As IP video management systems continue to replace DVR solutions, storage options are becoming a greater point of focus for system designers. The need to provide large amounts of storage in a highly secure manner within a network setting is a challenge that must be taken seriously. Until now, storage has typically been accomplished by connecting a RAID directly to an NVR or DVR using a SCSI connection. However, a new type of RAID, called SAN-RAID, that uses an iSCSI protocol is opening up new levels of flexibility for system design and operation. Vicon will soon begin replacing its current line of RAID models with new SAN-RAID options.
SAN stands for "Storage Area Network." Unlike traditional RAID units that are directly connected to a DVR or NVR, SAN-RAID units may be configured as part of a storage network, in which the physical location of the units does not need to be tied to the location of the recording device. In addition, using the network, multiple DVRs and NVRs can make use of a single SAN-RAID unit, providing for savings in both the cost and physical space required by the one-RAID-per-NVR model.