While influencers on social media might encourage us to get rid of anything that doesn’t nourish the soul, security integrators and businesses don’t always have that luxury, especially when collecting security video footage. Businesses need to have ready access to high resolution footage at a moment’s notice, and because they don’t know when an incident might occur, the cameras are always running, and the video is always being collected.

That doesn’t mean, however, that data storage means massive space, bandwidth and expense, even as resolution gets higher and cameras become more prevalent. Integrators have options for video storage based on specific needs, and businesses can tailor their storage to their requirements.

The ABCs of Video Storage

The category of video storage is generally determined by the physical location where the storage is located. Therefore, the choice of storage for a given installation depends on the type of deployment and the organization’s operational needs, explains Rui Barbosa, category manager for surveillance products, i-PRO Americas, Houston.

While the breakdown of storage categories might vary slightly depending on who is describing them, the four general categories are as follows:

• On-premise storage — All video is stored on site on NVRs or DVRs, or in larger-scale SAN and NAS systems.
• Cloud storage — Storage is hosted in data centers by solution providers such as AWS or Microsoft Azure, as well as specialist companies like Wasabi.
• Hybrid storage — This method combines aspects of on-premise and cloud storage.
• Edge storage — High-capacity SD cards embedded in the camera store footage at the camera itself, eliminating the need for large storage equipment.

On-premises storage provides organizations with full control over their video data, offering low latency and eliminating reliance on internet connectivity. “It’s often preferred in environments where data sovereignty, performance or privacy are critical such as banking, government, or large corporate campuses,” Barbosa says. “However, it comes with higher capital expenditure (CAPEX) costs up front and ongoing maintenance responsibilities.”

Cloud storage has become increasingly popular for those seeking to shift expenses from CAPEX to operational expenditures (OPEX), Barbosa explains. “Utilizing the cloud can bring benefits to large organizations with distributed sites that want a single point of access. Likewise, small companies benefit from lowered costs of entry, minimum infrastructure investment and scalability.” Despite these advantages, it is important to note that cloud-based video storage requires reliable high-speed connectivity and raises considerations around bandwidth consumption, latency and data residency compliance.

Hybrid storage combines the benefits of local and cloud storage by keeping high-resolution or frequently accessed footage on-site, while archiving event-based or lower-resolution footage in the cloud. “This tiered approach can offer greater flexibility, redundancy and cost management,” Barbosa says.

Edge storage involves capturing and processing video directly on the recording device, such as a smart camera or edge gateway, describes Michael Poe, director of product management, 3xLOGIC, Fishers, Ind. “This solution is well-suited for environments like retail, education, or distributed enterprise operations where bandwidth savings and fast processing are crucial.” Edge storage can be limited by the relatively small onboard storage capacities compared with centralized solutions; as well, Poe warns, “managing distributed devices across many sites can be complex, and high-performance edge devices with advanced analytics may work out as more expensive.”

Trends in Video Storage

It should come as no surprise that cloud storage is on the rise and continuing to gain traction, especially among organizations with distributed sites, limited IT resources or those looking to shift capital expenses to operational ones. “By offloading video data to the cloud, customers benefit from scalability, simplified disaster recovery and the ability to access video remotely from any location,” Barbosa says.

Some factors that might be an impediment to cloud storage adoption are limited infrastructure or the overheads of recurring billing. Due to these factors, Poe says, “hybrid deployments are becoming increasingly attractive, especially for existing installations where the goal is not to forklift entire systems but rather to enhance and provide additional protection or redundancy.” Of course, there will always be some installations that require on-premise infrastructure. DVRs may be being phased out for many, but they will maintain some niche relevance depending on the use case.

Aaron Saks, director of sales enablement, Hanwha Vision America, Teaneck, N. J. agrees, explaining that while DVRs and NVRs have fallen out of favor in large-scale environments, in small locations — eight- or 16-camera setups — DVRs are still a smart choice. “For example,” he says, “local retailers or coffee shops often want a ‘set-it-and-forget-it’ system with minimal daily interaction, maybe just a monitor behind the register or in the office.”

Another trend is the constant increase in storage density. Satish Raj, chief technology officer, Pro-Vigil, San Antonio, Texas, points out that storage density allows storage and memory costs to become more competitive. “With modern technology you can pack more terabits into the same disk, which helps with cost per terabit reduction,” he says, “Additionally, this helps in terms of consolidating more video storage into one box, which eliminates the need for multiple devices or NVRs at the edge.” One factor significantly contributing to this storage density is AI’s contribution to video storage (see sidebar AI in Video Storage).

Lastly, one of the biggest trends is the move to solid state storage, which has no moving parts, making it less volatile. This tracks with Moore’s law, which asserts that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles every two years, increasing computing power while decreasing cost. Raj points out that solid state storage has been decreasing in cost while storage density has been increasing.

Position Yourself for Success

With various storage options available, there is no one-size-fits-all approach; each case is unique, and many dynamics, such as business size, budget, security levels and more, must factor in to designing and maintaining security systems. “Integrators should carefully plan for storage capacity, recording modes and future growth,” Saks says. “It’s also important to match your VMS’s recording throughput with your servers’ capabilities. Determine how much storage you need first and then plan your recording method.”

Barbosa adds that storage becomes a crucial factor in determining the success of an installation, particularly in sectors such as education, healthcare and law enforcement. With that in mind, he advises, “Integrators must prioritize storage solutions that offer encryption at rest and in transit, support for zero-trust architectures and secure remote access.” Having a handle on these options and trends is essential for integrators looking to design storage strategies that are not only robust and scalable but also futureproof, he says.

Poe agrees, advising integrators to start with a thorough review of their customer’s operational needs, budget constraints and network security requirements. “There is no universal solution — success comes from selecting the right mix of storage technologies that align with business priorities and infrastructure capabilities.”

Certainly, integrators must consider a cloud strategy. “It is definitely worth putting together a comprehensive cloud strategy that is forward looking multiple years down the road,” Raj says. “There are also multiple tiers of storage that you can set up based on how much you’re going to access the video versus how long you’re going to store it, but those strategies need to be carefully designed because if you put something out there and then you access it a lot, it’s actually more expensive.” Overall, it’s important to consider a cloud strategy, Raj maintains, because it’s the easiest way to scale up and down.

Raj also advises, regarding the trend toward solid state drives, that integrators must establish a roadmap, especially if they are planning on multi-year installations. “This allows integrators to plan for if the customer requirement will grow or if cameras are going to be replaced or the resolution increased, as all of that requires additional storage and advanced storage strategy.”

Saks agrees, adding, “Don’t calculate for exactly your current need. What if you add cameras or increase resolution later? Build in headroom for upgrades; it extends the system’s lifespan.” Saks also points out the dangers of trusting consumer-grade SD cards rather than industrial grade cards. “While both have the same form factor, consumer cards are much more prone to failure than industrial-related cards, given the 24/7 recording requirements,” he says. “With edge recording, you might not know a card has failed until you’ve lost the footage.” Saks recommends industrial-rated SD cards, which offer longer life spans, wider temperature tolerances and greater durability.