You've installed security cameras, the system is working, and it's recording. But what do you do if one day you need those recordings and they're deleted, corrupted, or lost ?
That's why backup is a critical step in professional camera systems that shouldn't be overlooked.
📌 Why Should Camera System Records Be Backed Up?
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Disk Failures Are Frequent
Hard drives can fail over time. Data can be lost due to reasons such as power outages, overheating, or impact. -
Records Can Be Automatically Deleted
When the disk is full, old recordings are deleted and new ones are written in. If you're too late to detect a critical event, that recording may never be recovered. -
Risk of Intentional Intervention
A system user could intentionally delete records. In this case, any data that is not backed up would be completely lost. -
Legal and Corporate Responsibility
In some sectors, such as shopping malls, factories, hospitals, schools and hotels, it is a legal obligation to keep records for a certain period of time.
💾 How to Back Up Camera Recordings?
1. Manual Backup with External Disk
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Certain recordings can be transferred to an external HDD via USB output from the NVR or DVR.
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Advantage: Simple and inexpensive.
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Disadvantage: It has to be done manually all the time.
2. Network FTP / NAS Backup
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The recorder copies data to a NAS server or FTP on the network at certain time intervals.
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Advantage: It is automatic and organized.
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Disadvantage: Additional hardware and configuration information may be required.
3. Cloud-Based Backup
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Some newer generation NVRs can automatically upload to cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox, dedicated VMS systems, etc.).
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Advantage: Provides protection against physical risk.
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Disadvantage: Requires high internet speed and poses a security risk.
4. RAID and Mirroring Systems (Redundancy)
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Provides disk redundancy. With systems like RAID 1 and RAID 5, when one disk fails, the other disk protects the records.
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Note: This method provides system continuity rather than backing up records.
☑️ How Long Should I Keep Backups?
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Critical areas (checkout, entrance and exit): Minimum 30 days
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Medium-sized businesses: 7–15 days
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Where there is a legal obligation: 60–90 days
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Recommendation: Events on important dates should be stored on an external disk for a long time.
✅ Conclusion: Having Backups is Not a Luxury, It is a Necessity!
Camera systems exist not only for monitoring but also for evidence and security analysis . Once your recordings are deleted, recovery is often impossible. Therefore, regularly backing up your camera recordings is just as important as keeping your alarm system active.
Remember:
“Getting a record is important, but preserving the record is more important.”
