What Every IT Integrator Ought To Know About Video Storage

By Mike Dixon, national sales manager, video solutions, Panasonic

What is the most significant trend in video storage that integrators should be aware of? Why?
Video storage has evolved in a number of directions, offering users a multitude of choices. While the HDD (hard disk drive) continues to be the gold standard used by most manufacturers, the storage capacity and speed of HDD products have significantly increased. In addition to the centralized storage provided by HDDs, many IP cameras provide additional storage at the edge via an SD card in the camera. The newest emerging option for IP network storage is the cloud, also known as SaaS (storage as a service), whereby video storage is provided as a service over the Internet by companies using massive data centers around the world that provide unlimited capacity and 24/7 access.

What challenges will integrators new to video surveillance face when implementing video storage solutions? How can they overcome these challenges?
For integrators offering cloud storage, a challenge will be to assess the costs of traditional storage (HDD, SD) technologies versus the costs of next-generation cloud services. As more security professionals embrace the cloud, they will need to become well-educated on the cost/benefit balance cloud services provide.