How to Estimate Video Archive Size and Avoid Overpaying

With cloud video surveillance, you pay for storage used, not per camera. That means you can control the volume — and the difference between settings can be several-fold.

What determines the volume

• Resolution and bitrate. The main factor. Going from 4 MP to 2 MP cuts the volume roughly in half.
• Recording mode. Continuous 24/7 recording vs. motion-triggered recording — for a room with little movement, the difference is several-fold.
• Retention period. A direct multiplier: 90 days takes three times as much space as 30.
• Number of cameras. Multiplies everything above.

A rough estimate

As a rule of thumb, one 2 MP camera recording continuously produces about 15–25 GB per day. Four cameras with 30-day retention add up to several terabytes. With motion-triggered recording in a space that’s active 8–10 hours a day, the volume drops roughly threefold.

How to cut volume without losing value

• Enable motion-triggered recording where there’s no constant activity: storage rooms, back rooms, entrances after hours.
• Don’t use maximum resolution where the fact of an event matters more than fine detail.
• Set different retention for different cameras: cash register — 90 days, hallway — 14.
• Check the frame rate: 12–15 frames per second is enough for most scenarios.

The exact figure

You choose the stream settings yourself and pay only for the storage actually used — so the total is visible within the first few days. Start with moderate settings, check the real figure after a week and adjust.