Configuring Redundant Storage

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Affected Roles:  Owner, Administrator

Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps:  DW Spectrum IPVMS

Software Version:  DW Spectrum 5.1

Last Edit:  June 4, 2024

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Storage Backup and Redundant Storage

DW Spectrum provides the ability to add redundant storage among servers in a multi-server System. This way, if a server goes offline, its archive will still be available.

This article will outline how to configure redundant storage for a server in a multi-server environment.

 

**IMPORTANT: To configure either backup or redundant storage, it is necessary to define at least one Main and one Backup storage location in the Server Settings > Storage Management menu.

• For more information on creating a Storage Backup, you can refer to DW Spectrum – Storage Backup.

 

**NOTE:  Analytics Database cannot be saved in Backup storage.

 

Redundant Storage

Redundant Storage will back up footage to all over servers in a multi-server System. This will reduce the overall amount of stored footage but provides healthy redundancy.

Be aware that each server backs up the archive for selected cameras, but if a camera is moved to a different server, backup will include only a portion that was archived before the camera was moved.

To configure redundant storage:

1. Make sure each server is available and accessible through the network.
2. On each server, create a shared folder (\\server\shared) on a separate HDD to prevent System malfunction.
   1. Open the File Explorer application and open the separate HDD.
   2. Click “New Folder” and name it as “server”.
   3. Open the server folder that was just created and create another folder named “shared”.
   4. Right-click on the shared folder and select “Properties”.
   5. In Properties, select the Sharing tab.
   6. Click the drop-down to select specific people or to make the folder accessible to everyone through the network.

Click the Share button to share the folder.

 

1. 7. The folder will now be network accessible to the selected people. Take note of the file path that to the folder (\\server name\shared).

 

3. Open the DW Spectrum Client and log in as the Owner or as an Administrator.

Right-click on the server in the Resource Panel then select “Server Settings”.

 

4. Select the Storage Management tab and click on “Add External Storage”.

Enter the storage path of the shared folder into the URL field.

Enter the Login and Password for the storage (if needed).

Click the OK button to confirm.

 

 

5. Set the added storage to a “Backup” type for each one added.

Repeat the above steps on all servers.

6. Configure the backup parameters. It is best that servers perform their backup at different times, otherwise recording speed may be too low. When many servers use the same drive for recording, it can lead to an I/O error or insufficient write speed issues.

 

 

 

 

For More Information or Technical Support

DW Technical Support:  866.446.3595 (option 4)

https://www.digital-watchdog.com/contact-tech-support/

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DW Sales:  866.446.3595                   [email protected]        www.digital-watchdog.com