How Camera and AI Streams Affect HDD Workloads
Surveillance systems create different types of storage activity. Camera streams continuously write video, while AI streams may add analytics, metadata, and random-access operations. Understanding these workloads helps system builders select a drive that matches the intended configuration.
Camera Streams
A camera stream is a continuous flow of video data from a security camera to a DVR, NVR or server. The data rate depends on resolution, frame rate, compression, and image complexity.
AI Streams
An AI stream represents video or metadata being processed for analytics. Examples include object detection, event classification and behavioral analysis. AI streams can increase random-access activity and real-time workload requirements.
Annual Workload Rate
Annual workload rate measures the total amount of data read, written, or verified from the host system over a year. It is different from storage capacity. A system can have enough free capacity but still exceed the drive’s intended workload if data is accessed or rewritten heavily.
Matching the Drive to the System
The Toshiba S300 AI HDD supports up to 64 high-definition camera streams, up to 32 AI streams and workloads up to 550TB per year. Actual support depends on the host system, compression, software, and camera settings.
Planning for Growth
System designers should consider future camera additions, increased resolution, and expanded analytics. Selecting a drive with sufficient workload and capacity headroom can reduce the need for early replacement.
Product Recommendation
Use a purpose-built AI surveillance HDD when the system combines continuous recording with analytics and requires higher workload support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is storage capacity the same as workload rate?
Do AI streams increase HDD workload?
How many camera streams does S300 AI support?
1 One Terabyte (1 TB) means 1012 = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes using powers of 10. A computer operating system, however, reports storage capacity using powers of 2 for the definition of 1 TB = 240 = 1,099,511,627,776 bytes, and therefore shows less storage capacity. Available storage capacity (including examples of various media files) will vary based on file size, formatting, settings, software and operating system and other factors. Actual formatted capacity may vary.
2 Compatibility may vary depending on user's hardware configuration, and operating system.
3 Product specifications, configurations, components, and features are subject to change without notice.
4 Annual Workload Rating: HDDs keep track of various drive usage such as power on hours, lifetime writes and lifetime reads from the host computer. With this data we calculate an Annualized Workload Rate, under 40 deg. C ambient environments, Annualized Workload Rate = (Lifetime Writes + Lifetime Reads) * (8760 / Lifetime Power On Hours) in case Power On time is 8760h or longer. Otherwise (i.e. Power On time is shorter than 8760h), Annualized Workload Rate = (Lifetime Writes + Lifetime Reads) Each drive is designed to perform up to the Annualized Workload Rate stated, after which the drive may be expected to decline. The Annualized Workload Rate in no way alters the warranty policy for such drive. Workload is defined as the amount of data written, read or verified by commands from host system.
5 Number of surveillance cameras support capability is defined by performance simulation with High Definition cameras at up to 10 Mbps rate, depending on the HDD model. Actual results may vary based on various factors, including the types of cameras installed, the system’s hardware and software capabilities, and the video compression technology used, as well as system variables such as resolution, frames per second, and other settings. Compatibility may vary depending on user’s hardware configuration and operating system. “High Definition” is calculated assuming Full HD 1080p, 30fps, transfer rate of up to 10Mbps/stream.
6 For "Drive Bays Supported", please contact your Solutions Provider because the compatibility with the host device will vary based on the system.
7 MTTF (Mean Time to Failure) or MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) is not a guarantee or estimate of product life; it is a statistical value related to mean failure rates for a large number of products which may not accurately reflect actual operation. Actual operating life of the product may be different from the MTTF or MTBF. MTTF (Mean Time to Failure) or MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of the HDDs during its life time is 600,000 hours and AFR(Annualized Failure Rate) is 1.46%, or 1.0 million hours and AFR is 0.88%, or 1.2 million hours and AFR is 0.73%, or 2.5 million hours and AFR is 0.35% (depending on HDD models). This assumes power-on hours are 24 x 7 in normal usage (8760 h/year power on hours, up to 180 TB/year, or up to 300TB/year, or up to 550 TB/year total data transfers (depending on HDD models), and average HDA surface temperature:40°C or less). Use at case HDA surface temperature above 40°C may degrade product reliability and reduce warranty period.
8 Drive life may vary depending on usage and workload. See also MTTF and Annual Workload Rating for more details.
9 CMR is Conventional Magnetic Recording technology.
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