Page 44 - Security Today, September/October 2022

IP CAMERAS
needed is paramount.
The difference between filming 10 frames per second versus 30
frames does not sound like much but a lot of fast action can oc- cur in those unrecorded moments. Desktop drives were intended for PCs and were not built to labor non-stop for 24 hours, seven days a week — the typical requirement for security systems.
The best advice is to buy the cameras, drives, recorders and other gear that best serves the need. Storing video taken from 30 cameras, complete with analytics data, on a drive not designed to handle that kind of workload could result in lost pixels, missed frames or worse. It could burn out a drive.
Too much may hang in the balance. A dropped frame at just the wrong moment could diminish an evidence file or mean the difference between a lawsuit or not.
PLAN FOR SCALE AND GROWTH
When choosing equipment, focus on reliability first. Make sure to choose hard drives that are surveillance-grade and built for 24x7 operation. Compare annualized failure rates. Ensure that work- load, or the amount of data transferred to and from the hard drive is sufficient to support the video sent from the camera.
Remember that many of these advanced systems contain graphics processing units and other components that draw a lot of heat. Too much heat can damage a system, so search for ener-
gy-efficient drives, recorders and servers that reduce heat as well as help cut operating costs. Check that your supplier backs their product with a 3-year or 5-year limited warranty.
Modern video recorders must also handle concurrent incom- ing video and analytic data from multiple cameras at the same time. Look for purpose-built surveillance drives that can support up to 64HD streams or 32HD plus auxiliary, AI and video meta- data streams.
In addition, a drive should have firmware that is optimized to reduce dropped video frames and improve overall video playback. Lastly, when investing in a new security system, plan for the
scaling of your company. IT teams have become bigger contribu- tors to security departments in recent years and they have a good understanding of the importance of provisioning.
We advise working with them to create a plan for growth; one that enables you to easily upgrade your camera technology and storage capacity when the time comes.
Consider that retention and analytics infor- mation is likely to continue to proliferate and you want a system that adapts to sometimes very complex changes.
Brian Mallari is the director of segment mar- keting at Western Digital.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 | SECURITY TODAY 6/30/22 6:34 PM