DW Spectrum IPVMS Maximum System Size

DW Spectrum® IPVMS Maximum System Size

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Affected Roles:  Administrator, Owner

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps:  DW Spectrum® IPVMS

Software Version:  DW Spectrum® IPVMS v4.2

Last Edit:  July 1, 2021

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System Limitations

While DW Spectrum® IPVMS is scalable from one to thousands of devices, there are still limitations to be considered.  In addition to the hardware requirements of a DW Spectrum® Server, the restrictions that would otherwise impede the effectiveness of a DW Spectrum® System should be followed at all times.  Surpassing the recommended limitations when building a DW Spectrum® System can cause operating issues, video issues, network issues, etc.

This article will outline some of the operating limitations of DW Spectrum® IPVMS when considering deploying a large-scale DW Spectrum® System or in general.

Related Articles

• DW Spectrum IPVMS Hardware Requirements
• Using the DW Spectrum IP Storage Calculator

Supported/Affected Devices:

• DW Blackjack® Server Series

Terminology Glossary

The following terminology is commonly used when referring to DW Spectrum® IPVMS:

• System – can be comprised of a single DW Spectrum® Server or of multiple DW Spectrum® Servers that have been merged into a single DW Spectrum® System
• Server – refers to the computer where the DW Spectrum® Server software is installed.  The purpose of such servers is to receive video streams from cameras, manage local cameras, process and analyze video for analytics or other special settings.  Additionally, a DW Spectrum® Server is responsible for archiving and storing video footage, while also activing as the central device in the surveillance network.
• Client – refers to the DW Spectrum® Client software portion of the IPVMS platform.  This application can be used as a GUI when managing and using the DW Spectrum® IPVMS program.  It is typically permissible to install both the DW Spectrum® Client software alongside the DW Spectrum® Server software for quick setting adjustments, however it is recommended to avoid using the DW Spectrum® Client application on the same computer for extended periods of time to avoid unnecessary processing consumption.  A good alternative would be to install the Client on a separate computer, then connect with the Server through the network.
• Resource – when referring to a DW Spectrum® System, a “resource” is typically a reference to any device (IP camera, I/O device, standalone recorder, etc.) that has been registered and connected with a DW Spectrum® Server.

Single DW Spectrum® System Limits

The following limitations apply to DW Spectrum® Systems (overall) and are based on lab testing results, which may vary depending on the System’s environment (physical, network, etc.):

Camera and Video Stream Limit

Currently, there is a limit of 128 video streams per each DW Spectrum® Server and a limit of 10,000 resources overall per each DW Spectrum® System.  Surpassing the recommended limitations for a DW Spectrum® System can cause critical errors within the IPVMS platform.

However, DW Spectrum® IPVMS is a scalable platform. If there are more than 128 video streams planned for a DW Spectrum® System, additional DW Spectrum® Server can be added to the system to increase the number of video streams that can be safely used by the system.  For example, a system with two DW Blackjack® E-Rack servers in a merged DW Spectrum® System can safely support up to 256 video streams (128 streams x 2 servers = 256 streams).

**NOTE:  DW Blackjack® Servers can vary in the number of IP cameras that are supported, depending on the hardware model.  For example, a DW Blackjack® E-Rack supports up to 128 IP cameras, but a DW Blackjack® Cube only supports up to 64 IP cameras.  Please consider this when planning a DW Spectrum® System.

Video Thread Limit

When processing the media stream from an IP camera, the DW Spectrum® Server will create up to four (4) threads:

• Thread 1 – reads a high-quality RTSP stream from the camera
• Thread 2 – reads a low-quality RTSP stream from the camera
• Thread 3 – processes the high-quality RTSP stream and uses a multiplexer to convert the input into .mkv format
• Thread 4 – processes the low-quality RTSP stream and uses a multiplexer to convert the input into .mkv format

As a result, 128 cameras can require up to 512 threads in total.  While there is not a set limit of 512 threads in modern Operating Systems, our developers tested and concluded that when 512 threads is surpassed, there is a significant degradation in the DW Spectrum® System performance.