Creative Media Company Handling 3D Rendering Projects

The company operates within the creative media production industry, specializing in projects involving complex 3D modeling and rendering workflows. Their team is a hybrid workforce with approximately 10% fully remote employees and the remainder working a mix of in-office and remote schedules. The organization is transitioning from third-party managed IT services to an internally managed IT infrastructure, aiming to modernize workflows and support a primarily cloud-based environment.

Currently, the company relies on an Azure NetApp file server to manage day-to-day project files. The file server is intended as a cloud storage solution but requires local domain authentication, which conflicts with the company’s goal of being fully cloud-native. Users access large creative assets, including heavy 3D rendering files, over varying internet speeds. For collaboration and feedback, the team uses a disparate mix of software tools such as Frame.io, Iconic Zyflow, and Wipster, though no centralized communication or asset management platform is fully established.

- Azure NetApp file server requires local domain accounts, causing frequent user lockouts due to password mismatches and lack of seamless identity synchronization with cloud credentials. - Inability to authenticate users purely via Azure Active Directory or Microsoft email accounts limits flexibility and cloud adoption. - Large file sizes (e.g., 3D renders) create bottlenecks when working remotely, with users dependent on internet speed and lacking local file pinning or caching options. - Fragmented feedback and collaboration tools lead to inefficiencies and unclear workflows. - Transitioning from MSP to internal IT management drives the need for a more reliable, scalable, and modern cloud file management solution to reduce overhead and improve productivity.

Shade offers a cloud-native file management and collaboration platform designed to integrate seamlessly with existing cloud identity providers like Azure AD, eliminating the reliance on local domain authentication. Shade’s platform supports intelligent file caching and pinning to enable efficient handling of large creative assets, improving remote workflows regardless of internet speed. By consolidating file access, sharing, and collaboration within a single ecosystem, Shade would streamline asset discovery and review processes, reducing dependency on multiple standalone tools. This would empower the company’s IT team to fully retire legacy MSP-managed infrastructure while enhancing remote and hybrid work capabilities.