Moving private video surveillance footage from a local recording device to a remote storage location accessed via an Internet connection, often referred to as the cloud, has quickly become the method of choice by many surveillance VARs and end users. Recording on the cloud eliminates the need for a costly network video recorder that can often times become a hassle to set up and maintain.

The Hidden (and not so Hidden) Costs of NVRs

Network video recorders are not cheap and can cost between $1,000 and $10,000, and sometimes more. On average, you may need to replace this investment every 3 years. Plus, video surveillance applications are often important projects, as is the nature of video surveillance, so you need to have peace of mind that the video you record will be stored safely. With this knowledge, you are better off purchasing an additional extended warranty and maintenance contract.

In addition to large monetary costs, there are additional expenses in the form of simplicity, reliability, and performance. With a cloud solution, you simply connect the cameras to the internet and you are ready to go. You also get to use trusted datacenters that are virtually and physically the safest in the world. The data centers we used that are owned by the leader of the industry, EMC, have a guaranteed up-time of 99.9999%.

Are Network Video Recorders… Obsolete?

Network video recorders are still a viable solution for many customers. If a video surveillance network consists of hundreds of cameras or if an established infrastructure is already in place it makes sense to keep the network local. With that said, the vast majority of video surveillance applications don’t require complex, local storage solutions. For most projects, hosted video solutions provide a less expensive and richer experience.