📋 Questions to answer before starting
- How many cameras do you need — this determines storage space requirements
- How long to keep recordings — 7 days, 2 weeks, or a month?
- Your internet connection — unlimited plan? What's the speed?
- Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) availability — to keep cameras and equipment running during power outages
Click on any option to see details
Click on any option to view full information
Local Storage with Remote Access
All recordings stored on-premises, accessible via internet
How it works in simple terms:
Cameras record video to a special device (video recorder) with a hard drive located at your office or home.
Via the internet, you can view these recordings from your phone or computer from anywhere.
All your data stays only with you, no one else has access to it.
✓ Advantages
- Your data — only with you, full control
- Fast access to recordings in the office
- No monthly cloud storage fees
- Maximum privacy
- Independent of external services
✗ Disadvantages
- Additional costs: public IP from ISP ($3-8/month) or K2O VPN rental
- Dependence on power supply at your location — UPS required for cameras, router, and NVR
- Physical damage to equipment (fire, theft, flooding) results in data loss
- Requires physical space for equipment (NVR, router, UPS)
- Higher upfront cost due to equipment purchase
• Router that supports required configurations: $77-128
• Video recorder with disk: $51-205 (depending on camera count)
• Public IP address from ISP: $0-7/month (depends on ISP and plan)
• Alternative to public IP: K2O VPN rental — see Services/VPN Solutions section
• Total from: $128-333 + $0-7/month
Why it's important:
In this option, all system components (cameras, video recorder, router) must operate continuously to ensure recording and access to video. Without a UPS during power outages, the system completely stops — cameras don't record, there's no access to the archive.
What needs backup power:
• IP cameras (typically powered via PoE from a switch)
• PoE switch or injectors (for camera power)
• Video recorder (NVR) with hard drive
• Router for remote access
Recommended UPS specifications:
• Power capacity: 0.5-1 kW (depends on camera count)
• Autonomy time: minimum 8 hours
• Battery type: LiFePO4 (fast charging, long service life, high safety)
• Approximate cost: $410-600
Example: SEVEN UPS with LiFePO4 battery at 60-100W load provides approximately 8 hours of operation for a typical video surveillance system with 4-8 cameras.
📦 Equipment examples and approximate prices
Video Recorders (devices for recording video)
TVT TD-3004H1-B1
• Up to 8 MP per channel
• 1x SATA HDD
• H.265+ compression
TVT TD-3008H1-B1
• Up to 8 MP per channel
• 1x SATA HDD
• H.265+ compression
TVT TD-3016H1-B1
• Up to 8 MP per channel
• 2x SATA HDD
• H.265+ compression
IP Cameras (for price reference)
* Prices and models are provided for reference. Specific equipment selection is done individually for project needs.
K2O Cloud Storage
Access to recordings anytime, even during power outages on-site
How it works in simple terms:
Cameras record video and automatically send it over the internet to our secure servers.
You can view recordings anytime from your phone or computer.
Even if power goes out at the office — all recordings remain accessible because they're stored in our cloud.
We take care of storage, backups, and data security.
✓ Advantages
- Recordings always accessible — even without power on-site
- No additional services required from ISP
- Works with any unlimited internet
- We handle servers and backups
- If equipment breaks — recordings are safe
- Easy to use — like any regular app
✗ Disadvantages
- Monthly storage fee (see pricing plans below)
- Complete dependence on stable internet connection
- Slow internet may cause delays or gaps in recordings
- Dependence on K2O cloud service availability
- UPS required for router and cameras (no power means no recording to cloud)
• Router that supports required configurations: $85-138
• Cloud storage for recordings: $7-21/month (depending on camera count and retention period)
• Total from: $85-138 + $7-21/month
Why it's important:
In this option, cameras record video directly to the cloud via internet. If power goes out — cameras and router shut down, and video recording stops. Therefore, it's important to ensure uninterruptible power supply for cameras and router.
What needs backup power:
• IP cameras (typically powered via PoE from a switch)
• PoE switch or injectors (for camera power)
• Router for internet connection
Key advantage:
Since this option doesn't include a video recorder with hard drive (the most power-consuming component), the UPS load is lower than in Option 1. This means you can use a less powerful (and cheaper) UPS, or the same UPS will run longer.
Recommended UPS specifications:
• Power capacity: 0.5-0.8 kW (less than Option 1 due to no NVR)
• Autonomy time: minimum 8 hours (actually may be longer)
• Battery type: LiFePO4 (fast charging, long service life, high safety)
• Approximate cost: $360-510 (can choose less powerful model)
Example: SEVEN UPS with LiFePO4 battery at 50-70W load provides 10-12 hours of operation for a system with router and 4-6 cameras.
💰 More about K2O cloud storage pricing
Comparison with other services and volume calculator available on separate page
Combined Solution: Local + Cloud
Double reliability — recordings both on-site and in the cloud
How it works in simple terms:
Cameras record video to two places simultaneously: to your video recorder in the office (for fast viewing)
and to our servers in the cloud (for backup). If something happens to your equipment —
all recordings are safe in the cloud. This is the most secure option, but also the most expensive.
✓ Advantages
- Maximum reliability — data in two locations
- Fast access to all recordings in the office
- Guaranteed backup in the cloud
- Configurable: what to store locally vs. in cloud
- Saves internet traffic (not all recordings go to cloud)
- Even if equipment breaks — recordings won't be lost
✗ Disadvantages
- Highest cost — combines equipment expenses + monthly cloud fee
- Requires quality internet with high upload speed
- Double dependence: on power + internet (UPS required for all equipment)
- Requires physical space for equipment (NVR, router, UPS)
- Additional costs for public IP or VPN (optional)
• Router that supports required configurations: $85-138
• Video recorder with disk: $53-234
• Backup cloud storage: $5-13/month
• Total from: $192-415 + $5-21/month
Why it's important:
The combined option uses both storage methods, so UPS requirements are highest. The system must support both local video recorder operation and sending data to the cloud. During power outages, the local copy continues recording, but without internet the cloud backup won't update.
What needs backup power:
• IP cameras (powered via PoE)
• PoE switch or injectors
• Video recorder (NVR) with hard drive
• Router for internet connection
Key feature of this option:
This is the most power-consuming option since all components run simultaneously: NVR records locally + router sends data to cloud. However, this ensures maximum reliability — even if internet or power fails, the local copy continues recording while the UPS operates.
Recommended UPS specifications:
• Power capacity: 0.8-1 kW (highest among all options)
• Autonomy time: minimum 8 hours
• Battery type: LiFePO4 (fast charging, long service life, high safety)
• Approximate cost: $460-600
Example: SEVEN UPS with LiFePO4 battery at 80-100W load provides 8-9 hours of operation for a full system with NVR, router, and 6-8 cameras.
💰 More about K2O cloud storage pricing
Comparison with other services and volume calculator available on separate page
🎯 Our Recommendations
For office or retail:
Option 2 (K2O Cloud Storage) — best price-to-convenience ratio. You'll always have access to recordings, even if power goes out at the office. No need to worry about server maintenance — we do it all for you. Just open the app on your phone and view recordings from anywhere. Perfect for businesses where reliability and ease of use are important.
For home use (baby monitor / parking / common areas):
Option 1 (Local Storage) — optimal choice for home use. Perfect for:
- Baby monitors — watching the nursery with phone access
- Parking spaces — monitoring your car in underground parking
- Entrances and yards — security in apartment building common areas
All your personal recordings stay only at your home, maximum privacy. You can view recordings from your phone when needed. No monthly fees — buy equipment once and everything works.
For critical sites (banks, jewelry stores):
Option 3 (Combined Solution) — maximum reliability. Recordings are stored simultaneously on-site and in our cloud. Even if someone steals or damages your equipment — all recordings remain safe in the cloud. Recommended for sites where losing recordings could be costly (banks, jewelry stores, important manufacturing facilities, server rooms).
Comparison of all three options
| Criterion | Option 1 Local |
Option 2 Cloud |
Option 3 Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to recordings during power outage on-site | ✗ No access (UPS required) | ✓ Always accessible | ✓ Always accessible (from cloud) |
| Approximate upfront cost | $138-372 | $85-138 | $192-415 |
| Approximate monthly cost | $0-8 | $7-21 | $5-21 |
| Public IP address required (via ISP or K2O VPN) |
✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ Optional |
| Who maintains local infrastructure | You / us as service / us on request | ✓ Us as service | ✓ Us as service |
Ready to discuss your project?
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