SMPTE details ST 2138 Catena standard for unified IP control planes

The introduction of ST 2138 addresses the critical 'last mile' of IP migration: the control layer. While ST 2110 standardized media transport, operational control remained trapped in vendor-specific silos. By providing a platform-agnostic alternative to proprietary systems and AMWA’s NMOS suite, Catena enables broadcasters to orchestrate ephemeral cloud workloads and multi-vendor hardware through a single, secure protocol. This reduces the integration costs associated with best-of-breed deployments. For the ecosystem, it signals a shift toward software-defined orchestration where security is baked into the transport. Watch for the IBC 2026 interoperability demonstrations as a signal of Tier-1 vendor adoption and hardware readiness.

The Catena initiative originated from the Open Services Alliance (OSA) and the SMPTE Rapid Industry Solutions program to solve interoperability issues that intensified as workflows moved to the cloud. Prior to this standardization, media facilities often managed hundreds of unique control protocols which lacked native encryption or modern security frameworks, presenting a significant risk in networked environments. Per NewscastStudio, June 2025, the initial suite underwent rigorous development through the SMPTE 34CS Technology Committee to ensure it could handle both tiny microservices and complex physical infrastructure.

This development follows on the heels of major industry milestones for IP transport. Per SMPTE, March 2026, the ST 2110 suite recently received a Television Academy Engineering Emmy for its role in replacing traditional SDI cabling. However, industry experts, including Ross Video’s Chris Lennon, have noted that while video, audio, and data are now successfully separate essence streams, the lack of a standardized control plane prevented full agility. Per TV Technology, December 2025, the complexity of spinning up multi-vendor cloud production for short-term events was deemed "unscalable" without a standard like ST 2138.

Market adoption for Catena is currently in the piloting stage, with Public Committee Drafts available for review through late 2026. While AMWA’s NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 protocols have served as the de facto discovery and connection management tools for years, Catena is positioned as a more modern, gRPC-capable alternative that integrates deep into the device model level. Per SMPTE’s 2026 roadmap, the standard will continue to evolve with specific additions for AI-ready metadata and expanded registration scopes, aiming for full publication following the 2026 Media Technology Summit.