Title

AWS re:Invent 2022 - Sky’s journey to migrate live sports and news to AWS (MNE203)

Summary

Simone D'Antone, AWS Business Developer Leader for Broadcast, introduces the session and discusses the AWS Well-Architected Framework, emphasizing its relevance to the media and entertainment industry.
The framework's six pillars are operational excellence, security, reliability, cost optimization, performance efficiency, and sustainability.
Dave Travis, Sky's Group Director of Content Broadcast and Platform Engineering, shares Sky's journey of migrating to AWS, including the challenges, successes, and lessons learned.
Sky's CT&I (Content Technology & Innovation) was established to converge operations and engineering across the UK, Germany, and Italy, focusing on cloud migration.
Sky's transformation included re-skilling the workforce, consolidating operations, and adopting a cloud-first approach, leading to rapid deployment, cost savings, and improved security.
Key projects included remote production, cloud-based content supply chain, cloud production, and cloud playout for 120 channels.
The transformation aimed to reduce carbon footprint, improve scalability and reliability, and achieve a more secure and cost-effective operation.
Challenges included a global talent shortage, cultural shifts, tech debt, vendor limitations, and financial model adjustments from CapEx to OpEx.
Sky's commitment to sustainability aligns with AWS's goals, and they have made strides in reducing their environmental impact through cloud adoption.

The AWS Well-Architected Framework is versatile and can be applied to various industries, including media and entertainment, to guide cloud-based transformations.
Sky's migration to AWS demonstrates the potential for significant improvements in agility, innovation, and operational efficiency within the broadcasting industry.
The transition to cloud-based operations can lead to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions, supporting corporate sustainability goals.
Talent development and re-skilling are critical components of a successful cloud migration, as the workforce must adapt to new technologies and workflows.
The shift from CapEx to OpEx financial models is a common challenge for organizations moving to the cloud, requiring careful management and justification.
Vendor selection is crucial, as not all vendors are prepared for the shift to cloud-native solutions, which can impact the speed and success of cloud adoption.
The case study of Sky's migration to AWS can serve as a blueprint for other media companies considering similar transformations, highlighting both the potential benefits and the challenges to be addressed.