TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
Why the switch to smart video requires more dynamic data storage According to Omdia Research, over 116 million network cameras were shipped in the professional surveillance market in 2019, with the capability to generate almost 9 petabytes (9,000,000 gigs of data storage) of video every day. By Brian Mallari, director of product marketing, Smart Video, Western Digital.
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nd that number will only increase as demand continues to grow and emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI), get incorporated into the device. As a result, data storage providers need to consider how the solutions they offer work to accommodate increased complexity. It’s important to note that the evolution of smart video is not happening in a vacuum. The progression of the technology is happening alongside other technological and data infrastructure advancements, such as 5G or the Internet of Things (IoT). As these technologies come together, they are impacting the architecture of data storage solutions. There are five big trends we are seeing within the evolution of smart video: 1. Innovation and growth The number and types of cameras continue to grow, and each new type brings new
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capabilities. Having more cameras allows more to be seen and captured. This could mean having more coverage or more angles. It also means more real-time video may be captured and used to train AI. Cameras are increasingly demanding higher resolution as well, with the likes of 4K, which is more data-intensive than lower quality feeds. The more detailed the video, the more insights may be extracted, and the more effective the AI algorithms may become. In addition, new cameras transmit not just a main video stream but also additional low-bitrate streams used for low-bandwidth monitoring and AI pattern matching. Unlike cameras of years gone by, smart cameras are operating 24/7, 365 days a year. This always-on technology naturally leads to a higher workload and more substantial storage requirements to cope with the data transfer and writing speeds. As these cameras are adopted more
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regularly across manufacturing and public sector industries, on-camera and edge storage will become relied upon to deliver longevity and reliability. 2. Any time, any place It does not matter if it is for a business, for scientific research or even for our personal lives – we capture data on almost everything. As a result, we are seeing new types of cameras that can capture new types of data which may be analysed. The onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic has given rise to thermal cameras that help identify those with a fever and explosion-proof cameras are being used in areas of highest environmental risk. Cameras can be found everywhere – atop buildings, inside moving vehicles, in drones, and even in doorbells. As companies design storage technology, location and form factor must
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