STORAGE & DATA

Storage is often the most overlooked part of a security setup, but it decides how far back you can actually look when something happens. Surveillance-grade hard drives are built for the constant read/write cycle of 24/7 recording, unlike standard desktop drives — so it's worth matching drive class to the job, not just capacity. MicroSD cards suit single cameras with local storage, while NVRs, DVRs, and larger installations call for dedicated surveillance HDDs or NAS storage. Cloud storage plans are worth offering as a backup layer, especially for sites where physical theft of the recorder itself is a risk.