Surveillance storage: The growing demand

As surveillance systems grow lager in scale and become accessible via the Internet, resolution improves by leaps and bounds, and video is stored for ever-longer periods, both hardware and software developers are busy working on next-generation data storage and management. The worldwide market for NVRs (including management software) was estimated at US$220 million in 2006, and is expected to reach $1 billon by 2011.

Felicitous blend of technologies
Although network video surveillance has yet to dominate the current surveillance market, it certainly has great potential. While nearly 70 percent of all systems deployed today are DVR-based, we see an increasing number of customers opt for IP-based cameras and technology, more comprehensive IP-based products enable more end users to adopt IP-based solutions, , users can see the value of this new technology, which further enhances market uptake of IP surveillance. Recent breakthroughs include megapixel cameras, intelligent analytics and management, remote surveillance, system integration and large storage capacity, making IP-based storage a must.

                Traditional CCTV solutions require personnel to watch over monitors at all times and are not always effective. IP-based systems with powerful management software can enhance overall security, either automatically or on command. Remote surveillance, control and management via the network are some of the technologies most in demand today. Software engines such as video lifecycle management allow systems to be scalable in size and can flexibly manage stored video footage. High-resolution cameras also positively affect and stimulate the uptake of NVRs and hybrid DVRs. Since H.264 compression is the current trend in IP surveillance, manufacturers are obviously positioning themselves to support H.264 this year or early next year, particularly when camera vendors .

                Easy integration is another bonus that facilitates adoption of IP-based storage. Some manufacturers are promoting integration with their analytics software, when video surveillance is integrated with access control, alarm contacts, door locks and so forth, a facility becomes intelligent as if it had a life of its own. Analytic add-ons such as license plate recognition, motion detection or other algorithms can add strong market value to the system. Functions like people and vehicle counting provide secondary values for organizations doing traffic studies or for marketing research, if components can’t be fully compatible with one another, many capabilities might be lost. To accommodate the s e new functions, more storage capacity will be required. One common phenomenon in the industry is that you don’t always know exactly how much storage is actually needed by the camera until it’s put to use.Protective features, such as redundant power supply, hot swap, fiber channel and RAID, are also important developments that keep recorded data secure.

Applications at a glance:
Applications of NVRs and hybrid DVRs vary; large-scale verticals such as homeland security, city surveillance, transportation and gaming are currently on many vendors’ radars. Sites with large numbers of cameras — such as casinos, prisons, airports — are very good candidates for external storage, smaller sectors like retail can reap benefits from value-added functions such as point-of-sales (PoS) integration. Not only is it a surveillance application tool, but it’s also an employee management tool, customer service tool and marketing tool, remote and wireless capabilities are key features in NVRs. Regardless of cost, NVRs will be the better choice for many applications. Sectors such as education, commercial, airports and seaport are also interested in IP surveillance because they consider the migration to IP-based systems an investment for the future. Not everyone is on the same wavelength, though. Some small to medium businesses might view network surveillance as an expensive and not necessary investment. Hayfield observes that the retail vertical is among the most competitive in terms of pricing, with many smaller, independent retailers still choosing cheap DVRs and analog cameras.

Selection criteria: 
When selecting NVRs, one should make sure that the system is scalable, flexible, reliable and open, with high return on investment. Failsafe features and redundancy strategies are important considerations for choosing NVRs. Users should also be clear in their own minds as to what real operational problems (like incident investigation and provision of evidence) they expect to be solved before making final selection and deployment decisions. When it comes to storage selection, it is all about reliability and performance. Things that spin tend to fail. So you need stable components to keep the system running in all conditions at all times. Hidden cost is another issue, as the number of NVR requirements increases, customers need to make sure they are protected from hidden incremental costs associated with licenses for operating systems, security software and IT management resources for each and every server. NVRs are capable of many things, but not everyone needs all of them, Cheng cautioned. Finding an experienced installer with a strong IP background is vital; choosing the right installer also helps make system maintenance easier.