How Much Does CCTV Storage Cost and Is It Worth It

Over the past two decades, focus on data security has been emphasized heavily. In a world where nearly, every industry has copious amounts of sensitive data that need to be secured, proper data storage is not a want, but a necessity. Numerous breaches at institutions with advanced security, home systems, banks, and the like have revealed how easy it is for the average man to access and utilise their data on cloud storage. Many companies have taken extreme measures to improve their security against internal and external intrusions. There is still no fool-proof methodology devised for this, as technology can always be broken into. Thus, the data is always vulnerable to attacks, unless it is not made available on the network in the first place.

This is where local surveillance storage comes into play.

With local storage, no one can access any of the data without a memory card. While there are also risks involved with this type of surveillance storage, this is the best possible choice one can make in terms of personal security. Without a proper storage system set in place, footage cannot be brought forth after a breach of security has taken place. With storage, the right people can be held accountable through the recordings, and crime committers can be easily nabbed. In any case, it is important to securely store and maintain the data in case it is needed in the future, making CCTV storage an essential and integral element of any security system. The surveillance data is completely secure from hackers and confined to that storage card, making possession of the data easy to track and withhold. Additionally, the data is not dependent on internet connectivity or a centralized network. Therefore, data cannot be lost because of connectivity issues or even batteries dying.

Memory cards, in specific Secure Digital (SD) storages, have become extremely affordable compared to the rates they were sold a decade and a half ago. When buying local storage, it’s a one-shot process that tells you exactly how much you’re investing in it. With cloud storage, however, subscription plans and the like are often lurking behind its services. Some companies even charge every month per camera, which is why local CCTV camera recording storage is a great financial alternative and can reduce the overall price of your home security system. Check out how you can build your own DIY home security system to save money and harness control over the process.

There are a variety of portable storage options that are offered by many companies on e-commerce websites such as Amazon and Flipkart*. Each product is suitable for different kinds of security systems. Prices of good quality surveillance drives range from ₹600 to ₹800 for SD cards of 64GB, and range all the way to 512GB at ₹4,500 to ₹6,000 and more. These drives might be priced slightly higher than generic PC hard drives, but guarantee better performance and quality, making them economical in the long run.

Most manufacturing companies also offer hard disks of 2 TB to 10 TB, ranging from ₹6,000 to ₹28,000*. 

Once these storage cards become full over time, they will need to be manually replaced with empty cards to continue storing new footage without overriding previously stored data.

There are online tools that can be utilised to calculate exactly how much CCTV storage you need for your system, which helps gauge the capital you need for your security. The devices attached to the surveillance cameras can be set to a user’s preference of whether they would like recordings when motion or sound is detected, or have a surveillance system running in the background at all times. The quality of the footage is also higher, as footage stored in the cloud is set into a compression setting so that storage space is preserved. In some cases, local CCTV storage videos have a better quality and are thus a cheaper alternative, making them a great purchase.

In conclusion, the cost efficacy of CCTV storage does not even need to be debated on, as the protection and convenience it offers, beats any other alternatives. The best CCTV surveillance system would be one where both cloud storage and local storage work in tandem to create an affordable, yet strong system. Additionally, strong passwords and two-step verification measures can help make your cloud storage less prone to attacks. Investing in CCTV storage is extremely beneficial in all aspects of a security system and is worth it at every step of the way.

*Prices are picked on 1/12/2022 and are subject to change.