The Benefits of Cloud Storage for Security Cameras and Why You Should Not Use a DVR/NVR System

In the past, if you wanted to install a surveillance system, your options were rather limited. A few years ago, cloud video surveillance wasn’t the best option compared to some of the more established systems in the market, such as DVR and NVR systems. These systems required servers, hard drives, and a laundry list of additional hardware to operate properly, but with limited options, most organizations chose to use a DVR/NVR setup.

With recent advancements in cloud technology, businesses and enterprises are now seriously considering moving past the bulky hardware and opting for cloud video surveillance and for good reasons. In this post, we will discuss the benefits an organization can expect when using cloud storage for security cameras and why you should not upgrade to a DVR/NVR system.

Reduced video surveillance hardware footprint

Traditional legacy systems are notorious for difficult and complicated installations due to the amount of additional hardware required. When the system is installed, on-going maintenance and management are needed for all components to operate properly.

From an IPVM study, more than half of integrators claim that all hard drives used for video surveillance fail after 5 years even with proper maintenance. When a video security system has more hardware components, the more likely the system is to fail or need replacing during its lifetime.

By using cloud storage, a business can remove the need for DVR/NVRs, servers, and hard drives – greatly reducing its hardware footprint. With less hardware, an organization will have fewer components failing or need replacing. This saves an organization time and money on labor and less painful headaches when managing their video security.

Saving and sharing footage from security cameras

The simple task of saving and sharing footage can be overly complicated and costly when dealing with a traditional system. One of our customers, California Family Fitness, experienced this very issue where their previous system could only store clips for a short period of time. This issue required their IT team to export all clips to company servers which increased their monthly storage cost. Since transitioning to our cloud-based solution, their team has the ability to save unlimited video clips to the Rhombus cloud without having to export and overload company servers.

By using cloud storage, efficiency and productivity greatly improve as video footage and clips can be sent to the cloud instantly and sharing footage with others is much easier than with a traditional DVR/NVR system.

Remote access to the video surveillance system and footage

With a cloud system, you often receive better software that enables video security to be more valuable. Since everything is hosted in the cloud, you can access all cameras and footage 24/7. DVR/NVR systems are siloed from the rest of the organization and remote access is usually unavailable, meaning system managers must visit physical locations to access cameras and footage which can be cumbersome to do.

By using cloud storage, this centralizes all cameras and footage into one console providing a better user experience and more flexibility when it comes to managing a system. Besides, doesn’t it sound great to have everything done in the cloud with less hardware to manage and the ability to securely access your system from wherever you happen to be? We think so.

Closing

Most IT pros understand that cloud storage provides better reliability and efficiency than traditional hardware. Successful businesses are constantly looking for ways to modernize outdated infrastructure and more companies are now transitioning their previous surveillance systems into the cloud.

Rhombus Systems fully utilizes the best of what cloud video surveillance has to offer. No longer do you have to deal with DVR/NVRs, servers, or hard drives - the only piece of hardware required is the camera itself. The cameras store 15-40 days locally on the camera with full 24/7 remote access to all cameras and locations. Cloud storage is optional for organizations that want real-time back up of footage and saving and sharing video clips happens with just a few clicks.

If you’re interested in learning more or are thinking about transitioning and leveraging cloud security cameras, please reach out to sales@rhombussystems.com.