Benefits of using Edge Storage

Edge Storage provides a range of benefits when used in different scenarios:

  • Increased fault tolerance in all types of installations

  • Conserve bandwidth on the network or Internet connection in periods where other traffic should be prioritized by postponing retrieval of the recordings to off-peak hours

  • In scenarios where there is limited bandwidth available from the camera, video can be recorded in a higher quality compared to streaming the video continuously and letting the recording server choose what to record

  • Using SVQR, recordings can initially be done in low quality in the VMS, while still allowing users to retrieve high quality recordings later if needed

Installations with cameras on wireless or public connections
When cameras are connected to the surveillance system over a public network like the Internet or a potentially unstable network like wireless, recording servers might experience a lost connection to the camera from time to time. In this situation, Edge Storage is an ideal solution to ensure recording are not lost, as the camera will record to the Edge Storage autonomously. Once the connection is restored, recordings will be transferred to the recording server, thus ensuring continuous recording of video even over an unstable network.

Larger installations with failover recording servers
In large installations, failover recording servers normally handle the task of ensuring continuous video surveillance. They can take over for standard recording servers in times of failure. In such a setup, a small gap in the recordings will be seen due to the time it takes for the failover recording server to take over from the normal recording servers.

However, this gap can be covered by using Edge Storage in the cameras. The system will know which period was not covered by either the recording server or the failover recording servers, and therefore retrieve the missing recordings from the camera’s Edge Storage.

Smaller installations without failover recording servers
In smaller installations that are not monitored live, Edge Storage can be a good substitute compared to a dedicated failover recording server, as the result is similar, once the user plays back the recordings. Furthermore, it can also be a cost-effective solution as the cost of an extra server dedicated to function as a failover recording server can be saved.

Installations that want to transfer recordings on events or by user request
In installations with distributed cameras, where video should be recorded only in rare cases, it is desirable that the camera does not load the network by continuously sending video to the central recording servers.

In these installations, Edge Storage can be used for an initial recording in the camera’s Edge Storage, and later the recording can be retrieved by the recording servers when needed by the VMS or a user.

Installations that want to conserve bandwidth during business hours
In installations where cameras for instance are installed in a series of small shops or kiosks, and are recorded and managed from a central office, the Internet connection for each shop or kiosk may not be reserved for just the camera streams, but also be needed for business-critical data during business hours.

In these kinds of installations, it is desirable that the internet bandwidth is reserved for business communication in the business hours, and not used for continuously sending video to the centrally placed recording servers. Here Edge Storage can be used to initially record the video in the camera’s Edge Storage, thus removing the load on the internet connection during business hours. The video recorded in the camera’s Edge Storage can then be retrieved to the central recording servers at night or outside of business hours.

Installations with limited and/or costly bandwidth
In transportation installations there might be limited bandwidth available from the vehicle to the recording server while the vehicle is in operation, or it could be costly to use the bandwidth that is available.

In these cases, SVQR can be used to provide a constant low-quality video stream directly from the vehicle for live viewing and for being recorded in the recording server. This allows users to view what is happening in the vehicle in real-time, and to play back low-quality recordings to review or investigate incidents. Since a low-quality video stream requires less bandwidth, bandwidth and costs are saved. When an investigation or an evidence export is required, the high-quality recordings can be retrieved from the camera’s Edge Storage on demand once the vehicle has better access to faster or cheaper bandwidth.