Security and low voltage
CCTV storage bandwidth and recording time
Calculate storage from supplied average recording bitrates, recording hours and retention days.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
recording TB = sum(cameras × average Mbps × recording hours/day) × days ×0.00045 ×(1+overhead)
Mbps uses decimal megabits/second, TB uses10^12bytes. Use observed or justified average recorded bitrate; variable bitrate and events can change actual storage. Recording hours already represent duty time; do not reduce bitrate for the same inactive hours again. No codec, scene quality, RAID sizing, network capacity or retention compliance is certified. Use your own records for the same scope and period. Example figures are illustrative, not industry benchmarks. Results exclude income taxes and any cost you have not entered. Check the result before pricing work or committing resources.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Recording streams only: Enter matching rows from your records; add or remove rows as needed.
- Stream group: Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Cameras in group (cameras): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Average recorded bitrate per camera (Mbps): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Actual recording hours per day (hours/day): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Retention period to budget (days): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
- Additional storage allowance (%): Enter a percentage from your records or an explicitly chosen scenario. No typical or recommended rate is supplied.
- Usable recording storage after system overhead (decimal TB): Use the matching measured quantity, time log, schedule or clearly stated estimate. Zero means intentionally none; an unknown amount is not zero.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Modeled recording storage required is 2.8512 decimal TB for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Recording streams only
- Stream group: Group A
- Cameras in group: 4 cameras
- Average recorded bitrate per camera: 2.00 Mbps
- Actual recording hours per day: 24.00 hours/day
- Retention period to budget: 30 days
- Additional storage allowance: 10.00 %
- Usable recording storage after system overhead: 4.00 decimal TB
- Modeled recording storage required
- 2.8512 decimal TB
- Combined recording bitrate while all groups record
- 8.00 Mbps
- Days fitting entered usable storage
- 42.09 days
- Storage headroom after planned retention
- 1.1488 decimal TB
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Calculate storage from supplied average recording bitrates, recording hours and retention days. Inputs come from your own records and stated assumptions; no rates or legal limits are looked up.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.