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NVR storage calculator: camera bandwidth & retention

Use entered average and peak camera bitrates to plan recording traffic and retained usable storage.

Storage

Camera storage and retention planner

Use entered average and peak camera bitrates to plan recording traffic and retained usable storage.

Example inputs · Replace these with your measurements to build your plan.

Method, example and sources
  1. Multiply the recording average and peak separately by camera count.
  2. Apply recording hours and duty only to recorded volume.
  3. Multiply daily bytes by retention and add the declared storage overhead once.
  4. Compare peak ingest and usable capacity only when recorder limits are explicitly entered.

Worked example. Eight cameras recording continuously at 4 Mbps each write 345.6 GB per day. Thirty days retain 10.368 TB before the entered overhead.

Your planning result

Recording traffic and retention capacity

Average writes size retention; peak traffic checks the recording path.

Aggregate recording average
32Mbps
Aggregate peak
64Mbps
Recorded per day
345.6GB
Retained before overhead
10.368TB
Required usable capacity
11.4048TB
Required usable binary capacity
10.3726TiB
  • Bitrate is entered or measured; resolution and codec do not determine it.
  • Storage overhead is an add-on, already included in the required usable total. RAID/raw disk capacity and licensed channels remain separate.

Size drives for this recording plan →

11.4048 TB is the usable target, with recording overhead already included. Choose RAID protection and spare/free space separately.

From the catalog

Surveillance/Network Cameras

Explore related listings, then confirm the exact model requirements against your plan. These listings are not an automatic compatibility or capacity verdict.

Browse surveillance/network cameras Browse video surveillance systems Browse hard drives/solid state drives Get help with the specification

Average and peak answer different questions

The recording average controls how many bytes accumulate, while the aggregate peak helps screen the recording path. Enter measured or documented rates for the selected stream and scene. The same resolution can produce different bitrates as lighting, motion, compression and image settings change, so choosing a camera name or resolution cannot supply a trustworthy default rate.

Use usable storage for the comparison

A recorder's raw disk total is different from the usable space left after its array and system requirements. The optional comparison uses a stated usable capacity and ingest limit, not a certification of channels, licenses or drive support. Retention and duty are project assumptions; the tool does not prescribe a legal policy or promise recovery of every event.

Worked example

Eight cameras recording continuously at 4 Mbps each write 345.6 GB per day. Thirty days retain 10.368 TB before the entered overhead.

NVR storage calculator: camera bandwidth & retention — Uniqcli