CCTV camera brands and profiles supported
The calculator carries verified bitrate and codec data for 355 camera profiles across 50 brands. Each profile cites the manufacturer datasheet or product-page URL with a retrieval date.
- ACTi: E77, Z84, A71, Z310, Z34, A425, Z316-P1, Z810, A76, A912, B934, A821, A415
- Arecont Vision: MegaDome 5MP
- Arlo: Pro 5S 2K
- Avigilon: H5A Bullet (4MP), H6A Dome (8MP), 2.0C-H6A-BO1-IR, 4.0C-H6A-BO1-IR, 6.0C-H6A-BO1-IR, 8.0C-H6A-BO1-IR, 2.0C-H6A-DO1, 4.0C-H6A-DO1, 6.0C-H6A-DO1, 8.0C-H6A-DO1, 2.0C-H6A-PTZ-DP30, 4.0C-H6A-PTZ-DP30, 8.0C-H6A-FE-360-DO1-IR, 12.0C-H6A-FE-360-DO1-IR, 3C-H5MOD-MB2, 5C-H5MOD-MB2
- Axis: AXIS P3268-LV (8MP), AXIS P3245-LV (2MP), P3268-LVE, P3268-SLVE, P1467-LE, P1465-LE, P3265-LVE, Q6135-LE, P3247-LVE, M1075-L, P3277-LVE, P1468-XLE, P1448-LE, P3255-LVE
- Bosch: FLEXIDOME IP starlight 8000i (4K), NDV-5703-A, NDE-5704-AL, NDE-8703-R, NDE-8704-R, NDE-8702-RX, NBE-5704-AL, NBE-7704-ALX, NBE-7704-ALT, NDS-5704-F360, NDM-7703-A, NBI-7803-AX, NUE-3703-Fxx
- CP Plus: CP-UNC-DC44ZL3-MD (4K Cosmic), CP-UNC-VA41ZL3C (4MP), CP-UNC-TA21L3C-Q, CP-UNC-DA21L3C-Q, CP-UNC-TA21L6C-Q, CP-UNC-VE21ZL4C-VMDS-Q, CP-UNC-WE21L3C-MDS-Q, CP-UNC-DA41L3C-D-Q2, CP-UNC-TA51L3C, CP-UNC-TA61L3C-LQ, CP-VNC-T4K81R3-D
- CPcam: 4MP IP Dome
- Cisco: Meraki MV72X
- Dahua: IPC-HFW5849T1-ASE-LED (8MP TiOC), IPC-HFW2449S-S-IL (4MP Starlight), DH-IPC-HFW2431S-S-S2 (Lite 4MP IR Bullet), DH-IPC-HDW1230S-S5 (Entry 2MP Eyeball), DH-IPC-HFW5449T-ASE-NI (Pro AI 4MP Full-Color ePoE), DH-SD59225U-HNI (Pro 2MP 25x PTZ), DH-IPC-HFW3849T1-AS-PV (WizSense 8MP Dual-Light Bullet), DH-IPC-HDW3649H-AS-PV-ANZ (WizSense 6MP Dual-Light Eyeball), DH-IPC-HDBW2431E-S-S2 (Lite 4MP Mini Dome, IK10), DH-IPC-EBW81242N (WizMind 12MP Fisheye)
- Digital Watchdog: MEGApix 5MP Bullet, DWC-VSTB04BiB, DWC-XSDE08Mi, DWC-XSDJ08Mi, DWC-XPZA08Mi, DWC-MT95WW28TW, DWC-MVD8Wi28TW, DWC-XSTD05Bi, DWC-MTT4WiA, DWC-MV72Wi28_4A, DWC-MD72Di28T, DWC-PVF5M1TIR
- Eagle Eye Networks: 4MP Cloud Camera
- FLIR: Quasar Premium Bullet
- GeoVision: GV-TDR4703, GV-TFD4800, GV-EBFC5800, GV-TBL8810, GV-TBL4810, GV-TBL8804, GV-EBDP5800, GV-BX8700-FD, GV-FE5303, GV-EBD2702, GV-EFD2700, GV-SD3732-IR, GV-FER12700
- Godrej: SeeThru 4MP IP Bullet
- Hanwha: Wisenet XNB-9002 (4K), XNV-9083R (4K AI IR Vandal Dome), XNO-9083R (4K AI IR Bullet), QND-8080R (5MP IR Dome), QNO-8080R (5MP IR Bullet), QNP-6320R (2MP 32x IR PTZ), XNV-6081Z (2MP PTRZ Dome), XNV-8081Z (5MP PTRZ Dome), PNF-9010R (12MP 360 Fisheye)
- Hikvision: DS-2CD2387G2-LU (ColorVu 8MP), DS-2CD2T46G2-2I (4MP AcuSense), DS-2CD2143G2-I (AcuSense 4MP Dome), DS-2CD2T47G2-L (ColorVu 4MP Bullet), DS-2CD1023G2-IUF (Value 2MP Bullet), DS-2CD2T87G2-L (ColorVu 8MP Bullet), DS-2DE4425IW-DE(T5) (4MP 25x PTZ)
- Honeywell: HC30W45R3 (4MP MAXPRO), HC30W42R3, HC35W43R3, HC35W45R3, HC35W48R3, HC35WB3R3, HC35WB5R3, HC35WB8R3, HC35WZ2R25, HC35WZ5R30, HC60W45R2, HC60W35R2, HEICC-5301T
- IDIS: DC-D4536RX, DC-D4531WERX, DC-D4516WRX-A, DC-T4516WRX-A, DC-D4236WRX-A, DC-E4213WRX, DC-T3233HRX, DC-D4233WRX, DC-S6261X, DC-T4218WRA, DC-D4811WRX-A, DC-D1811WER, DC-Y3C14WRX, DC-Y8C13WRX
- Johnson Controls: Illustra Pro Gen4 Dome
- Kedacom: IPC425 4MP Dome, IPC123-Fi9N, IPC2253-FNB-PIR40, IPC2211-FN-SIR, IPC2233-FN-S, IPC421-F233-N1, IPC2451-Fi4N-SIR50, IPC445-F233-N, IPC2552-FN-SIR50-L, IPC2655-Gi7N, IPC2833-FN-SIR50-L, IPC489-F250-NL
- LTS: Platinum 8MP Turret
- Lorex: E893AB 4K
- MOBOTIX: M73 (4K), D71 (4K Dome), Mx-D71A-8DN, Mx-v71A-8DN, Mx-v71A-4DN, Mx-p71A-8DN, M73, S74, Mx-VD1A-8-IR-VA, Mx-VB1A-8-IR-VA, Mx-SD1A-831-LIR-VA, Mx-SD1A-230-LL
- March Networks: SE2 Outdoor Dome
- Matrix: SATATYA 5MP IP Bullet
- Meraki: MV12W
- Milesight: AI Mini Dome 5MP, MS-C2975-FPD, MS-C8175-FPD, MS-C2973-PD, MS-C5373-PD, MS-C2962-RFPG1, MS-C4462-RFIPG1, MS-C8162-RFPG1, MS-C2963-RPE, MS-C5363-PE, MS-C8163-PE, MS-C2967-X12RPE, MS-C8267-X20PE, TS4466-X4RIPG1, TS8266-X4RIPG1, MS-CQ8172-HPG1
- Motorola Solutions: Avigilon H6A Bullet, 2.0C-H5A-D1, 4.0C-H5A-DO1-IR, 5.0C-H5A-BO2-IR, 6.0C-H5A-D1-IR, 8.0C-H5A-BO1-IR, 1.3C-H5SL-D1, 3.0C-H5SL-BO1-IR, 5.0C-H5SL-DO1-IR, 9C-H5A-3MH-60, 20C-H5A-4MH-60
- OpenEye: OE-C9118
- Panasonic: WV-S25500-V3L
- Pelco: Sarix Professional 4 (4MP), Sarix Enhanced 8 (8MP), SRXP4-2V10-EBT-IR, SRXP4-3V29-EBT-IR, SRXP4-5V10-EMD-IR, SRXP4-8V9-EBT-IR, SRXE4P-2-IBX-1-B, SRXE4P-4-IBX-1-B, SRXE4P-6-IBX-1-B, SRXE4P-8-IBX-1-B, SMLE1-9V5-3H, SMLE1-12V5-4H, SMLE1-15V5-3H, SMLE1-20V5-4H, SMLE1-24V5-3H, SMLE1-32V5-4H, SBDE1-6V7-E2H-IR, SBDE1-10V7-E2H-IR, SBDE1-16V7-E2H-IR
- Prama: PT-NC424P-LZ (4MP ColorMax), PT-NC428P-LZ (8MP ColorMax), PT-NC120D3-N(D2), PT-NC123D3-WNM(D2), PT-NC140D3-N(D2), PT-NC140D3-WNM(D2), PT-NC143D3-N(D2), PT-NC320P1-N(D2), PT-NC323P1-N(D2), PT-NC340P1-N(D2), PT-NC343P1-N(D2), PT-NC360P1-WNMS(D2), PT-NC361P3-WNAM(D2), PT-NC363P1-WNMS(D2), PT-NC386P3-WNRAM(D2), PT-NMC625P-IM, PT-NPZE27A32WN-DPB(W), PT-NPZE47A32WN-DPB(W)
- Reolink: RLC-811A, RLC-810A, Duo 3 PoE, TrackMix PoE, RLC-520A, RLC-1224A, RLC-822A, Video Doorbell PoE, RLC-410W, Argus 4 Pro, RLC-820A, RLC-1212A, RLC-823A
- Rhombus: R510 Dome
- Securus: 4MP IP Bullet
- Sony: SNC-VM772R (4K), SNC-VB642D (2MP)
- Speco: O4B8M
- Swann: NHD-900BE
- TVT: TD-9443E3, TD-9421S4H-A, TD-9525E3B, TD-9441E3B, TD-9442C4-A, TD-9443E4H-PA, TD-9440S4L-C, TD-9452C1, TD-9451E3B, TD-9462E3B-A, TD-9583S3B, TD-9482E3B-DP, TD-95A3E3B-A, TD-8543IE3N
- Teledyne FLIR: FC-Series AI-R
- Tiandy: TC-C38KS (8MP Color Maker), TC-C32XN (2MP Starlight), TC-C32GN, TC-C32QN, TC-C35SS, TC-C34HS, TC-C34XS, TC-C36XS, TC-H326S, TC-H356S
- Ubiquiti: UniFi G5 Pro
- Uniview: IPC2328SB-DZK-I0 (8MP LightHunter), IPC3618SB-ADF28KMC-I0 (8MP EasyStar), IPC2122LB-SF28-A (2MP Mini Bullet), IPC2124LB-ADF28KM-H (4MP Mini Bullet), IPC312SB-ADF28K-I0 (2MP Mini Dome), IPC868ER-VF18-B (12MP Fisheye), IPC675LFW-AX4DUPKC-VG (5MP Mini PTZ), IPC3618SB-ADF28KM-I0 (8MP Eyeball), IPC2123LB-AF28KM-G (3MP Bullet)
- Vantage: 4MP IP Dome
- Verkada: CB52-E Outdoor Bullet, CD32-E, CD43-E, CD53-E, CD63-E, CM42, CB53-E, CB63-E, CF83-E, CH52-E, CP52-E, CP63-E
- Vicon: Roughneck V2020 Dome
- Vivotek: FD9389-HM (5MP Dome), IB9389-HM (5MP Bullet), FD9389-EHTV-v2, IB9389-EHTV-V3, FE9391-EV-V2-M12, FD9187-HT-A, SD9364-EHL-V2, IB9367-EHT-V2, FD8169A, FD9387-HTV-A, IB9387-EHTV-V3, MD9584-HF3, FD9391-EHTV-v2, CC8371-HV
- ZKTeco: BL-852Q38A 4MP, ES-852T22T-S6-MI-S, ES-852T22C-S6-S, EL-852T38I-S6-S, EL-855D48I-S7-S, DL-855D38B-S7-SF, ES-855D32C-S7-MI-S, ES-852T12T-S6-C-MI-S, ES-855P12T-S8-C-MI-S, DS-852E33T-S3-MI-S-HL, PM-855PC33N-AD, PM-855PC20N-AD, BL-855P48D-S8-AD
- i-PRO: WV-U2142L (4MP Dome), WV-S25500-V3L (5MP AI Dome), WV-S2536LA, WV-U15550-V3L, WV-X15600-V2LN, WV-S25700-V2LN, WV-X66300-Z4S, WV-U22350-F3L, WV-X15500-V3LN, WV-S15501-Z1LN, WV-U31401-F2LG, WV-X22300-V3L
Recording schedules supported
- 24/7 continuous — default baseline, all cameras recording at all times. Highest storage.
- Motion-triggered (30% / 50% duty) — recording fires only on detected motion events, saving storage proportionally.
- Business hours (12h/day) — scheduled-only recording for office and retail environments.
CCTV Storage Retention Calculator — Multi-brand, codec-aware
— Calculator · CCTV storage retention
Cameras, codec, retention — storage estimated.
Pick a camera brand and model, recording schedule and retention window. The calculator returns storage volume, HDD plan, recorded bandwidth and an NVR / VMS class recommendation. Sources cited per profile.
Storage estimated
49.8
TB · 30-day retention
Recorded bandwidth
128
Mbps to NVR / VMS
Architecture
Entry NVR
Entry NVR (8–16 channel)
Indicative planning figure on the H.265+ bitrate assumption above — real recording rate varies with scene activity, motion and lighting. Confirm against a site survey and a test-recording sample before sizing the final storage array.
A planning link — not a quote.
- camera
- Hikvision DS-2CD2387G2-LU ColorVu 4K
- resolution
- 3840 × 2160 (8MP)
- codec
- H.265+ · 25 fps
- bitrate
- 8 Mbps per camera
- duty
- 24/7 continuous
- bandwidth
- live 128.0 Mbps · recorded 128.0 Mbps
- 8 TB drives
- 7 drives
- 10 TB drives
- 5 drives
- 16 TB drives
- 4 drives
Reference 4K AcuSense / ColorVu fixed-bullet. H.265+ smart codec halves storage vs H.264 at equivalent quality.
What changes this estimate
- Scene activity & motion in the actual footage
- Final camera codec & bitrate ladder
- Retention policy confirmed with the client
- Test-recording sample on site
A planning link — not a quote.
Quick answer
CCTV storage sizing estimates the disk capacity a camera system needs to keep footage for a chosen retention window — from camera count, per-camera bitrate, recording schedule and codec. This calculator returns an indicative storage volume, recorded bandwidth and an NVR/VMS class for datasheet-cited cameras. It is a planning reference, not a final storage design.
When to use
Early scoping of NVR/VMS storage and recording bandwidth before a surveillance design, to size drives and check the recorder class.
When not to use
It does not place cameras, produce a security or camera layout, or replace a site survey — real recording rate varies with scene activity, and camera positions and counts are confirmed on site.
· Starting configurations
Typology presets — pick a scenario, see the calculator.
Each preset opens a curated configuration page with the engineering reasoning behind the numbers. Then the calculator loads with the same inputs — change them and the URL stays shareable.
CCTV Storage · Retail
Retail store — 16 cameras, 30-day retention
A retail store with 16 4MP H.265 cameras needs 30 days of continuous recording for loss-prevention and incident review.
Open presetCCTV Storage · Industrial
Manufacturing facility — 32 cameras, 90-day retention
A manufacturing facility with 32 cameras at 4MP H.265+ needs 90-day continuous retention for safety-incident review and process audit.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Hikvision DS-2CD2387G2-LU (ColorVu 8MP) storage & retention
A fleet of Hikvision DS-2CD2387G2-LU (ColorVu 8MP) cameras generates far more footage per day than a lower-resolution camera, so storage sizing has to start from this camera's actual bitrate rather than a generic rule of thumb. Get the drive capacity wrong at design stage and a 30-day retention promise quietly shrinks the moment continuous recording begins.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 4MP
Hikvision DS-2CD2143G2-I (4MP Dome): storage & retention
A fleet built around the Hikvision DS-2CD2143G2-I (AcuSense 4MP Dome) puts a real number on what 30-day continuous retention costs in raw storage, and that number is easy to underestimate at 4MP. The right question is not just how large a single camera's footage is, but how the count of cameras, the retention window and the recording schedule compound into a head-end and drive plan.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Hikvision DS-2CD2T87G2-L (ColorVu 8MP) storage & retention
A fleet of Hikvision DS-2CD2T87G2-L (ColorVu 8MP Bullet) cameras recording continuously puts real weight on the storage decision — 8MP frames at a typical 16 Mbps bitrate accumulate fast, and under-sizing the NVR is the single most common CCTV retrofit mistake. The question a buyer actually needs answered is how many terabytes a 30-day continuous-recording policy demands, and what class of head-end that quantity of storage implies.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 4MP
Hikvision DS-2DE4425IW-DE(T5) 4MP PTZ — storage & retention
A site standardising on the Hikvision DS-2DE4425IW-DE(T5) 4MP 25x PTZ needs to size an NVR and disk array before deciding how many cameras it can run and for how long, since a 25x PTZ's 4MP sensor at continuous frame rates writes meaningfully more data per day than a fixed 2MP dome.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Dahua IPC-HFW5849T1-ASE-LED (8MP TiOC) storage & retention
Sizing storage for a fleet of the Dahua IPC-HFW5849T1-ASE-LED (8MP TiOC) is not a guessing exercise once resolution, codec, and frame rate are fixed. The real decision is how many days of continuous 8MP footage a site needs to retain, and what head-end class of NVR that retention actually demands.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 12MP
Dahua DH-IPC-EBW81242N (12MP Fisheye) storage & retention
A fleet of Dahua DH-IPC-EBW81242N (WizMind 12MP Fisheye) cameras generates far more data per hour than a typical 2MP or 4MP dome, so the real decision is not whether to record but how much NVR and drive capacity a 30-day retention policy actually demands. Getting the storage math wrong at design stage means either an under-built NVR that overwrites footage early, or an over-built one that wastes budget on capacity nobody needed.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 4MP
Dahua DH-IPC-HFW2431S-S-S2 (4MP) — storage & retention
A site standardising on the Dahua DH-IPC-HFW2431S-S-S2 (Lite 4MP IR Bullet) needs to know what a fleet of these cameras actually costs in storage terms before the NVR and drive array are specified. The real decision is not the camera — it is what 30 days of continuous recording across the fleet does to the head-end architecture.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Axis P3268-LVE — storage & retention planning
An 8MP camera recording continuously produces a meaningfully larger daily file than the 2-4MP cameras most storage rules of thumb are written for, so a fleet-level estimate has to start from this camera's own bitrate rather than a generic assumption. Getting the per-camera-per-day figure right before specifying an NVR avoids under-sizing storage or over-buying a head-end class the fleet does not need.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 2MP
Axis AXIS P3245-LV (2MP) — storage & retention
A fleet of Axis AXIS P3245-LV (2MP) dome cameras recording continuously for 30 days needs a head-end sized before the NVR is ordered, not after. Getting the per-camera daily footprint wrong at the planning stage means a disk array that either runs out of retention early or sits over-provisioned.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 2MP
Axis Q6135-LE storage & retention (2MP, H.265)
A fleet of Axis Q6135-LE cameras recording continuously raises a straightforward but easy-to-underestimate question: how much usable storage does 30-day retention actually demand, and what class of head-end can hold it. Get the sizing wrong and a project either overspends on drive bays it does not need or runs out of retention days before the footage is reviewed.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Hanwha Wisenet XNB-9002 (4K) storage & retention
An 8MP camera at H.265 shifts the storage conversation from 'how many terabytes' to 'how many camera-days'. Once a fleet of Hanwha Wisenet XNB-9002 (4K) units is set to continuous recording at a 30-day hold, the daily footprint per camera becomes the number that decides the whole head-end.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Hanwha XNV-9083R (4K AI IR Vandal Dome) storage & retention
A fleet of Hanwha XNV-9083R 8MP vandal dome cameras recorded continuously raises a real storage-sizing question: how much usable capacity does 30 days of 24/7 recording actually need, and what class of NVR head-end that capacity implies.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Bosch FLEXIDOME IP starlight 8000i (4K) storage & retention
An 8MP camera recording continuously generates far more footage than a 2MP or 4MP unit, so a fleet-wide storage and NVR plan needs to be sized around the actual bitrate this model produces, not a generic rule of thumb. Getting the 30-day retention figure right up front avoids a mid-project scramble to add drives or swap the head-end once real footage volumes show up.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Uniview IPC2328SB-DZK-I0 (8MP) storage & retention
A fleet of Uniview IPC2328SB-DZK-I0 (8MP LightHunter) cameras generates far more footage per day than a 2MP or 4MP fleet, so the real decision is how much drive capacity and what NVR class a 30-day retention policy actually needs. Getting the storage math wrong at design stage means a mid-project drive upgrade or a head-end that cannot keep pace with continuous recording.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 5MP
Vivotek FD9389-HM (5MP Dome) storage & retention
A fleet of Vivotek FD9389-HM 5MP dome cameras recording continuously will fill a head-end far faster than the same count in 2MP, so the storage math has to be worked out before the NVR and disks are chosen. The real decision is not the camera itself but how many days of footage the site needs to keep at that resolution, since retention is what drives the drive count.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 8MP
Avigilon H6A Dome (8MP) storage & retention
A fleet of Avigilon H6A Dome (8MP) cameras generates far more footage per day than a standard-definition camera, so a 30-day retention target can quietly outgrow a modest NVR if storage is sized by guesswork. Getting the per-camera daily figure right before ordering hardware avoids either an under-sized head-end or an over-bought one.
Open presetCCTV Storage · 5MP
Milesight AI Mini Dome 5MP: storage & retention
A fleet of Milesight AI Mini Dome 5MP cameras generates meaningfully more footage per day than a 2MP or 4MP line, so sizing the NVR and drive pool around guesswork risks either wasted spend or a retention window that runs out early. The real decision is how many days of continuous 5MP footage a given camera count must hold, and what head-end class that implies.
Open presetVerified catalogue growth
CCTV Storage Retention currently lists 355 verified camera models across 50 brands.
The editorial target is 30 verified models per brand. We only publish selectable calculator rows when the load-bearing specs are source-cited, so missing models are collected as a verification backlog instead of being guessed.
Verified models
355
Coverage status
Coverage expanding — model data verified brand by brand toward the 30-per-brand target.
Missing model?
Send the camera profile name with resolution, codec, recommended recording bitrate, frame rate and official datasheet link. We add it in a verified batch once the source checks pass.
Submit a model for verificationHighest-priority brand gaps
- Arecont Vision needs 29 more
- Arlo needs 29 more
- Cisco needs 29 more
- CPcam needs 29 more
- Eagle Eye Networks needs 29 more
- FLIR needs 29 more
- Godrej needs 29 more
- Johnson Controls needs 29 more
Plan with confidence
From a storage estimate to a system that holds the evidence
This is a storage-planning reference. Actual retention depends on bitrate, compression, resolution, frame rate, scene activity, recording settings, redundancy and the final design — so treat the figure as a starting point and confirm it against a site survey and a test-recording sample.
Planning notes
- Storage is bitrate × time × duty cycle — the camera codec generation moves the number more than the camera count does.
- This is a storage-planning reference, not a camera-placement or security design — camera positions, coverage and the recording policy are decided on the project, never from a calculator.
- Recording schedule (continuous versus motion-triggered) and the retention policy are the two levers with the biggest effect — confirm both with the client before sizing the array.
- Headroom covers RAID parity and OS overhead — bump it for RAID-6 and for ZFS / Storage Spaces.
Before final design, confirm
- The final camera codec, resolution and bitrate ladder against a test-recording sample on site.
- The retention policy confirmed in writing with the client (regulatory or insurer minimum).
- Scene activity and motion in the actual footage — busy scenes record more.
- Redundancy (RAID level), spare-disk strategy and the recording-stream versus sub-stream split.
What to share with us for review
- The camera count per zone, the retention policy and the recording schedule.
- The codec / brand shortlist — or just paste the calculator's share link.
- Whether the estate needs a VMS (multi-site, audit trails) or an NVR is enough.
Share your drawings, BOQ, site details or the tool result with TechnoGuru for a written estimate after drawings, a BOQ or a site review.
Where this connects — services
· Engineering advisory · CCTV Storage
Storage is bitrate × time. Bitrate is the discipline.
The calculator answers 'how much disk'. The engineering underneath — codec choice, smart-codec configuration, motion-trigger discipline, retention policy — is what separates a system that needs a quarter of the disk from one that needs four times the disk for the very same camera count.
Deployment observations
- Codec generation drives 30-50% storage steps. H.264 → H.265 = 40-50% bitrate drop at equivalent visual quality. H.265 → H.265+ (Hikvision) / Zipstream (Axis) / WiseStream (Hanwha) = another 30-40% drop because the smart codec adapts bitrate to scene activity in real time. Specifying a 2026-generation camera with smart-codec features active typically halves the disk requirement versus a 2018-generation H.264 install at the same camera count.
- Retention is policy, not preference. Indian commercial premises typically run 30 days as operational default; banking and BFSI 90 days; critical infrastructure 180 days; healthcare and education 60 days for dispute-window cover. Design to the regulatory or insurance minimum, oversize by 20-30% for in-flight investigations, and explicitly version-control the retention policy as part of the AMC.
- Recording schedule choice matters more than most clients realise. A 100-camera estate on 24/7 recording at 4 Mbps generates ~13 TB/day; the same estate on 30%-duty motion-trigger generates ~4 TB/day. Motion-trigger is the right answer in 80% of commercial installations — the false-alarm filtering on modern AcuSense / WizMind / Zipstream cameras has finally made motion-only practical.
Operational notes
- Surveillance-rated drives (WD Purple, Seagate SkyHawk, Toshiba S300) are non-negotiable for 24/7 NVR duty. Desktop drives fail within 18 months in continuous-write workloads. Carry 1-2 spare drives on the shelf from project inception.
- Cyber-security posture is now the dominant operational consideration. Every camera, NVR and VMS server is a lateral-movement entry point and must be patched, network-segmented (dedicated VLAN, no direct internet exposure) and monitored as critical IT infrastructure.
Lifecycle implications
- HDD refresh: 5-year proactive cycle on surveillance-rated drives. Failure rates rise sharply after year 5 in 24/7 duty. Camera refresh: 7-10 years outdoor, 10-15 years indoor. NVR/VMS server refresh: 5-7 years (storage controller obsolescence and OS support windows). Cabling: 20+ years if installed to spec — the structured cable plant outlives every device hanging off it.
- Spares strategy: hold 5% camera spares, 1-2 HDD spares per NVR. The manufacturer end-of-lifecycles a camera SKU 5-7 years post-launch; visual continuity (same lens FOV, same IR pattern, same housing colour) becomes the procurement headache thereafter.
· Why it matters
Storage retention is the question most CCTV calculators get wrong by 30-50% — they hard-code H.264 bitrate when the modern install runs H.265+ or Zipstream. They assume 24/7 recording when motion-trigger is operational reality. They quote storage in TB without translating to HDD count. This one carries codec-aware bitrate defaults per camera model, four recording schedules, multiple HDD-size plans and an NVR-vs-VMS recommendation against camera count. Fifty brands · sixty-three verified camera profiles · sources cited per model · last verified 2026.
· Frequently asked
CCTV storage retention —
what people ask first.
How is storage actually calculated?
Storage in bytes = (cameras × bitrate × seconds × duty_factor) ÷ 8. With cameras at 16, bitrate at 8 Mbps (Hikvision 4K H.265+), 30 days at 24/7 duty, that's (16 × 8,000,000 × 30 × 86400) ÷ 8 = 4.15 × 10^13 bytes = 37.7 TB raw. The tool adds your headroom (default 20%) on top — so the recommendation lands around 45 TB.
Why does the calculator change storage based on camera brand?
Because codec generation drives bitrate. A Hikvision 4K H.265+ records at ~8 Mbps; an older H.264 4K at ~16 Mbps; an Axis Zipstream 4K at ~5 Mbps for equivalent quality. Same scene, same resolution, three different storage answers. The calculator carries the manufacturer-stated recording-stream bitrate for each camera profile and lets you override if your install measures differently.
What HDD size should we buy?
Surveillance-rated drives in 8 / 10 / 16 TB sizes. 8 TB is the commodity sweet spot (best capacity-per-drive value). 16 TB makes sense for NVRs with limited bay count. The calculator shows the HDD count for each size; the right choice depends on the NVR's drive-bay count and the operational policy (RAID-1, RAID-5, RAID-6 affects usable capacity vs raw).
Does the calculator include the operating-system overhead and RAID parity?
Indirectly — the 20% default headroom buffer covers RAID-5 parity and OS overhead at common configurations. For RAID-6 deployments add another 10% headroom. For ZFS / Storage Spaces add ~5% on top. The calculator's exposed headroom slider lets you tune for your specific configuration.
Is this calculator a substitute for an NVR / VMS BOQ?
No. It is a sizing tool for the storage layer of an early-stage brief. It does not specify the NVR model, the licensing plan, the structured-cabling backbone, the network architecture (VLAN segmentation, switch sizing, multicast handling) or the cyber-security posture. Those are the design conversation. The calculator's outputs are the brief; the design is what follows.
· Begin
Sizing a CCTV estate
properly?
Send the floor plate, the camera count per zone, the retention policy and the recording schedule. We respond within two working days with a NVR/VMS architecture, an HDD plan and a network-layer note for the IT team.