Cutting Video Surveillance Storage Costs

with Wasabi Storage Builder for IP-SAN

CBS newsman Dan Rather titled his 1977 biography The Camera Never Blinks. While he was talking about journalism,
the same applies to security. Surveillance cameras never blink, nor do they need to eat, sleep, take breaks, or call in sick.
So, while they do not replace security guards, they can help keep watch and at a fraction of the cost of a human being. The
City of London alone has more than half a million cameras watching its streets and subways.
But all this security comes at a high storage price. Traditional approaches have required either the ongoing burden of
maintaining separate video recorders for each camera, or the expense of building Fibre Channel (FC) Storage Area
Network (SAN). Now security organizations have a better option. As explained below, implementing a networked storage
solution which incorporates Wasabis Storage Builder for IP-SAN allows the images from dozens of cameras to be stored
on a single storage server, and at a fraction of the cost of an FC SAN.

Video is Going Digital

Traditional analog video has been around since the 1920s and that same basic technology is used by most CCTV systems
today. But just as CDs and DVDs have replaced audio cassettes and VHS tapes, digital networking and video storage
systems are replacing analog. The only reason to use an analog system any longer is because it is already in place. But, for
new installations, or when replacing old equipment, digital storage is clearly the best choice, and doesnt require the
replacement of existing cameras.
The advantages are numerous:

Eliminates the need to maintain banks of tape recorders and an extensive tape library by recording the data on hard
drives.

Data can be retrieved from a hard disk in seconds rather than having to load a tape and fast forward to the section
needed. The images from a disk can be instantly shared with other personnel or the police over an Internet
connection.

Stored images from a camera can be viewed without interrupting the recording of new images.

Tape images degrade over time and as copies are made. Digital storage, on the other hand, can produce an infinite
number of exact copies.

A single storage device can record data from dozens of cameras.

While it is clear that storing video digitally is vastly superior to storing it on videotape, storage can easily represent a
significant portion of the cost of a video surveillance system. For some smaller organizations traditional digital storage
solutions have been too expensive, leaving a vast market that has not been well-served.

Storage Pain Points

Until recently, digital storage options for video surveillance have been expensive, complex, or too limited. To discuss the
storage problems associated with video surveillance environments we will look at what storage options currently exist.
Storage can be broadly categorized as one of 2 types Direct Attach Storage (DAS) and Storage Area Networks (SAN).
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DAS
As the name implies, this is storage that is directly attached to a server. DAS can be hard drives mounted internally inside
the server, usually attached to a RAID controller; or it can be storage that is attached externally to the server, most
commonly with a SCSI or Fibre Channel HBA.

Figure 1: Digital Video Recorder (DVR) with internal DAS configuration

Internal DAS has two major drawbacks. The first is lack of scalability. If more storage capacity is needed additional hard
drives must be added to the server. This can present a problem in that there may not be any available drive bays in the
server chassis for more hard drives.
Even if there are additional drive bays, this leads to the second drawback of internal DAS storage. In order to add more
hard drives to the server, the server needs to be taken offline and shut down in order to open up the chassis to install the
additional hard drives.
If the server is expected to be running 24/7, which is generally the case with a video surveillance unit, then the video
surveillance system will not be operable while the system is offline.

Figure 2: Typical external DAS configuration

External DAS, while more flexible than internal DAS, still has some drawbacks. Cable length is limited so the storage
must be located relatively near the server, and the server requires extra hardware. In order to communicate with the
storage, the server needs a SCSI or Fibre Channel (FC) HBA, which greatly increases the cost.

SAN
SAN storage allows multiple servers to have access to the same storage resources (see Figure 3). Sharing storage offers
several benefits including improved scalability, more efficient use of disk space, and easier management and maintenance
due to consolidation of storage resources.

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Figure 3: In a SAN, multiple servers can access a shared storage system.

Traditionally, SAN storage has used a Fibre Channel (FC) interface. Fibre Channel is a data transmission protocol and
includes components such as host bus adaptors (HBA), switches, and cables.
FC technology is costly to implement and the required knowledge to configure and manage FC is not something that
many organizations possess. Consequently, many smaller organizations have not been able to take advantage of the
benefits offered by SAN storage.
With smaller organizations increasingly facing the same storage issues as large companies, but not having the budget or
knowledge to deploy FC, a lower-cost solution was sorely needed. Thats where iSCSI comes in.

iSCSI Storage
iSCSI stands for Internet Small Computer System Interface. iSCSI works by sending SCSI data packets over Ethernet.
Using standard Ethernet cables, adapters, and switches it is possible to build a low-cost IP-SAN. An IP-SAN is a SAN
that uses iSCSI as its data transmission protocol. IP-SANs enable more end users to realize the benefits of SAN storage
because it does not have the high costs and complexity associated with Fibre Channel solutions.
Because iSCSI uses standard Ethernet components, the cost of an IP-SAN is much lower than a Fibre Channel SAN. Due
to the ubiquitous nature of Ethernet and resulting economies of scale, Ethernet components are typically 75% - 90% less
expensive than FC components. In addition, implementing and configuring an IP SAN is much simpler since most
organizations are already knowledgeable of IP concepts and practices.
IP-SANs open up new opportunities for OEMs, Systems Integrators, and VARs who offer storage solutions to the video
surveillance market by broadening the available market for video data storage.

IP-SAN Benefits
IP-SAN storage offers many benefits:
Cost-effective
An IP-SAN uses standard Ethernet components. It does not require expensive specialized hardware.
Secure
Support for leading RAID controllers keeps data secure and maximizes system uptime.
Easy-to-use
IP-SAN uses TCP/IP, which is widely used and understood.
Scalable
IP-SAN storage targets can be connected to a standard Ethernet switch. If more storage is needed, it is easy to deploy
additional iSCSI targets just plug a new iSCSI target into the switch.
Flexible
IP-SAN storage can be allocated for use by multiple servers, making more efficient use of disk capacity and making
storage management less complex.
Extensibile
Using Ethernet and the internet infrastructure. iSCSI storage targets can be located next to a server, in the next room,
even across the world.

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IP-SAN: How it Works

iSCSI is a protocol for connecting external storage to a server. It takes SCSI packets of data and encapsulates them into IP
packets, which are then transmitted over Ethernet. iSCSI devices are classified as either an initiator or a target. The
initiator is the computer system that will be using the IP-SAN storage. For a video surveillance system, the initiator would
be the DVR or server running the video surveillance software. The target is the IP-SAN storage device, which usually
contains several hard disks configured as a RAID array. RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent (or
Inexpensive) Disks, and provide increased performance and reliability as compared to a single hard disk. Figure 4 shows
a basic iSCSI configuration, with the initiator being directly attached to the iSCSI target using a crossover Ethernet cable.

Initiator

iSCSI Target

Figure 4: The Ethernet cable is plugged into standard Gigabit Ethernet ports.
iSCSI can also be used as part of an IP-SAN, with multiple initiators and multiple iSCSI targets all connected through an
Ethernet switch, as in Figure 5. In this configuration, all of the storage is available to any of the servers. This allows
storage to be more efficiently allocated. It also provides better scalability. Should more storage capacity be required,
simply attach an additional iSCSI storage target into the switch. There is no need to shutdown any of the servers and the
existing iSCSI targets will remain online and continue to be accessible.

Figure 5: An IP-SAN consisting of multiple servers (initiators) and iSCSI targets.

Unlike SCSI or Fibre channel storage, which require an HBA or a motherboard with embedded SCSI or FC support (and
which also add to the cost of the server), using a server as an iSCSI initiator does not require the purchase of any
specialized hardware.
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All that is required for the server to communicate with the iSCSI target is for the server to have an iSCSI initiator
installed. An iSCSI initiator is used to establish communication between the server (initiator) and the iSCSI target. While
there are iSCSI initiator host bus adaptors available from several hardware vendors, there are software iSCSI initiators
that are freely available for virtually every major operating system, including Windows and Linux. These software iSCSI
initiators allow standard Ethernet ports to be used to communicate with an iSCSI target.
Once an iSCSI initiator is installed, it is used to login to and establish a connection with the iSCSI target. Once the
initiator has logged in, the iSCSI target is a virtual hard disk, and appears to the operating system and video surveillance
system as a local hard drive. For example, in Windows, you use the standard Disk Administration tool to create partitions
and format the iSCSI virtual disk, and it gets assigned a drive letter (see Figure 6).

Figure 6: Once logged in, the iSCSI targets appear just as if they were local storage, and are
configured and managed using standard disk tools.

Usage Models for Video Surveillance Data Storage

A Storage Builder-based IP-SAN provides many different configuration possibilities to accommodate performance,
retention, redundancy, and budgetary requirements. When determining how to configure storage, there are some
parameters that must be taken into account.
In general, two parameters will determine how much storage capacity is required data rate and video retention time.

Data Rate Requirement

Several factors will determine the required data rate. These include video resolution (e.g.: CIF, 2CIF, 4CIF, etc.), frames
per second (or frame rate), amount of video compression being used, and whether video data is constantly being recorded
or records only when motion is detected.

Retention Time
How long will video data need to be saved before it can be discarded? Depending on the type of facility, retention times
of 30 days or longer may be required.
As an example of how much disk capacity is required, it is not unusual for cameras in highly sensitive locations such as
military installations and casinos to have resolution and frames per second (FPS) requirements that result in data rates of
1 megabit per second (Mb/s).
Hard drive storage capacity is given in bytes, rather than bits, so to convert 1 megabit to bytes divide by 8 (8 bits make a
byte):
1,000,000 / 8 = 125,000 bytes, or 125 kilobytes
So, in bytes, the data rate is 125 KB/s per camera. If there are 16 cameras feeding into the video surveillance server:
Data rate per server = 125 KB/s * 16 = 2,000 KB/s, or 2 megabytes per second (MB/s)

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This results in:

Capacity needed for each minute (2 MB/s x 60 seconds) = 120 MB

Capacity needed for each hour (120 MB per minute x 60 minutes) = 7,200 MB, or 7.2 gigabytes (GB)

Capacity needed for each day (7.2 GB per hour x 24) = 172.8 GB

Capacity needed for each week (172.8 GB per day x 7) = 1,209.6 GB, or approximately 1.2 terabytes (TB)
In addition to determining how much storage capacity is needed, how storage is configured and allocated also needs to be
considered. While it is possible to configure all of the hard disks into a single RAID array and allocate a portion of the
total available storage to multiple video surveillance servers, depending on the data rate required by each video
surveillance server, this may not provide optimal performance. Because it is a mechanical and not an electrical device, a
hard disk is, in general, the slowest part of a storage system, especially when the data is being read or written in a random
fashion, as opposed to sequential. Without going into a lot of detail, random reads and writes require that the disk heads
inside the hard disk move back and forth across the disk to read or write the requested data. This mechanical movement of
the disk heads is the determining factor in how fast data can be read to or written.
In a typical multi-camera server, where each camera is writing to its own folder, there is some randomness to the data, and
therefore the hard disk heads must move back and forth across the disk in order to access data. For modest data rate
requirements it may be perfectly fine to have 4 or more video surveillance servers using storage provisioned from a single
RAID array. If higher data rates are required, then it may become necessary to create multiple RAID arrays so that each
server has its own dedicated RAID array. Creating multiple RAID arrays will result in slightly less available storage
capacity, so testing that approximates real-world usage as close as possible should be done to find the right balance of
performance and capacity.

Figure 7: Each video surveillance server is allocated its own storage volume on the IP-SAN target.
As shown in Figure 7, each video surveillance server has its own storage volume. These are logical volumes carved out of
the underlying storage pool, which consists of multiple physical disks configured in one or more RAID arrays. As
discussed above, depending on the required data rate, it may be advantageous to have 2 or even 4 RAID arrays. In the
examples below the dark blue rectangle represents the RAID array. The data disks are allocated from the RAID array(s).

Figure 8: Four (4) data disks allocated from a single RAID array

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Figure 9: Four (4) data disks allocated from 2 RAID arrays (2 disk per array)

Figure 10: Four (4) data disks allocated from 4 RAID arrays (1 disk per array)
As an example, with twelve (12) hard disks of 500 GB each, and using RAID 5, Table 1 shows what impact each
configuration has on performance and capacity.
Performance

# of arrays

Total Capacity

# of servers sharing an array

Good

5.5 TB

Better

5 TB

Best

4 TB

Table 1: Three IP-SAN Storage Target Configurations

Wasabi Storage Builder for IP-SAN

Wasabi Storage Builder for IP-SAN software enables VARs, OEMs and systems integrators to transform off-the-shelf
computer hardware into a cost-effective IP-SAN (iSCSI) storage for video surveillance systems. Its a complete turnkey
software solution pre-installed on a bootable Compact Flash disk.
Storage Builder for IP-SAN runs on standard hardware components such as Xeon, Pentium 4, and AMD CPUs; Intel,
Supermicro, and Tyan motherboards; and 3ware and LSI RAID controllers. This enables VARs, Systems Integrators, and
OEMs to take advantage of the performance improvements and cost reductions offered by using commodity hardware
components.
Storage Builder opens up new windows to the high-growth video surveillance market with IP-SAN storage solutions that
provide the security, scalability, and flexibility advantages of IP-SAN video surveillance customers require at a price that
they can afford.
Storage Builder for IP-SAN contains all of the software needed to build an IP-SAN target in a reliable Compact Flash
Disk-On-Module (DOM). No other software needs to be purchased or installed. This significantly speeds up the
installation and assembly process.

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Figure 11: All of the software, including operating system, iSCSI software, and management utility,
are pre-installed on a bootable Compact Flash Disk-On-Module (DOM). Just plug the DOM
into the IDE port on the motherboard, and its ready to go.
Storage Builder for iSCSI includes a powerful configuration and management Graphical User Interface (GUI). The
Storage Builder GUI runs in a standard web-browser and does not require the installation of any software on the clients
(other than the web browser). The GUI can be password-protected to prevent unwanted access.
Once logged into the GUI, all management and configuration tasks can be performed, including network settings, security
parameters, and storage configuration and allocation. The Storage Builder GUI even communicates directly with supported
RAID controllers so there is no need to use a separate application to perform tasks such creating, deleting, and rebuilding
arrays, checking array status, and setting RAID controller parameters like rebuild/verify rate and cache policy.
E-mail alerts provide immediate notification of logical disk errors or if hard disk S.M.A.R.T. thresholds are exceeded so
that problems can quickly be corrected. For supported chassis and motherboard combinations the temperature, power
supply and drive status are monitored and fan speed is automatically adjusted to maintain chassis temperatures within
specifications.

The Wasabi Systems Advantage

As important as the product itself is, the company behind the product is equally important. Wasabi Storage Builder leverages
the companys legacy of network operating system leadership. The Wasabi Certified BSD OS is the same network operating
system found in devices such as switches and routers that power the worlds networking backbone.
Wasabi Storage Builder products leverage years of code development and time-tested network support to deliver a
high-performance, fully-optimized networked storage solution.
Wasabi Systems is not just a product vendor; we are your partner. Well be with you every step of the way to ensure
maximum success of your Storage Builder-based IP-SAN storage program. We offer personalized, high-level support, a
comprehensive knowledge-base, application notes for using Storage Builder for IP-SAN targets with popular
applications, and much more. A training and certification program ensures youll be able to deliver the highest level of
support to your customers. We can help with marketing and sales, with inclusion on the Where to Buy section of the
Storage Builder web page, sales tools and collateral, presence at trade shows, and we can even accompany you to
meetings with key target customers.

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Summary
Storing video surveillance data digitally offers many advantages over tape. Traditional storage solutions have not met the
needs of a large portion of the market. Wasabi Storage Builder for IP-SAN targets fills this hole, providing many benefits
for VARs, Systems Integrators, and OEMs who serve the video surveillance market, as well as for the end user.

For the VAR/SI/OEM:

Enables you to provide a high-performance solution for your customers that is secure, scalable, and robust
Lowers BOM cost by using standard, off the shelf hardware components
Minimizes assembly time. All required software is pre-installed on the DOM. No need to buy and install Windows
or Linux.
Provides the flexibility to hit different capacity and price points
Branding option allows you to differentiate as well as further promote your brand.

For the End User:

Storage that is specifically targeted to solve their storage needs at a price that is within their budgets
Storage that is robust and secure
Storage that is simple to use
The ability to easily add more storage as needed

Copyright 2007 Wasabi Systems Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, modified, or distributed in any form or by
any means without the prior express written consent of Wasabi Systems Inc. Wasabi, Wasabi Certified, WasabiRAID, the Wasabi logo, Storage
Builder, and Flashware are registered trademarks of Wasabi Systems Inc. NetBSD is a registered trademark of The NetBSD Foundation. All
other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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