Comparing QNAP and other NAS devices

[lousk 0]

Hello,

I am newbie with surveillance equipment's, its hardware and software.

 

I have the following:

ASUS router - RT-N66U with updated stock firmware

Trendnet - TV-IP851WIC and the TV-IP751WIC wireless Cloud IP cameras

Few generic NAS devices

 

As I was reading around this forum, there was many posts with regards to QNAP NAS products, just the $100-$200 range similar to the TS-112. It was something with regard to surveillance specific capabilities. I am not sure if this is embedded within the hardware or the software of QNAP. Also I am not sure if I would be able to achieve the same results with what I already have. I am not looking for NVR, I just want to be able to record motion and schedule events, motion and still video. I am looking to store this locally but not on PC. Needing to be redundant recording via directly to NAS, HP / Acer file server as well as externally via FTP, WAN, cloud storage.

 

Please, could you enlighten me about what's embedded in QNAP mentioned above that I won't be able to achieve with what I already have on hand? Is there something very specific within its HW, or it's just the FW/SW is what makes it unique?

 

Thanks!

[Kawboy12R 0]

The QNAP will read the video stream from your camera and work with it, save it, and play it back like an NVR. A NAS without a processor and surveillence software like the QNAP will just save files that are sent to it. Your Trendnet cams say that they will save to NAS but that's the only reference to it I could find in the manual. Nothing on how to play back or search files that are stored there or what format they are in. I'd hate to say for sure but I suspect that the cams just dump raw footage there and you'll have to manually search through them for date/time to play and review. Have you tried the NAS storage feature yet to find out?

 

On the other hand, the QNAP has software built-in that acts as an NVR/server. It attaches to the network and more or less takes the place of an NVR or computer running 24/7 to manage motion detection and save the video stream and give you nice playback and search features. Whether they're as nice as your Trendnet's software? Hard to say. You can select an area on the screen and search for motion in that area with the Trendnet software which is a nice feature. Not sure if the QNAP has it. It's great for me on software I've used, for instance, for selecting the area around my front door to ignore motion hits from passing vehicles and just get people coming to the front door during the day.

 

As for whether a QNAP gives you features that you don't currently have, I don't really think so. It does give you another option with most likely more bells and whistles than you're currently getting with dumping files to NAS. That all depends on how the Trendnet software works with files that the camera dumps to NAS when a computer isn't running. That wasn't clear from what I read in the manual. Whether the QNAP is worth the money over a NAS without surveillance station software might depend on how often you want to review video and how adequate you consider the NAS file review services Trendnet provides you now.

[lousk 0]

The QNAP will read the video stream from your camera and work with it, save it, and play it back like an NVR. A NAS without a processor and surveillence software like the QNAP will just save files that are sent to it. Your Trendnet cams say that they will save to NAS but that's the only reference to it I could find in the manual. Nothing on how to play back or search files that are stored there or what format they are in. I'd hate to say for sure but I suspect that the cams just dump raw footage there and you'll have to manually search through them for date/time to play and review. Have you tried the NAS storage feature yet to find out?

 

On the other hand, the QNAP has software built-in that acts as an NVR/server. It attaches to the network and more or less takes the place of an NVR or computer running 24/7 to manage motion detection and save the video stream and give you nice playback and search features. Whether they're as nice as your Trendnet's software? Hard to say. You can select an area on the screen and search for motion in that area with the Trendnet software which is a nice feature. Not sure if the QNAP has it. It's great for me on software I've used, for instance, for selecting the area around my front door to ignore motion hits from passing vehicles and just get people coming to the front door during the day.

 

As for whether a QNAP gives you features that you don't currently have, I don't really think so. It does give you another option with most likely more bells and whistles than you're currently getting with dumping files to NAS. That all depends on how the Trendnet software works with files that the camera dumps to NAS when a computer isn't running. That wasn't clear from what I read in the manual. Whether the QNAP is worth the money over a NAS without surveillance station software might depend on how often you want to review video and how adequate you consider the NAS file review services Trendnet provides you.

WOW!

Thanks so much for taking the time!

I still have so much to learn and review.

 

As for trying out the NAS feature, no I didn't yet. At the moment I'm already glad to be able to comprehend while gathering beginner's information. I will probably need to read your response few more times before diving into it.

 

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the RT-N66U router, however I was wondering if its features and capabilities could be utilized when comes to IP cameras' streaming, storing, uploading, playing-back, and so on.

 

Thanks again!

[Kawboy12R 0]

You're welcome.

 

That's the same router I've got, so yes I'm fairly familiar with it. Nice router, great wifi range, lots of features, nice and stable.

[JoeyJoey 0]

For the QNAP software forum, see here.

 

http://forum.qnap.com/viewforum.php?f=187

 

Nothing but problems after problems, plus they charge you $55 per camera license after the first one.

 

I use a few QNAP NASs but only as NAS devices, and they work well for that.

[SB_Jim 1]

I've thought about installing a NAS in a separate portion of my home to mirror the recording to my NVR. Am I hearing from the posts above that most NAS devices (like Seagate or WD) may only store raw data - which may prove to be difficult to review? I was hoping that if I needed to, I could "point" my NVR to the NAS and review recorded footage and make use of the search features of my NVR.

[JoeyJoey 0]

I've thought about installing a NAS in a separate portion of my home to mirror the recording to my NVR. Am I hearing from the posts above that most NAS devices (like Seagate or WD) may only store raw data - which may prove to be difficult to review? I was hoping that if I needed to, I could "point" my NVR to the NAS and review recorded footage and make use of the search features of my NVR.

 

You kind of can do this on the Lorex/Swann by adding a NAS drive device to the NVR (and Cameras).

Set the NAS (in NFS or iSCSI mode) drive to mirror the main built in HD and it shall record data to both.

 

I do this with mine.

Edited June 9, 2013 by Guest

[thewireguys 3]

I've thought about installing a NAS in a separate portion of my home to mirror the recording to my NVR. Am I hearing from the posts above that most NAS devices (like Seagate or WD) may only store raw data - which may prove to be difficult to review? I was hoping that if I needed to, I could "point" my NVR to the NAS and review recorded footage and make use of the search features of my NVR.

 

Not very many NVRs/VMS will allow you to use network shares as storage targets so I would recommend you purchase a NAS with iSCSI support. This way you can setup a storage target that acts as a local drive in your NVR/VMS. I have been testing a Synology DS1812+ and I have been very happy with multiple Avigilon NVRs pointed to the unit without any issues.

[MR2 0]

I've thought about installing a NAS in a separate portion of my home to mirror the recording to my NVR. Am I hearing from the posts above that most NAS devices (like Seagate or WD) may only store raw data - which may prove to be difficult to review? I was hoping that if I needed to, I could "point" my NVR to the NAS and review recorded footage and make use of the search features of my NVR.

 

Not very many NVRs/VMS will allow you to use network shares as storage targets so I would recommend you purchase a NAS with iSCSI support. This way you can setup a storage target that acts as a local drive in your NVR/VMS. I have been testing a Synology DS1812+ and I have been very happy with multiple Avigilon NVRs pointed to the unit without any issues.

 

the issue also comes when you get a large amount of streams, seeing as Video footage from multiple simultaneous camera's gets dumped on the storage as random access, so your average disks cop a hiding! then with every other camera you add the load goes up exponentially, I personally think that NAS's are not suited to installations with anymore than 4 camera's, this situation is helped by raid controllers with cache, but we're talking cheap NAS's here. not only that but I prefer to have a larger range of camera's to plug into my system.

 

now in theory your disks will handle a reasonable amount of this (depending largely on spindle RPM) but imagine what happens when you go back to review the footage!!

 

and this is where I recommend building a dedicated NVR with a high speed disk/SSD, then get the NVR to archive to your NAS (Milestone is my Favorite) when the system archives it defrags the streams and sends them as single streams, which then means you can use cheaper/slower disks to store the huge amount of archived footage

[SB_Jim 1]

Well, I don't intend to build an NVR. I own the Swann NVR - and it does it's job quite well. I was simply intending to have a $300 NAS device in another room of the house - hardwired back to my router - talking to my NVR to mirror the data. And I am curious as to whether or not I could "drive" my NVR and review content on the NAS.

 

Joey - are you using an NVR or your own PC w/ BI or something like that?

 

 

TheWireGuys - Thx for the suggestion.

[thewireguys 3]

The issue you are seeing is a limitation of the VMS which is Milestone in your case. My iSCSI unit with 2 Avigilon servers using it for storage targets has no speed issues when reviewing multiple streams . If anything I would describe it as a small amount of latency compared to local spinning disks. We have one project with about 30 2MP streams(180ish Mbps) recording to iSCSI target via a server running Avigilon. Minus a couple of issues of the LUNs not reconnecting when the server restarted the customer is very happy.

[JoeyJoey 0]

Joey - are you using an NVR or your own PC w/ BI or something like that?

 

See this post here: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=35927&start=15

 

I use a NAS NFS drive as a secondary drive to the NVR, the data is written to the NAS drive as a mirror.

[SB_Jim 1]

Thx Joey. I remember seeing that. Is that a screen shot of the menu from logging in to your NVR via the LAN?

 

It doesn't appear to be the client S/W.

[lousk 0]

I've thought about installing a NAS in a separate portion of my home to mirror the recording to my NVR. Am I hearing from the posts above that most NAS devices (like Seagate or WD) may only store raw data - which may prove to be difficult to review? I was hoping that if I needed to, I could "point" my NVR to the NAS and review recorded footage and make use of the search features of my NVR.

 

Not very many NVRs/VMS will allow you to use network shares as storage targets so I would recommend you purchase a NAS with iSCSI support. This way you can setup a storage target that acts as a local drive in your NVR/VMS. I have been testing a Synology DS1812+ and I have been very happy with multiple Avigilon NVRs pointed to the unit without any issues.

Thanks for your input in this thread. I tried looking up the correct definition for your reference to VMS acronym within the context, but I ended up within few possible ones. Sorry... which one are you referring to, is it to do with software application only, is it possibly a firmware option that must be imbedded within a particular hardware?

Thanks again!

[thewireguys 3]

VMS= Video Management Software

[JoeyJoey 0]

Thx Joey. I remember seeing that. Is that a screen shot of the menu from logging in to your NVR via the LAN?

 

It doesn't appear to be the client S/W.

 

There are screenshots of the Camera's interface and the NVR via its web access, not the client software.

[MR2 0]

The issue you are seeing is a limitation of the VMS which is Milestone in your case. My iSCSI unit with 2 Avigilon servers using it for storage targets has no speed issues when reviewing multiple streams . If anything I would describe it as a small amount of latency compared to local spinning disks. We have one project with about 30 2MP streams(180ish Mbps) recording to iSCSI target via a server running Avigilon. Minus a couple of issues of the LUNs not reconnecting when the server restarted the customer is very happy.

 

your iscsi bohemoth is not the typical NAS that our thread starter is talking about, the difference is chalk and cheese when you start talking about NAS units that include real hardcore Raid controllers with cache etc by all means inform us as to your full configuration including cost of the units + drives/rpm etc

 

I also find it a bit rich that your calling it a Milestone limitation, fairly consistent with your previous posts though

[thewireguys 3]

The issue you are seeing is a limitation of the VMS which is Milestone in your case. My iSCSI unit with 2 Avigilon servers using it for storage targets has no speed issues when reviewing multiple streams . If anything I would describe it as a small amount of latency compared to local spinning disks. We have one project with about 30 2MP streams(180ish Mbps) recording to iSCSI target via a server running Avigilon. Minus a couple of issues of the LUNs not reconnecting when the server restarted the customer is very happy.

 

your iscsi bohemoth is not the typical NAS that our thread starter is talking about, the difference is chalk and cheese when you start talking about NAS units that include real hardcore Raid controllers with cache etc by all means inform us as to your full configuration including cost of the units + drives/rpm etc

 

I also find it a bit rich that your calling it a Milestone limitation, fairly consistent with your previous posts though [/quote

 

Synology is at the same price level as QNAP and I was not taking a dig at Milestone.

[lousk 0]

I've been looking at the specs of Synology DS212j and QNAP TS-112. If you're familiar with these 2, could you please share your personal opinion / experience in general?

[thewireguys 3]

I've been looking at the specs of Synology DS212j and QNAP TS-112. If you're familiar with these 2, could you please share your personal opinion / experience in general?

 

I am not familiar with those models but I have used both QNAP/Synology and I would go with Synology.

[JoeyJoey 0]

I have two QNAPs and I think I would go with a Synology if I were to buy another.

 

The models you listed one is a 2 drive, the other is a single drive. I recommend going with a minimum of a 2 drive, but a 4 drive is the best.

You can expand later on by adding drives.

[lousk 0]

I have two QNAPs and I think I would go with a Synology if I were to buy another.

 

The models you listed one is a 2 drive, the other is a single drive. I recommend going with a minimum of a 2 drive, but a 4 drive is the best.

You can expand later on by adding drives.

Due to my means, I was planning to buy only one, the QNAP single drive model (since no RAID is required). Could you please share your thoughts about the Synology after you've been using QNAP?

Thanks.

[lousk 0]

I've been looking at the specs of Synology DS212j and QNAP TS-112. If you're familiar with these 2, could you please share your personal opinion / experience in general?

 

I am not familiar with those models but I have used both QNAP/Synology and I would go with Synology.

From your own perspective, knowledge, and experience, should I be aware of something in particular between the 2 brands?

Thanks.

[thewireguys 3]

I have found the Synology unit to be easier to use and have more features. Keep in mind I have the 8 bay unit and using it for multiple iSCSI targets and Network shares.

[MR2 0]

We've just bought a RS3412sx, not going to use the iscsi interface, as it will just be archive footage and the excess of network files we have

 

ironically I think our Servers 10k 146gb's are getting flooded with the camera's we have at the moment so that box will probably get upgraded so it can offload to the NAS faster, still when the new NAS goes in we'll see if the offload speeds improve