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Living on the edge…

Edge storage has many benefits to offer the customer. In this article MJ Oosthuizen takes us through a few of them, explaining why edge storage is becoming common in more IP cameras than ever before.

With the increasingly rapid introduction of multi-and-megapixel cameras into the CCTV industry, the demand for storage is rising, but in many cases places the solution out of reach of the client’s financial ability. Clients start with a request for 30 days storage at maximum resolution and frame rate, and then scale it down to an acceptable frame rate and resolution combination that will allow affordable storage, and in many cases losing the true ability the high resolution the camera offers.

However, the consumer industry, with the same demand for high definition to capture those special family Kodak moments, have steered the IP camera manufacturers to add edge-based recording to their devices. This provides a great advantage for smaller applications where archiving of critical alarms is needed to be removed from a short-term storage solution, or where limitations on reliable infrastructure are present. The game changer for edge-based recording is the storing of high frame rate HD video images, which is increasingly becoming easier to obtain and less expensive. Some SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) cards now offer 250 MB/s write speeds at 64 GB in size, and if your device supports this, offers the capability of utilising the full capacity of the camera you invested in.

However, one of the main factors to keep in mind when looking at an edge storage solution is that it should not be your primary recording medium. Edge and its main purpose is for redundancy and incremental usage. Continuous recording to edge based media (currently) available is not a long-term recording solution.

Edge storage on an IP CCTV camera is now an almost standard feature on all devices (or it should be), but let’s have a brief look at the drivers behind this feature gaining ground in the last few years.

SD card capacity

Even when recording at HD 720p resolution at maximum frame rate, it is possible to store between five to seven days of video, assuming the focal area and other filters are properly configured, onto a 64 GB card. With this in mind, you now have the ability for archiving periodically or on triggered events, even going so far on an integrated device to back up known and configured incidents to your central management system or storage solution.

Low or no bandwidth

Simple math tells us higher resolution video means increased demand for bandwidth and the unfortunate reality is that this demand is simply not always available. Edge-based recording offers a realistic solution in these low or no bandwidth scenarios. The user is now able to stream the images from the device through a sub stream utilising low bandwidth, while still enjoying the higher resolution recording onto the local edge storage. The recorded footage can be easily retrieved from the SD card following incidents which demand further investigation.

Redundant (and even fail-over) recording, allows images to be temporarily stored in the camera in case of network failure. Keeping future cloud solutions in mind, this is a natural feature in any IP camera manufacturer’s design. This adds resilience to mission-critical security systems. Through full integration, central video management systems can access the edge storage device to retrieve critical footage or events where and when required.

Incremental and short-term storage of events is the main benefactor of adding an SD card to your device.

Distributed architecture

Taking smaller applications into consideration, like the corner pub or small franchises where centralised security management may not be practical or even desirable, local fitted SD cards can allow a limited few days of storage to be kept on site for investigative events. Simultaneously, centralised connectivity from a monitoring point of view can be done to review these events, as long-term video footage is not required.

On the ground

Remote applications where satellite or cellular based connectivity is used for periodic centralisation of recordings for backup and archiving purposes – either for post-event analysis or simply reviewing events, makes edge storage a natural option for the client.

Ultimately what makes edge storage so simple, is that the integrator and end user have access to add storage at any given time through the retail availability of the SD cards. Look at the specification of your next device purchase and consider have the flexibility of the edge advantage.

Platform on the edge

One final consideration is how you can be sure your product purchase is future proof. Many third-party VMS platforms are looking at introducing or already offering edge recording, as previously mentioned for fail-over. The only even playing field method is using ONVIF as a common ground platform. VMS platforms such as Genetec offer what they call 'Video Trickling'. Milestone Corporate also has similar functions, but currently this option is available only via a handful of particular manufacturer cameras.

Again, be sure your device does meet these requirements for utilisation of edge recording. A word of advice, as software providers increase their support, invest in investigating the features on your device as this will save that valuable spare change in your pocket in the longer term. With CCTV being something most people wish to keep for a period of a couple of years, the ability of the camera to assist with storage (and more so those important events) will assist in your expansion on storage offerings down the line, not forgetting the mighty backbone it depends on.

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