NAS or NVR?

Question

Hello  Sorry if this is a stupid question. I bought three HikVision 2mp ptz cameras online and they have been saving video to sd cards. I now think i need to have a full storage equipment - nvr or nas?  i read a lot about nvr and nas but dont udnerstand what is better. I just need it to store video and nothing too complicated.  Hope everyone is keeping safe in this crovonavirus times!  Thanks  Hans

dalan · Accepted Answer

I think in summary - if you have 4 or fewer cameras - use Synology, otherwise NVR is your best friend 🤣

Armsec · Answer

Hi Hans,   There are a few pros and cons for NVR and NAS:   NAS PROS  NASs are designed to store a wide range of data from simple text documents to files, including video and audio recordings from cameras, which makes them more multi-functional.   The other PROS is that even small and cheap NASs often have 'hot-swappable' HDDs, meaning you can replace an HDD without turning off the device!   NAS CONS   A NAS may require a 'licence' to connect above certain number of cams - extra cost.   Because video surveillance is not a priority for a NAS manufacturer, it would rarely have a PoE functionality or any other extra feature (e.g. an alarm I/O port) to bolster your security.   The fact that NASs are used to store all sorts of files is also a weak point as storage of video footage is not a priority and VMS and software used in a NAS may be clunky and rough around the edges when it comes to video footage storing.  NVR PROS NVRs are designed specifically to store and manage IP video data, which makes the set-up and integration process very straightforward and simple (especially if the camera and the NVR are by the same manufacturer). Things like scheduling recording times, PTZ-control, alarm notifications are also much easier to set up on an NVR.   NVRs are more scalable, so if you need an NVR with a large storage capacity - you can easily find one at a reasonable price (large NASs are ridiculously expensive).   NVR CONS   If you buy an NVR and then decide to increase the number of cams - your scalability is limited by the number of channels your NVR has (it is not as easy as just buying an extra licence). So from that perspective, you may end up paying even more as you will need a new NVR.   NVRs is a dedicated system that is designed to store only video and audio (in some cases also biometric and ID) data but not any other type of information.   While some Hikvision NVRs allow for HDDs to be ‘hot-swapped’, quite often if you need to replace or remove one of the HDDs for any reason, you will need to turn off your NVR and only then proceed with the replacement. This leaves your home / office with no video security for as long as the NVR is offline.   Hope this helps!

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