The advances that have led to ever more powerful and “complete” surveillance solutions at the network’s edge also demand a new generation of edge storage solutions. These high performing SD cards are fundamentally different from more traditional SD cards on the market.
Industrial grade and built with high endurance in mind, these SD cards are designed to enable flexible storage solutions, such as decentralized video recording. As they are just as reliable as options including Digital Video Recorders (DVR) or Network Video Recorders (NVR), they are the optimal choice to deploy when you require additional flexibility. They can be installed for a specific use case, such as a site where it is difficult to run an onsite server, or deployed as part of a hybrid cloud system that combines server and edge storage to get the best of both. No matter the scenario, incorporating these SD cards reduces the costs associated with purchasing, operating, and maintaining servers to dramatically lower the system’s total cost of ownership.
So, what makes these Surveillance Cards stand out from more traditional edge storage solutions on the market?
Edge storage that is built to last
On average, cameras within surveillance systems need to be replaced every 8-10 years. While many lower grade SD cards cannot match the lifecycle of a camera, AXIS Surveillance Cards are built to endure, with superior wear resistance. In fact, our research shows that the lifetime of AXIS Surveillance Cards with 256 GB storage tends to stretch beyond ten years – highlighting the longevity these solutions can offer.
Axis has worked alongside suppliers to develop and specify these cards, making them as high endurance as possible while optimizing them for surveillance devices and surveillance-specific applications. These SD cards have improved endurance to match the typical writing behavior of a surveillance camera. This means that they can be written and overwritten many more times than ordinary SD cards can – ensuring the same card can remain in the camera for longer without wearing out.
If you choose the right sized card for your system and know what retention time you require, these high endurance SD cards will most likely outlive the camera. This longevity and high endurance results in lower maintenance costs as you will not need to replace the card as frequently – if at all.
AXIS Surveillance Cards are also health monitoring ready. While these SD cards have been developed with longevity in mind, activating the health monitoring feature on your device or camera removes the need for manual monitoring to keep track of if and when SD card replacements are needed. If a card’s wear level reaches 80%, you will receive a trigger alarm flagging if or when a SD card needs to be replaced.
Encryption at the edge
While it’s rare, cameras can sometimes be attacked or physically compromised. This is particularly true if a criminal feels their identity might have been captured or someone wants to access the camera’s data.
To prioritize the security and privacy of your data at the edge, encryption is key. Axis cameras offer an encryption feature which can be enabled for the SD card within the device. By applying encryption through the device across the SD card, unauthorized individuals who remove the SD cards cannot access the data.
Effective retention time, with no compromise on quality
High performing AXIS Surveillance Cards offer effective retention times, even at full frame rates, without compromising on quality.
The retention time of the card depends on how the cameras are configured to record at different frame rates and resolutions, depending on motion detection, alarm events and hours of the day. For example, AXIS Surveillance Cards with 128 GB storage can offer retention times between 20-215 days, depending on the camera configurations. Even smaller 64 GB AXIS Surveillance Cards’ retention times can range from 10-100+ days.
SD cards – but not as you know them
Axis has worked closely with partners to develop edge storage solutions that are optimized for surveillance use cases. These high-performance SD Cards provide cost-efficient recording solutions with superior wear resistance and longevity.
Most customers will ultimately combine edge, on-premise server, and some cloud-based infrastructure in hybrid solutions to meet their unique requirements. Given their high endurance and additional functionality, AXIS Surveillance Cards can be deployed as an efficient alternative to recorders and servers as primary storage, creating efficiencies, reducing costs, and driving more business value.