Understanding and Managing Verkada Camera Storage
Verkada's hybrid cloud architecture is designed for efficiency, storing most footage on the camera's industrial-grade solid-state drive (SSD) while making it accessible from the cloud. However, you may eventually encounter a 'storage full' notification or notice that your video history is shorter than you expect. This guide explains how Verkada storage works and what steps you can take to manage it effectively.
### How Verkada Storage and Retention Works
Unlike traditional systems, you do not manually delete footage from a Verkada camera. The system operates on a rolling retention basis. Here is how it works:
- Onboard Storage: Each camera has a finite amount of onboard storage (e.g., 30, 60, 90, or 365 days worth).
- Continuous Recording: The camera records continuously (or based on motion, depending on your settings).
- First-In, First-Out (FIFO): When the onboard storage drive becomes full, the camera automatically overwrites the oldest footage to make room for the newest recordings.
This means a 'storage full' message is not an error, but rather an indication that the camera is operating as designed. The key is to ensure the retention period meets your organisation's security and compliance needs.
## How to Optimise Your Verkada Storage
If you need to retain footage for longer than your camera's onboard capacity allows, you have several powerful options within the Verkada Command platform.
### Adjusting Video Quality and Resolution
One of the most direct ways to increase your storage duration is to adjust the quality of the video being recorded.
- Standard Quality vs. High Quality: Navigate to the camera's settings in Command. You will find options for video resolution. Switching from 'High Quality' to 'Standard Quality' can significantly reduce the amount of storage space each hour of video consumes, thereby extending your retention window.
- Frame Rate: Lowering the frames per second (FPS) can also save space, though it may result in less smooth video playback.
- Motion-Based Recording: For lower-traffic areas, you can configure the camera to record only when motion is detected. This dramatically saves storage compared to 24/7 continuous recording.
### Leveraging Cloud Archiving
Cloud archiving is the primary tool for long-term footage retention. If an important event occurs (e.g., a security incident or a slip-and-fall), you can archive the relevant footage to the cloud.
- Indefinite Storage: Archived clips are stored indefinitely in the cloud and are not subject to the camera's onboard retention policy.
- How to Archive: Simply find the footage you need in the timeline, select the desired clip, and click the 'Archive' button. You can add notes and share the clip with other users.
- Proactive Archiving: Do not wait until you need the footage. If you see something that might be important later, archive it immediately to ensure it is preserved beyond your camera's standard retention period.
### Upgrading Camera Models
If your organisation's compliance requirements demand a longer non-archived retention period than your current hardware can provide, the ultimate solution is to upgrade the camera. Verkada offers models with varying storage capacities, providing up to 365 days of onboard retention. Planning your camera purchases based on the specific retention needs of each location is a crucial part of designing your security infrastructure.
By understanding the FIFO nature of Verkada's storage and utilising tools like quality adjustments and cloud archiving, you can ensure you always have the footage you need, when you need it.