Surveillance video used to be stored mostly on-site on tape, or later on hard disks; bandwidth limitations made it impractical to store it off-site, and the cost of storage meant that surveillance footage not deemed of vital interest was often discarded, and the media re-used. A different story is dominating the world of surveillance footage now, though, as organizations see the value of retaining their video data for a longer time, and of repurposing that data for data that informs their business practices, too.

At the same time, both storage and network bandwidth have become cheaper, making longer-term retention and analysis easier to achieve.
As a result, video data has become one of the largest drivers of storage. But just how should it be stored?

Rishi Lodhia, Eagle Eye Networks Vice President and Managing Director, EMEA, is one of the industry experts who weigh in on this topic for GIT Security. Every organization's situation is unique, but Lodhia lays out the case for a cloud-first storage strategy, starting with the most obvious: Data in the cloud can be secured in bulk, and made accessible from anywhere to any authorized user.

Read each of the responses, though, to understand better what advantages different storage types and locations deliver.

1. As a cloud-based surveillance company, our primary recommendation for storing security camera footage is utilising cloud storage. Cloud storage offers numerous advantages, including cybersecurity assurance, remote accessibility, scalability, and automatic backups. It ensures that your data is secure and easily accessible from anywhere, enhancing both security and convenience for our users. While local storage onsite can serve as a redundancy option, our focus is on leveraging the power of the cloud for optimal video data management.

2. Cloud storage solutions have gained substantial traction in the security market. The adoption of cloud storage is driven by its numerous advantages, including adaptability, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to meet evolving security demands. With advancements in data security, cloud storage is increasingly being recognized as a forward-looking solution.

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Putting Security Video Data In Its Place: On-site, or Off?