Avid Media Composer on Shared Storage: The Basics

Avid Media Composer handles media differently from Premiere Pro or Resolve. It does not point at clips wherever they happen to be. It looks for media in a specific folder structure and keeps its own database of what is there. That is why Avid shared storage feels strict, and why it rewards getting the basics right. This article explains those basics, and a change in Media Composer 2026.8 that affects anyone running Avid on a NAS.

Version note: the licensing and shared-project points below come from Avid's Knowledge Base articles and customer FAQ for Media Composer 2026.8, released in September 2026 (the FAQ was last updated on August 28, 2026). The folder and database points come from Avid's Knowledge Base and are not tied to one version. Avid changes licensing terms often, so confirm current terms with Avid or an authorized reseller before you buy or upgrade.

The quickest first thing to try

If Media Composer shows media as offline or missing, and you are on a standalone system, go to File, Media, Refresh Media Directories. Avid's Knowledge Base gives this as the first step to refresh the media databases, and warns that it can take a long time with a lot of media. If you are on Avid NEXIS or a shared setup, do not go further than that without reading the next sections, because Avid says its manual database-file method is for standalone setups only.

How Avid finds media

• The Avid MediaFiles folder. Media Composer stores media in a folder named Avid MediaFiles, with an MXF folder inside it. Avid's Knowledge Base and community guidance say the folder sits at the root of the drive and is named exactly that. Inside MXF there are numbered folders such as 1, 2 and 3.
• Media databases. In each numbered folder Media Composer keeps database files, msmMMOB.mdb and msmFMID.pmr, which tell it what media is there. Avid says these rebuild when Media Composer launches and rescans, if you move them out of the folder. That manual step is for standalone systems only, and Avid says not to use it with Nexis, ISIS, Interplay or Media Central.
• Projects and bins are separate from media. Projects and bins are small files. Media files are large. On a shared system, both must be reachable, and several editors must be able to share bins without overwriting each other.
• Bin locking. When one editor opens a bin, others should see it as locked, so two people do not save over each other. How locking is provided depends on the storage and the Media Composer version.

What changed in Media Composer 2026.8

Avid states that Media Composer 2026.8 introduces a supported, qualified path for Shared Projects on third-party storage, and that this requires Media Composer Enterprise. In the same article, Avid says 2026.8 prevents the earlier unauthorized emulation of Avid NEXIS for bin sharing and locking, which Avid says introduced risks such as project conflicts, overwritten changes and lost work.

Points from Avid's Knowledge Base and FAQ:

• NAS bin locking is supported with the Enterprise tier.
• Avid NEXIS remains Avid's recommended shared storage. NEXIS users should run NEXIS Client 2026.6 or later before upgrading.
• Customers who stay on their current version keep their existing bin locking and storage emulation setups, according to Avid.
• Avid says it is still working on a transition path for Perpetual customers on third-party shared storage, and recommends they keep their current version and not update to 2026.8 for now.
• Avid supports the project-sharing mechanisms. Storage performance, latency, throughput and network design remain the storage vendor's responsibility.
• Workflows that use MediaCentral, Avid Production Management or Interplay still require NEXIS.

If you already run Avid on a NAS, do not upgrade to 2026.8 until you know which licence and storage path you are on. This is a licensing and compatibility question as much as a technical one.

Step by step: a sound Avid shared storage set-up

1. 1Confirm the Media Composer tier and version for each seat, and which shared storage path Avid supports for it. Contact Avid or an authorized partner for third-party storage.
2. 2Create the Avid MediaFiles folder at the root of the shared volume, named exactly that. Let Media Composer create the MXF folder structure for you.
3. 3Use one path for the shared volume on every machine, with the same volume name or drive letter.
4. 4Set each editor's Media Creation settings so new media goes to the shared volume and not to a local drive by accident.
5. 5Check the network link and storage speed for the number of streams the team will play. Our guide to shared storage for editorial suites shows how to size it.
6. 6Test bin locking with two editors before real work starts. Open the same bin on both machines and confirm the second sees it locked.
7. 7Do not manipulate MediaFiles folders by hand. Use Media Composer's own tools to move, consolidate or delete media.
8. 8Write down a recovery method. Know who may refresh the media directories, and when.

What not to do

• Do not drag media in and out of the MXF folders with Explorer or Finder.
• Do not delete the media database files on a shared NAS or NEXIS system. Avid's manual method is for standalone setups.
• Do not run mixed Media Composer versions on the same shared projects without checking Avid's compatibility notes.
• Do not rely on an unsupported emulation path for a production you cannot afford to lose.
• Do not assume a NAS that is fast for Premiere Pro is right for Avid. Bin locking and media database handling are separate concerns.

When it is time to call someone

Call for help when you plan a shared Avid system, when you must decide between NEXIS and a NAS, when 2026.8 licensing affects your seats, or when bins overwrite each other or media goes missing across machines. These are design questions that are cheaper to settle before the edit begins. For the network and storage side see choosing NAS storage for post-production, and for the network setting up a small studio network.

Want a person to look at it?

This is the kind of problem our production consulting team handles: planning Avid-ready shared storage and the network behind it, and sorting out which setup suits your seats and budget. See our editorial suite setup service, or tell us what is happening in your edit bay and a real person on our team will reply.