As I watch the continued dynamic growth of business-generated data, it’s difficult not to be amazed at the variety of solutions that enable the use and management of all this new-found information. In the context of this information explosion, many agree that the most effective approaches to data storage are those that deliver reliable, flexible, secure, scalable and affordable solutions, management and processing for a wide array of deployments and applications.

With organizations beginning to leverage video surveillance data into actionable business intelligence, data security, redundancy and the need to ensure high availability are driving business uses of Network Attached Storage (NAS) and cloud-based applications. Let’s explore how to manage and store hosted video, discussing and evaluating cost-effective solutions through the storage model for hosted video surveillance solutions.

The switch from legacy to future-proof

What is driving the switch from legacy CCTV and analog systems to video data?

Security professionals cite the almost exponential explosion of data, increasing data volumes and detail of information captured as opportunities for security installers, channel companies and manufacturers to upgrade end-user clients to innovative, future-proof access and storage solutions. In some industries, regulatory and legal requirements mandate that businesses retain secure customer information – including surveillance video – for prolonged periods of time.

Many organizations continue to use tape, hard drives and traditional digital video recorders (DVRs) or a basic server for their storage needs. Though this storage option can seem less expensive, the data is not secure, and rotating and backing it up can be a struggle.

Hosted Video Surveillance Solution (HVSS)

Seeking options for storing, managing, accessing, securing and sharing information, end-user organizations rely on the installation community to provide storage solutions that make their business operations more efficient.

For optimum cost savings without losing performance, capacity or security, a Hosted Video Surveillance Solution with cloud storage technology delivers what most businesses need. Convenient and functional, users can record and store high-definition (HD) video locally while also economically accessing standard resolution video data stored securely in the cloud, anytime and anywhere via a web-enabled device.

Reducing the initial investment by using a scalable and flexible architecture with low monthly operating expenses, this hybrid approach leverages the advantages of the cloud to deliver cost savings. The ubiquity of browser-based video management solutions (VMS) ensures fast, efficient and reliable recording of video surveillance files to a network storage device.

Cloud solutions for hosted video address the need for expanded capacity, global access and accommodation of systems already in place. The cloud provider handles system maintenance and upgrades on the back-end, allowing for a full-featured, yet easy-to-use, end-user system.

Remote and branch offices, like retailers, bank branches, franchisees and other small businesses represent the sweet spot for client prospects for Hosted Video Surveillance Solutions. The inherent scalable architecture and low monthly operating expenses appeal to rapidly growing companies with limited (or no) IT or security resources, eager to leapfrog to cloud-based solutions as a cost-effective technology.

External cloud-based storage platforms complement NVRs by decreasing on-site security vulnerabilities while enabling users to record, store and access HD video locally on the NVR.

Network Attached Storage

To prevent the loss of critical recording and an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to protect against power outages, end-users would typically augment their hosted solutions with low-cost, local network attached storage (NAS).

Popular user features on market-available network storage devices include high-capacity storage that is expandable per device, remote access, support for universal plug-and-play camera recognition and management, RAID protection against hard drive failure and loss of data, device-to-device replication, small to large camera count support and cloud backup options using a service provider.

Larger-capacity network storage devices are ideal for distributed enterprises or offices with multiple entryways that require more than a few IP cameras, as they support higher camera counts. The hybrid HVSS model enables a user to locally store HD files for prompt retrieval and review of incidents. In this case, network storage devices would be in the approximate price range of $1,000 for a 4TB unit.

Many NAS devices can expand up to 48TB or more, enabling storage capacity to scale up with business needs rather than continually having to add storage capacity with supplemental USB hard drives.

Video monitoring and smart storage solutions, embedded into many leading storage options, eliminate the need for separate PCs/servers, operating systems and VMS applications. NAS can serve as an entry-point to the cloud to offsite data archive and back up, with integrated applications included on many leading NAS devices for popular cloud services such as Amazon and Mozy.

Today’s storage technology alternatives are addressing the data explosion by creating new and improved options for keeping video surveillance overhead low with flexible, efficient and scalable methods of storing and accessing corporate data in an on-demand environment. For a broad scope of businesses, an HVSS with network storage is a clear favorite to promote business intelligence within a reasonable budget. To evolve with increasingly higher levels of availability, security, scalability, performance and capacity, video surveillance users can future-proof their system with today’s data storage and management capabilities.