Understanding and Troubleshooting Verkada "Recording Failed" Errors
Verkada's hybrid cloud architecture is designed for high reliability, with footage stored on the camera's industrial-grade, onboard solid-state drive and metadata continuously backed up to the cloud. However, hardware can sometimes fail. Seeing a "Recording Failed" or "Storage Failure" status in Verkada Command is a critical alert that requires immediate attention.
This guide explains what this error means, the steps you can take to troubleshoot, and why contacting Verkada Support is an essential part of the process.
What Causes a "Recording Failed" Status?
This error message is typically triggered by one of three core issues:
- Onboard Storage Failure: This is the most common cause. The solid-state drive (SSD) inside the camera where video is stored has encountered a critical error or has reached the end of its operational life. This can be a gradual failure or a sudden fault.
- Network Connectivity Issues: While the camera records locally, it needs a stable network connection to upload metadata, thumbnails, and cloud backups. If the camera cannot communicate with Verkada's servers for an extended period, it may report a recording issue, even if the drive itself is healthy.
- Firmware or Hardware Fault: In rarer cases, a corrupted firmware update or a failure of another internal component (like the main processing board) can manifest as a storage or recording error.
Step 1: Initial Triage in Verkada Command
Before touching the camera, use the powerful diagnostic tools within the Command platform.
- Check Camera Status: Navigate to the specific camera in Command. Review the status details. Look for other alerts, such as "Camera Offline." If the camera is offline, you have a network or power problem that needs to be solved first.
- Review Video Timeline: Look at the historical footage timeline for the camera. Are there recent gaps leading up to the failure? Is the footage just before the error corrupted or pixelated? This can provide clues.
- Check Network Information: In the camera's settings page within Command, look at the network information. Note the IP address, MAC address, and any other relevant details.
Step 2: Basic Physical Troubleshooting
If the camera is accessible, there are a few immediate steps you can take.
### Power Cycle the Camera
This is the simplest and most effective first step. A reboot can clear temporary glitches.
- Disconnect the camera from its power source. If it's a Power over Ethernet (PoE) camera, this means unplugging the Ethernet cable from the camera or the switch port it's connected to.
- Wait for at least 60 seconds. This allows all internal components to fully discharge.
- Reconnect the power source.
- Observe the camera's LED status light during boot-up. It should cycle through various states. A solid blue light indicates it's connected and recording correctly. A solid or flashing amber light often indicates a problem (see below).
- Check the camera's status in Command again after a few minutes.
### Understanding the LED Status Light
- Solid Amber: This often indicates the camera is booting up or has a network connectivity problem. It cannot reach the Verkada servers.
- Flashing Amber: This can indicate a variety of issues, including a firmware update in progress or, more critically, a storage failure.
Step 3: Contact Verkada Support (CRITICAL)
Do not attempt to open or repair the camera yourself. Verkada cameras are sealed units with non-replaceable onboard storage. Attempting to open the camera will void its warranty.
Verkada's support team is a crucial part of their service and has access to advanced backend diagnostics that are not visible to users.
- Gather Information: Have the camera's serial number (found on the camera or in Command) and a description of the error and the troubleshooting steps you've already taken.
- Initiate Contact: Contact Verkada Support via phone, email, or through the Command platform.
- Follow Their Guidance: The support engineer will be able to analyse the camera's diagnostic logs remotely. They can confirm if the issue is a definitive storage failure, a network problem, or something else.
If they determine the onboard storage has failed, they will initiate the Return Merchandise Authorisation (RMA) process to ship you a replacement camera under their comprehensive 10-year hardware warranty.