Importance of Storage Costs - Statistics

By: John Honovich, Published on Mar 30, 2015

10 years ago, 500GB for an entire DVR was considered good. Today, there are 6TB hard drives.

More and more storage at lower prices has lead many to conclude that storage costs are no longer important.

On the other hand, a decade ago, 2CIF (less than 0.2MP) was common. Now, 2MP cameras are ordinary.

So which way is it?

In this note, we share statistics and color commentary from security integrators on how important (or not) storage costs are now for surveillance systems.

** ***** ***, ***** for ** ****** *** was ********** ****. *****, there *** *** **** drives.

**** *** **** ******* at ***** ****** *** lead **** ** ******** that ******* ***** *** no ****** *********.

** *** ***** ****, * decade ***, **** (**** than *.***) *** ******. Now, *** ******* *** ordinary.

** ***** *** ** it?

** **** ****, ** share ********** *** ***** commentary **** ******** *********** on *** ********* (** not) ******* ***** *** now *** ************ *******.

[***************]

Key ******** - ********* *** ****

*** *** ******* ******** integrator ********:

  1. ******** ** *********: *********** with *****-***** ********* ******* all ***** ******* ***** to ** **** *********.
  2. **** ** *******: ***** with ***** / ******* systems ***** ***** ******* costs ** ** **** important.

** *** ********, ***** integrators ************ ** ******* systems ********** *** ***** hard ****** *** *** and ***, ** * result, *************** *** **** of ******* *** *** tens ** ******* **** could ** ****** ** a ****** ***.

*********

****** *** ***********, ******* costs ****:

  • **% - **** *********
  • **% - ********** *********
  • **% - *** **** important

Duration ** *********

* ****** ***** ***** those ******** **** *** long ******* ********:

  • "**** *** *** * huge **** ** ******* and *** **** ** break *** ****** **** trying ** ***** *** 30, **, ** **** , **** **** **** 1 **** ******* ********** for ********."
  • "***** ******* ***** *** very *********** ******* *****. In *** *** ********* region ** *** *********, the ******** ** ******** authorities **** ********* ************ for ** ***** ******* and ***-**** ******* ** all ***** ******* **** public ***** *** **********."
  • "******* ***** ********* * large ********** ** *** project ****. ******* ***** are ***** *** ******** factor ** ***** ****, retention, ***.
  • "******** **** ***** ***** have **** **** *************, certain ********* **** ********* institutions *** ******** ** have ** **** ** archiving ***** *** *** significantly ** ***** ******** budgets."
  • "* ******* ******* **** take *.*** ** *** storage *** ****** *** 120 **** **. **** a ******* *** ******* cameras **** ******* ***** 30% ** ** ******* is *** ** ****** and **% *** ** storage. ******* ** * big ******. * ***** pay *** * **** expensive ****** **** ** get * **** *********** mbps."

******, * *** ** those *** **** ******* was *** **** ********* emphasized ***** ******** ************:

  • "****** ** ** ***** about ******* ** **** as ********* ***** ** not ** ****** ** days."
  • "********. *** ** *** fact **** ** *** only ****** ** ** 28 **** ** *** Netherlands *** ******* ***** grows **** ***."
  • "** *** ** **** the ******* *********** **** to * - * months ** **** ********* of *** ***** **** NVR/DVR **** ***** **** interfaces *** ********* **** fewer ****."
  • "***... ***** *********** ****** *** video ********* **** ** 14 ****."

Small *******

********, ***** **** ******* camera ****** ****** *** to ** **** ********* with ******* *****:

  • "*** **** ** ******* has ****** ** **** that *** ******** ***'* much **** **** *** cost ** * ******* switch. ****** ***** *** very ***** *** ******* appliances ******** ** **** don't *** * ***** impact."
  • "** ******* ****** ***** on * ****** ** quite *** ** ** doesn't ****** ** ******** that *****."
  • "** *****'* *** *** attention ****** ** ** an *************** ***** ********."
  • "*******, ******* **** ***'* a **** ****** *** most ** *** ********. We ******* * ******* of *** ** **** application. ******** ** ***'* unusual ** ** ****, using *** ** ****** recording **** ***** *** customers ****** ** ******* and ***** ***** ** win ****."
  • "**** ** * ** 4TB **** ****** *** not ********* ******** ** the **** ** *** systems. **** ** *** NVRs *** **** ** 24TB ******* *******, ******** for ****** ****** *** higher ***** ***** ******* as **** ****** *********."
  • “***'* *** ********** *********** now *** ********** ***** drives (*~***).”

Larger *******

***** *** * ******** who **** **** ****** customers *** *** ***** / ********* ** ****** storage:

  • "**** ******* ***** *********/**********, they **** *** ****** and *** **** ** justified **** * ******** of **** **** **** happen *** *** ** talk **
  • "** ****** *******, *** storage ** **** * minor **** ** **, that ** ***'* ****** fret **** **. 
  • "*** ***** *******, *** very. ****** ******* ******* have ******** ******* ******* that **** ******* ***** IT ******, *** ******** project *******.

*******, ******* **** ***** larger ******* ** ******** storage **** **********:

  • "** ***** *** ******. With *** ********. ***** price ** ****** **% of *** ** ** the **** ******."
  • "** ****** *******, ******* costs *** * ***** factor **** *** ******* customers **** ********* ***********."
  • "******* **** ********* ***** the ***** *** ****, brand **** ******, *** RAID */*, *** *** a ****** *** ******* shocked ***** ** *** work ****** ************ ** get *** ****** **** as *** ** **** can ***** ***** ******* these ********."
  • "****** ****, *** ***/***/** will **** **** ** be *** ****** *** models **** **** **** interfaces *** ** **** more *********."
  • "****, ***** ******* ***** are */* ** ***** NVR ***** *** ** (72TB *** ***).
  • "******** ** ******* ********, but **** ** ****** ones."

Overall ******

*********, ***** ************ ******* costs **** *** ****** irrelevant, ******* *** ******* decrease ** ********* ******* cost ** *** **** decade. *******, ** *** made ******* ***** ********* insignificant ** ******* *********** using **** ******. ** the ***** ****, ****** users, ********** **** ****** retention *****, ***** **** greatly ***** *** **** of ***** ************ *******.

Comments (6)

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | 03/30/15 04:28pm

Another factor complicating the assessment is the fact that long term archival technology options, tape, WORM, has not kept pace with platter densities. There was a time (long ago), when you could easily back up your entire system to helical scan tape or optical media.

Today, even though there has been advances in low-cost optical storage densities (blu-ray), it still would take 120+ Blu-Rays to store a single 6TB hard hard drive. There are of course higher density solutions with automated jukeboxes, but they can be pricey.

So the easiest option is to use drives to backup other drives and use more drives instead of archiving to a long term media. But it gets expensive for the longer retention periods.

Itamar Kerbel

03/31/15 11:58am

Not directly related to this but we advise customer who are willing to invest more in cameras to buy analytic cameras (like the Avigilon H3A) and save a lot on storage.

This does not apply to indoor cameras but for outdoor they save a LOT of storage.

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Itamar Kerbel | 03/31/15 07:35pm

How do the analytics save a LOT of storage? Because of camera side motion detection? Does that save more storage space than server side VMD? Less false alarms because better algorithims capable of ignoring leaves blowing, branches swaying etc?

Or do you mean more sophisticated recording triggers like record only on cross-a-line detection, for example?

Itamar Kerbel

04/01/15 05:55am

In Avigilon at least, the H3A cameras come with motion detection disabled.Avigilon H3A options

You have classified object motion detection which mean that the NVR will record only when Humans or cars are detected.

This means that all other (non interasting) motion detection events are not recorded.

From the cameras we have installed here outside of our office for show we see a great reduction in recrod time as at night there is virtually no recording and at day time its also minimized.

As I wrote this does not apply to indoor cameras as they do not differ much from analytic cameras.

Undisclosed #1

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Itamar Kerbel | 04/01/15 06:11am

...great reduction in record time as at night...

There can also be a great reduction in image quality at night, no?

Are you saying that the analytics ability to classify objects is not diminished by low light?

Have you ever recorded two identical streams at the same time, one with camera-side classified object detection and the other with classic server side motion detection to insure that you are never missing something 'interesting'?

Itamar Kerbel

04/01/15 06:33am

We have done this when we fist installed the camera and done this for customers pilot testing.

The results are:

  1. At night the distance of discovery goes down unless you use good IR lamps to light the area and not rely only on the camera IR.
  2. At night there are some but not many recordings of false events these events are not reported as alarms but are recorded as "motion detection" they are caused mainly by dust particls going too near to the camera and appear large in the picture becuase of the IR replection. These are not alarms since they are too shortto be considered a real person or a car.
Read this IPVM report for free.

This article is part of IPVM's 6,438 reports, 865 tests and is only available to members. To get a one-time preview of our work, enter your work email to access the full article.

Already a member? Login here | Join now

Related Reports

Opgal ThermApp MD Thermal Screening System on Apr 21, 2020
Israeli thermal provider Opgal claims they were first on the market detecting...
PSIM CNL Acquired By Everbridge on Mar 09, 2020
The end has finally come for CNL. Despite for years saying they would...
Hikvision and Uniview Entry Level Thermal Handheld Cameras Tested on Jun 05, 2020
While most screening systems cost $10,000 or more, manufacturers such as...
Sony Exits Branded Video Surveillance Business on Apr 15, 2020
After years of decreasing investment into video surveillance, Sony has now...
Cisco Acquiring Fluidmesh on Apr 09, 2020
Cisco announced it is acquiring niche wireless manufacturer...
OnSSI Founders Return, Start Corsight on May 25, 2020
The OnSSI founders are back, less than 2 years after selling OnSSI to...
The Next Hot Fever Detection Trend - $100 Wall-Mounted Units on Jul 06, 2020
The first wave of the booming fever detecting market was $10,000+ cameras,...
HID Presents Signo on Apr 23, 2020
HID Global presented their new Signo readers they claim read farther and...
New: Mobile Access Proxy Releases 'World's Smallest Mobile Reader' on Mar 04, 2020
Mobile access provider Proxy claims its new Nano is 'the world’s smallest...
Fever Camera Sales From Integrators Surveyed on Jun 01, 2020
Fever cameras are the hottest trend in video surveillance currently but how...
Sperry West / Alibaba Tablet Temperature Measurement Tested on Jul 07, 2020
In April, we ordered a ~$500 temperature tablet from Alibaba. We set it to...
IronYun AI Analytics Tested on Feb 17, 2020
Taiwan / US startup IronYun has raised tens of millions for its "mission to...
Embedded Logix Thermal Temperature Detection System Examined on Apr 08, 2020
Embedded Logix has been producing thermal temperature measurement systems for...
Free IPVM All Access - Concluded! on Mar 18, 2020
The 2-day event has concluded. Thanks to everyone who accessed the IPVM...
Bosch Dropping Dahua on Feb 13, 2020
Bosch has confirmed to IPVM that it is in the process of dropping Dahua, over...

Recent Reports

Dangerous Hikvision Fever Camera Showcased by Chilean City on Aug 07, 2020
Deploying a fever camera outdoors, in the rain, with no black body, is...
"Grand Slam" For Pelco's PE Firm, A Risk For Motorola on Aug 07, 2020
The word "Pelco" and "grand slam" have not been said together for many years....
FLIR Stock Falls, Admits 'Decelerating' Demand For Temperature Screening on Aug 07, 2020
Is the boom going to bust for temperature screening? FLIR disappointed...
VSaaS Will Hurt Integrators on Aug 06, 2020
VSaaS will hurt integrators, there is no question about that. How much...
Dogs For Coronavirus Screening Examined on Aug 06, 2020
While thermal temperature screening is the surveillance industry's most...
ADT Slides Back, Disappointing Results, Poor Commercial Performance on Aug 06, 2020
While ADT had an incredible start to the week, driven by the Google...
AHJ / Authority Having Jurisdiction Tutorial on Aug 06, 2020
One of the most powerful yet often underappreciated characters in all of the...
SIA Coaches Sellers on NDAA 889B Blacklist Workarounds on Aug 05, 2020
Last month SIA demanded that NDAA 899B "must be delayed". Now that they have...
ADI Returns To Growth, Back To 'Pre-COVID Levels' on Aug 05, 2020
While ADI was hit hard in April, with revenue declining 21%, the company's...
Exposing Fever Tablet Suppliers and 40+ Relabelers on Aug 05, 2020
IPVM has found 40+ USA and EU companies relabeling fever tablets designed,...
Indian Government Restricts PRC Manufacturers From Public Projects on Aug 04, 2020
In a move that mirrors the U.S. government’s ban on Dahua and Hikvision...
Directory of 201 "Fever" Camera Suppliers on Aug 04, 2020
This directory provides a list of "Fever" scanning thermal camera providers...
Face Masks Increase Face Recognition Errors Says NIST on Aug 04, 2020
COVID-19 has led to widespread facemask use, which as IPVM testing has shown...
Dahua Loses Australian Medical Device Approval on Aug 04, 2020
Dahua has cancelled its medical device registration after "discussions" with...
Google Invests in ADT, ADT Stock Soars on Aug 03, 2020
Google has announced a $450 million investment in the Florida-based security...