Pie-in-the-sky off-site storage

Charlie R. Pierce

(Editor's Note: This article first appeared in GSN's "Essential Guide to Video Surveillance," which accompanied our September 2010 print issue.)

It was in the early 1990’s that many started examining the possibilities of using the Internet for sending video images from one point to another. But, as with all great ideas that are approached too soon, it was all “Pie-in-the-Sky.”

Today is a different story…we are 20 years further down the long march, and we’re able to take a new look at all of the possibilities that are within our grasp. The idea of sending a video image across airwaves is perfected to the point that any two people with an iPhone 4 can actually have face-to-face conversations. It is relatively simple technology that anyone can learn to whatever degree is necessary. However, it is very important, that those organizations looking to become involved in cloud technology have a basic understanding of the language, advantages and potential pitfalls of the different programs that are available.

One of the largest expenses in every analog and digital head-end design is on-site storage. Cloud technology offers potentially cost effective video storage for your long or short-term video images. Granted, on-site storage costs are coming down quickly, but off-site storage offers a whole new level of affordable sophistication to your archived or active video information. For one thing, off-site storage systems can be made available to any of your key people for review, download or uploading, 24/7, from any PC connected to the Internet.

Off-site storage can be purchased in blocks that have the ability to expand upon request. On-site storage is what it is, when you purchase it. System expansion requires the purchase of compatible equipment, which can be costly. If you have the opportunity to cut back on your system, you might end up with a whole lot of excess equipment. A current client will have an excess of 700 DVRs and nowhere to store them or ship them. However, in 10 years, their new system will still be active, current and available to expand or cut back, through cloud technology.

The key to determining if you have the ability to take advantage of an off-site storage facility is to look at your current Internet access capability. Evaluate in particular your upload speeds. Too slow? Not necessarily a real problem. Today’s business cable lines are faster than a T1 line for about one-third of the cost. Limited access due to network activity? This could still be a problem, except you schedule your system to automatically upload at off-hours. It is my recommendation that you always have the ability to store a minimum of five days of video on-site. This will cover you if there are interruptions in your cable system. But otherwise, off-site storage can be a very affordable method of storing long-term, bulky video for easy access and guaranteed crash support.

A simple application that the government and some legal experts are just discovering is the prospect of digital support or digital visual evidence. In the old days, the law required that an original VHS tape be maintained to prove the accuracy of image. Challenges commonly arose with how and where the tape was stored, and for how long. Magnetic information on a “tape” can only remain pristine for so long. The amount of evidence that has been lost, damaged, tampered with or destroyed through ignorance of the technology is staggering. So, off-site, tier level four secured storage systems are being developed for digital storage of evidence. With digital video, every copy is the original. Cloud technology is making the technology affordable and making long-term storage of such important materials a reality.

Know what your full expense portfolio is going to be before you just jump into cloud technology. Crunch the numbers and compare. Don’t forget the cost of the wireless or hardwire systems that provide your Internet connections. Verify the equipment’s protocol. Think about the upfront cost of the black box and what features you require. If you are anticipating a major investment, test the technologies before you make a purchase. Don’t just look at images on the Internet as your demonstration. These can be very misleading. Keep your eye on the overall quality of the net product.