Retention & Storage Sizing
Surveillance projects fail when storage is sized as a guess. Retention is driven by resolution, frame rate, codec efficiency, scene motion, and how analytics are configured. This service is built to prevent surprise costs and evidence gaps by sizing storage to your target retention window and documenting the tradeoffs before you buy.
What Retention Sizing Solves
Avoid surprise storage upgrades
Many systems record only a fraction of the expected days once installed. We size storage against real recording drivers so retention holds up.
Match retention to policy and risk
Retention should reflect incident discovery timelines, insurance expectations, and compliance policies. We help define a target that is defensible.
Control bandwidth and storage tradeoffs
Higher resolution and higher frame rates cost retention. We document where quality matters and where tuning can recover days without harming outcomes.
Right-size NVR and drive configuration
We align channel count, throughput needs, and capacity so the recorder is not only large enough, but operationally stable.
How Retention Is Actually Calculated
Retention is not a fixed number. It is the result of bitrate multiplied by time across all cameras. Bitrate is influenced by resolution, frame rate, codec, compression settings, scene complexity, and recording mode.
Resolution and frame rate
Higher resolution and higher frame rates increase bitrate. Doubling resolution rarely doubles storage; motion and compression behavior often push it higher.
Codec and compression profile
H.265 can materially reduce storage compared to H.264 at comparable quality, but tuning must preserve evidence detail in the scenes that matter.
Scene motion and activity levels
High-traffic entrances, docks, and production floors consume more storage than quiet corridors. Motion assumptions must reflect the real environment.
Recording mode
Continuous recording provides completeness. Motion-only reduces storage but requires careful tuning and can miss context if rules are wrong.
Inputs We Use to Size Retention
We can size storage from a proposed camera list or an existing deployment. If exact values are unknown, we can use conservative assumptions and document them.
Camera plan details
- Camera count and model class (fixed, varifocal, multi-sensor)
- Resolution and frame rate targets
- Indoor vs outdoor split and lighting conditions
- Any special zones that require higher quality
Recording behavior
- Continuous, motion, or scheduled recording
- Codec target (H.264/H.265) if known
- Expected scene motion (low, medium, high)
- Analytics that may change motion/bitrate
Retention requirements
- Target retention window (days)
- Policy or compliance requirements, if any
- Evidence export expectations
- Growth expectations over time
Infrastructure constraints
- Recorder location and environment
- Network constraints and remote viewing needs
- Any preferred recorder platform
- Budget guardrails that affect tradeoffs
What You Receive
Retention sizing summary
A clear output that ties camera count and settings to expected storage consumption and a retention estimate against your target window.
Tradeoff recommendations
Guidance on where lowering frame rate, adjusting resolution, or changing recording mode can recover days of retention without harming investigation outcomes.
Recorder and capacity guidance
Recommendations for NVR channel class and storage capacity range that matches your retention target and leaves reasonable headroom.
Assumptions documented
If exact settings are not known, we document the assumptions used so your team can validate and update the sizing as the design finalizes.
When This Service Is the Right Choice
You have a camera plan but retention is unclear
If retention is a requirement, we confirm storage impact before procurement and installation.
You are expanding or standardizing across sites
Consistent retention policy across locations avoids uneven evidence windows and simplifies operational response.
Retention & Storage Sizing FAQ
How accurate are manufacturer storage calculators?
They provide directional guidance, but real-world motion and scene complexity often differ. We model storage based on realistic assumptions for your environment and document those assumptions.
Should we record continuously or on motion?
It depends on risk tolerance and investigative needs. Continuous recording provides completeness; motion reduces storage load but requires careful tuning so evidence context is not lost.
How do we plan for future camera additions?
We evaluate storage headroom and document how additional cameras, higher resolution, or analytics changes will impact retention before expansion.
Can you help if we already have an installed system?
Yes. We can review current configuration, estimate actual retention based on settings and environment, and recommend reconfiguration or storage expansion where necessary.
What information do you need to start?
Camera count, resolution, frame rate, recording mode, codec, target retention window, and platform details. If unknown, we can use conservative assumptions and then refine.
Why can two identical camera lists produce different retention?
Scene motion, lighting noise at night, WDR behavior, and compression tuning change bitrate. Busy scenes and noisy low-light scenes typically reduce retention the most.
Define retention intentionally, not accidentally.
Share your camera count, platform, and retention target. We will model storage requirements and document the tradeoffs before you purchase or expand.
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