Server components

Management server

The management server is the central VMS component. It handles the system configuration, distributes the system configuration to other system components, such as the recording servers, and facilitates user authentication.

The system configuration is stored in an SQL database on a standard Microsoft SQL Server installed on either the management server itself or on a separate dedicated server.

Failover management server

You can get failover support on the management server by installing the management server in a Microsoft windows cluster. The cluster ensures that another server takes over the management server function in case the first server fails.

Recording server

The recording server is responsible for all communication, recording, and event handling related to devices such as cameras, video and audio encoders, I/O modules, and metadata sources. Examples of actions the recording server handles:

  • Retrieve video, audio, metadata and I/O event streams from the devices
  • Record video, audio and metadata from devices
  • Provide operators with access to live and recorded video, audio and metadata
  • Provide operators with access to device status
  • Trigger system and video events on device failures or events
  • Perform motion detection and generate smart search metadata

The recording server is also responsible for communicating with other Milestone products when using the Milestone Interconnect™ technology. For more information, see Milestone Interconnect.

Failover recording server

The failover recording server is responsible for taking over the recording task in case a recording server fails.

The failover recording server operates in two modes:

  1. Standard failover, for monitoring multiple recording servers
  2. Hot standby, for monitoring a single recording server

Media database

The system stores the retrieved video, audio and metadata in the customized high performance Milestone media database which is optimized for recording and storing audio and video data.

The media database supports various unique features including multistage archiving, video grooming, encryption and adding a digital signature to the recordings.

Event server

The event server handles the tasks related to events, alarms, maps and third-party integrations via the Milestone Integration Platform.

Events:

  • All system events are consolidated in the event server so there is a single place and interface for partners to make integrations that use system events
  • The event server offers third-party access for sending events to the system via the Generic events or Analytics events interface

Alarms:

  • The event server hosts the alarm feature, alarm logic, alarm state and handling of the alarm database. The alarm database is stored in the same SQL database as the management server uses

Maps:

  • The event server also hosts maps. You configure and use maps in the XProtect Smart Client

Milestone Integration Platform:

  • You can install third-party developed plug-ins on the event server and utilize access to system events

You can get failover support on the event server by installing the event server in a Microsoft Windows Cluster. The cluster ensures that another server takes over the event server function in case the first server fails.

Log server

The log server is responsible for storing all log messages for the entire system. The log server typically uses the same SQL Server as the management server but has its own SQL database. Log server is also typically installed on the same server as the management server. If you need to increase the performance of the management server or log server, you can install the log server on a separate server and use a separate SQL Server.

The system can through the log server write three types of log messages:

  • System logs: the system administrator can choose to log errors, warnings, and information, or a combination of these. The default is to log errors only
  • Audit logs: the system administrator can choose to log user activity in clients in addition to login and administration logs
  • Rule-triggered logs: the system administrator can use the rule log to create logs on specific events

SQL Server

The management server, the event server and the log server use SQL databases on one or two SQL Server installations to store, for example, configuration, alarms, events and log messages.

The Milestone XProtect installer includes Microsoft SQL Server Express which is free edition of SQL Server.

For very large systems or systems with many transactions to and from the SQL databases, Milestone recommends that you use a Microsoft® SQL Server® Standard or Microsoft® SQL Server® Enterprise edition of the SQL Server on a dedicated computer on the network and on a dedicated hard disk drive that is not used for other purposes. Installing the SQL Server on its own drive improves the entire system performance.

Mobile server

XProtect Mobile server handles logins to the system from XProtect Mobile client or XProtect Web Client.

A XProtect Mobile server distributes video streams from recording servers to XProtect Mobile client or XProtect Web Client. This offers a secure setup where recording servers are never connected to the Internet. When a XProtect Mobile server receives video streams from recording servers, it also handles the complex conversion of codecs and formats allowing streaming of video on the mobile device.