a complaint, just be extra sure that it’s your content and that the breach is accurate, because you’re initiating a legal process. Content ID match: Content ID is a system YouTube uses to automatically match content that violates copyright against the millions of videos uploaded every month to the site. For Content ID to work properly, copyright owners have to upload so‐called reference files — original versions of their work that prove they own the rights. Normally, record labels, movie studios, or TV stations go through this process for all the work they publish, so individual artists don’t have to worry about it. Every new video uploaded to YouTube is checked against this huge library of reference files, and if there is a match, YouTube automatically files a copyright claim for the owner of the work. No matter how a copyright violation may have been discovered, if you breach another content creator’s copyright, that creator is in a position to have YouTube take down your content. In the event of a mistake, you can send YouTube a notice saying that an error occurred, but you had better be darn sure about it. If the claim ends up being proven correct, or if you were untruthful in any way, you may find yourself in much bigger trouble, including legal action. The profit motive is irrelevant Some folks will say, “Hey, it’s all right if I use someone else’s content, because I’m not looking to make any money.” Say that before the judge and the verdict will still be “Guilty of copyright infringement!” Whether you intend to make money from the video or you simply want to share your masterpiece with the world, it still doesn’t mean that you can violate copyright law. You need to get permission from the copyright holder. Getting permission for using copyrighted material Getting permission to use someone else’s copyrighted material is often well within the realm of the possible. A nicely written note explaining how you would use the content usually is enough for a rights holder to grant permission. Just remember that it can get dicey, because sometimes permission comes with the caveat that you cannot monetize the overall video. That restriction can hurt big‐time if your intention is to quit your day job, but it may end up being a bittersweet solution if you’re merely looking to add flavor to your video. Fair use is complicated Albert Einstein never failed math, unicorns don’t exist, and fair use is anything but easy — or fair — to understand. Debunking the first two of these myths is easy. All right, maybe the first is, but when it comes to fair use, that’s a single‐horned horse of a different color. Many misconceptions exist surrounding fair use, among them the notion that you can use anything you want as long as you don’t go beyond some arbitrary time constraint. But it’s much more complicated. In some editorial situations, you can use copyrighted material without permission, but you must fully understand those situations to avoid future trouble. If you feel the need to exercise fair use, and the use is for nonprofit and educational purpose, here a few acceptable uses to consider: Criticism: Reviewing a movie or some form of music makes it perfectly acceptable to use copyrighted material without permission, for example short clips on the work you critique. Parody: If you’re poking fun at something, it’s acceptable to use content without first gaining permission. Commentary: This one depends on how you use the material. If it’s used just enough to illustrate your point, it’s acceptable. For instance, gamers on YouTube often record themselves playing a new video game and offer funny observations. This is, within limits, fair use. Academic: If you're creating educational content, it's considered fair to use to reference other works in certain situations. And now for the misconceptions: You can use 40 seconds of anything: It’s completely untrue. You can’t use even 4 seconds if it doesn’t comply with the circumstances in the preceding list. As a best practice, use the least amount of copyrighted material to get your point across, and always credit the original copyright owner. The notion that you can decide fair use for yourself: Fair use is complicated for many situations, so you may not be sure exactly what you’re allowed to do. The thing is, if you stretch the limits of fair use too far, and harm the original copyright owner's ability to profit from their work, you can be sanctioned by YouTube. That’s why a copyright attorney should decide any serious question over fair use. Don’t let copyright issues on YouTube lead to a strikeout Three strikes and you’re out is a common understanding when playing baseball. But in baseball, you get another chance after another eight batters have had their try. YouTube doesn’t share this benevolence, so if they give you three strikes — especially for copyright issues — that means a lifetime ban from its partnership program. That’s something you don’t want on your record; worse yet, once that happens to you, you won’t be able to recover any of your videos. So, you want to avoid getting strikes at all costs. There are two types of YouTube strikes: Community guideline strike: This type can result from a variety of causes, ranging from uploading objectionable content to having a misleading thumbnail or caption. You can learn more about these guidelines on YouTube's Community Guidelines page. Copyright strike: If some part of your video includes content from another creator and that creator did not grant you permission, you can get a copyright strike. You can appeal it or take down the video to avoid a possible strike. Other things you should know: Mandatory copyright school must be completed: After your first strike, YouTube requires that you take an online course and take a little quiz to be sure you’re up to speed on copyright regulations. Strikes come down, eventually: As long as you haven’t struck out, community guideline strikes and copyright strikes disappear after 90 days from the time they’re issued. At that point, YouTube restores any channel privileges you lost while you waited out the strike. If you draw three community guideline strikes or three copyright strikes over a 90-day period, your YouTube channel will be terminated. Your fate usually lies with the copyright holder: That person can decide whether the video you uploaded should be removed, flagged in certain regions, or even monetized. Yes, that’s right: Even though the video may contain only a small portion of the person’s material, they're entitled to all monetization proceeds. They can even put ads on your video, if you haven’t added monetization. Wipe the slate clean If you get a copyright strike from YouTube and you’re positive that you’re in the right, go ahead and appeal the strike with a copyright counter-notification. If you’re not sure whether you can win, maybe it’s better to wait it out until the strike expires. You see, after you appeal the strike, your personal information goes to the copyright holder and that person can possibly sue you for copyright infringement. If the situation gets to this level, you still can work out an agreement directly with the copyright holder and see whether they will file an appeal with YouTube on your behalf if you both agree that you were within your rights to use the copyrighted material. It’s worth a shot. YouTube’s robots are good at finding copyright infringements Whether intentional or inadvertent, sometimes the content of other creators gets used in a YouTube video. Sometimes the breach is noticed, and at other times it goes undetected by the original creator. But as YouTube continues to refine its copyright detection system, the system will find infringements more quickly than ever. Part of those refinements to YouTube’s copyright detection system include sophisticated algorithms that scan every uploaded video and compare it to similar uploaded content, looking for matches with music, video, or pictures. It seems music gets detected the most. Even if it’s background music, you may get sanctioned. Usually, YouTube blocks the video, and you must submit a dispute form. Copyright is not forever, but it’s forever enough for YouTube Copyright lasts for 70 years past the death of the author; after that point, the copyrighted content enters the public domain. When that happens, the content is no longer protected by intellectual property laws, and anyone can use it without permission. Of course, for many people on YouTube, that content isn’t available to use without permission until we near the next century. Of course, if the creator (or the creator's heirs) files a copyright extension, they can hold on to the rights — that way, the video of your dog dressed as a spider can stay in the family for as long as possible.

Article / Updated 10-19-2022

As a YouTube channel manager or content creator, your work may well be done when you’ve uploaded your videos and set the metadata. The last step when uploading a video is to publish it. Publishing is all about configuring the privacy settings that are most appropriate for your users and clicking Save during the upload process or by selecting a video on the YouTube Studio Video tab. For most channel managers, that means specifying one of the following: Private: Only you and people you choose can watch the video. You can manually send an invitation, or YouTube can send it to the email addresses you specify. Once you select Private, the Share Video Privately link appears. Click the link and enter the email addresses of your recipients. After you enter the addresses, click the "Notify via email" checkbox. When invitees get the invitation via email, they must log into their Google account to view the video. Unlisted: Anyone with the video link can watch the video. The difference between this setting and Private, is that anyone who has the link can share it with others. Public: The video will be available for anyone on YouTube that finds your video from the search engine, or stumbles upon it. When you choose this setting, you have the option to Set as instant Premiere, which means you and your viewers can watch it at the same time. Schedule: Choose this option and a dialog appears enabling you to set the date and time for when the video will be available on YouTube. When you schedule a video, you also have the option to set it as a Premiere. After choosing an option, you save, publish or schedule the video. If you choose the make the video Private or Unlisted, click the Save button. If you choose Public, click the Publish button. If you choose Schedule, click the Schedule button. Be sure to keep YouTube's copyright rules in mind, and follow them carefully. YouTube takes copyright infringement very seriously and there will be consequences if you violate the rules. After you publish videos, you have the option to unpublish them or delete tone or more videos To accomplish either task, log into YouTube, click your avatar and then choose Your Channel from the drop-down menu. Click Your Videos to display the Channel content page, which lists all your videos starting with the most recently published. To unpublish a video: Double-click the video thumbnail. The Video Details page appears. In the Visibility section, click the down-pointing arrow to the right of current visibility state. The Visibility options appear. To delete a video: Open the Channel content page as outlined previously. Click the Options icon. It’s the three dots to the right of the video thumbnail. Choose Delete Forever from the drop-down menu, as shown in the Figure below. YouTube displays a warning dialog that this action is undoable. Click the checkbox to acknowledge that deletion is permanent can cannot be undone. Before you delete a video from YouTube, you have the option to download it. Click Delete Forever. Poof. The video disappears in a cloud of virtual smoke. To delete multiple videos: Open the Channel content page as outlined previously. To select videos for deletion, click the check box to the left of any video you want to delete. You can select contiguous or non-contiguous videos. Click the More Actions link. A drop-down menu appears with the option to delete forever. If you choose one video, you also have the option to download the video. Choose Delete Forever. After choosing this option, YouTube displays a warning that you are about to delete (the dialog lists the number of videos you are about to delete) forever. Click the checkbox to acknowledge that deletion is permanent can cannot be undone. Your only other option is Cancel. Click Delete Forever. The videos are lost in cyberspace.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 06-02-2022

Whether you're new to video editing or have some experience, this Cheat Sheet is a handy reference for how to set up a new Premiere Pro CC project, import content to the workspace, and export your finished movie.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-24-2022

The GoPro camera has changed the way people make movies. It's not only affordable and durable, but also offers features that seemed like far-fetched wish-list items only a few years ago. You can mount this camera on almost anything, take it underwater, and capture the most expansive video scene known to mankind. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, because the GoPro captures only 170 degrees. But you can put the camera in a tight space and still get an immersive view. When you couple the camera with the GoPro App on your smartphone, you don't even need to be near the camera to monitor the scene and make adjustments.

Article / Updated 01-24-2022

Take a reflective pause before you choose a YouTube channel name, username, or other identifying criteria you want as your public face for the whole YouTube world. An overhasty decision here could end up being one that you regret later. Many a creator has made the mistake of beginning to upload videos to what they thought would remain a low‐key, personal channel, only to have that channel take off in popularity, at which point they begin to feel trapped in a channel named after their cat. (Okay, just to be clear, this wouldn’t be a problem if the channel is actually about your cat). The Google+ integration actually makes changing the channel name on the fly pretty easy and painless, even after the fact. The channel URL, however, is a different story. Advice for choosing a channel name Keep the following advice in mind when making your reflections: Don’t rush into anything. You should think hard about this decision. Though it seems like a light one, it really can impact the success of your channel in the long run if you choose a bad name. Try to relate the name to your content. Are you creating a channel about video games? Try to work a gaming term into your title. If you plan to create fitness‐related content, try to integrate workout or sports terms. Avoid profanity, vulgarity, and inside jokes. Though you may find it hilarious to name your channel Dadfarts, a name like that will necessarily limit your market. It’s hard to predict what path your videos might take on their way out into the world, and a sophomoric name (or a downright obscene one) might deter your viewers from sharing your video. Note: You want people to share your videos! Make the name catchy. Your channel name needs to be memorable. People love puns, rhyming, and alliteration, but don’t try to integrate all three. That might be a little much. Make it easy to spell. People need to be able to find your channel, and choosing a word that’s difficult to spell can prevent people from finding you. Do not see this as a felicitous opportunity to create a recondite channel name thronged with abstruse vocabulary that will confuse and confound your potential viewers. Make it easy for people to talk about. When you think you’ve hit on the perfect name, try reading it aloud a few times and make sure you can pronounce it. You want to have a channel name that people can talk about and make themselves understood. The best test for this is to call a friend on the phone and direct her to your channel. If you can tell your friend the channel name and she can get there without your having to spell it, you’ve got a usable name on your hands. Make sure the name is available and that you won’t be confused with another business on YouTube or elsewhere. You should search the web in general and YouTube specifically to make sure your brilliant channel name isn’t already in use elsewhere. You should also ensure that the URL you prefer is available. YouTube’s allocation of URLs is not automatic, and you choose your custom URL in a later step. So, even if your channel name is available, your custom URL may not be available. Check this in advance, or else it can turn into a real problem.

Step by Step / Updated 01-06-2022

You can do the work to establish your YouTube channel after you’ve logged in to YouTube with a Google account. After that’s done, follow these steps to get your channel off the ground:

Article / Updated 01-06-2022

Whether you are creating your first YouTube channel or starting your fifth channel the process is the same. YouTube is simple right? Everybody who has a Gmail account already has a channel. If it does seem that simple to you, stick to these guidelines. Define what your channel focus will be. This is the very first step and the most important. This means choosing a topic or area of expertise to focus your channel content on. Use beautiful channel art that is illustrative of the type of content you’ll be focusing on. Create device agnostic art, meaning art that will look good on any kind of device. Take advantage of the YouTube templates so that the viewing experience is good on a mobile device, smart TV or desktop. Think about the viewer journey. You want to make content discoverability on your channel easy for new viewers. Carefully consider your target audience, then organize your content in such a way that extended viewing sessions are pleasurable for all viewers within that audience. Whether you are bringing viewers closer to your brand story or the niche topics that your channel covers, you want to make sure it is fun and easy to discover new content on your channel. Create playlists of similar videos. Think of a playlist as a daisy chain that will keep viewers on your channel. Create a strong content calendar. Be sure to tell your viewers when to expect what types of content from your channel. Utilize the channel trailer and the About channel section to inform viewers and subscribers of your content calendar. And stick to it. Create good content! This isn’t the first step on purpose; this comes after careful consideration of your channel focus, content strategy, and calendar. You’ll need to establish a cadence for content creation that is realistic for your personal goals or brand budget and timeline. Good video takes time. Create outlines and scripts for your videos; don’t make videos off the cuff when you start. Some creators can get away with unedited content, but you should create content that comes from a solid content and creative strategy. Create authentic content that aligns with your channel, your point of view, and your audience. Engage with your audience. Get to know them. Each video is like a date, they can stay after the first course and if they really like you they will comment on the video and share it with their friends. When that happens, be sure to comment back — reciprocity is the way to win on YouTube. Nurture your audience and your biggest fans; they will love you back, we promise. Nothing is easy in life, but lots of things are fun. Take advantage of the amazing ecosystem that YouTube provides, create, share and engage with your audience and you’ll be the real winner in the end. Good content, good friends and good times can be had on YouTube. Combine all those and you might even make good money.

Article / Updated 12-30-2021

Your YouTube channel showcases something you’re passionate about. What drives you to create a YouTube channel and content isn’t so different from what motivates you to do other things in life, such as Host a fundraiser Write a blog Support a cause Give something back to society Earn some income Learn a new hobby The reason that YouTube is such a great place for you to share your passion is because video is a supremely effective medium for getting your audience to engage with you. Learn to put that medium to use for you. Though building your channel is one major goal, you’ll likely have additional goals. Here are some other reasons for creating your YouTube channel and the content it contains: Build a brand. There’s no better way to show who you are, either as an independent creator or as an organization, than by way of a video or series of videos on your channel. The content might include different types of videos — something you’ve created, straight news, information about you, or a combination. Your motivation for brand building could be to obtain a new job, attract attention from industry luminaries, or make people feel good about your products. Educate your target audience. Most people love to learn, and much of the successful content on YouTube revolves around education and tutorials. Educational content includes home repair, product configuration, justification for social causes, and many more topics. Educational content also helps drive brand awareness. Entertain the crowd. People love to laugh, enjoy music, and get engrossed in a good story. These genres are all forms of entertainment, and all work especially well on YouTube. Many forms of entertainment are highly subjective, so be sure to tailor your content so that it connects with the specific audience you’re trying to reach. Sell something. It doesn’t matter whether you have a product to sell, a subscription to offer, or a candidate to elect, your YouTube channel is a great way to demonstrate to your audience that they want what you’re offering. People are turning to YouTube to make buying decisions about future purchases. Make sure you understand that YouTube is now a primary source of information used to influence a sale. According to Tubular Lab, 64 percent of consumers use YouTube to review electronics when making a purchase decision. Earn a living. We’ve explained that your videos can make money by driving and influencing sales. You can also earn a living from people watching your YouTube videos by monetizing your channel. Don’t quit your day job — at least not yet. Making money from YouTube takes time, creativity, and persistence. Even the best‐laid plans can’t guarantee results if you don’t (or your content doesn’t) resonate with your target audience. Don’t fret: Your YouTube channel may be a nice source of supplemental income, eventually. Don’t feel that you have to keep your goals separate. Donut Media’s popular automotive channel does a great job of combining educational goals with entertainment to keep its audience (almost 3 million subscribers) coming back for more.