FreeNAS as DVR for IP cameras?

[Black Ninja]

I have the "NAS" option too , which don't actually mean anything, is meant to make it easier for newbies (if they have a NAS box) and harder for geeks (because they wont know what protocol is that). Here is mine:

 

[Black Ninja]

I think is SMB protocol what you mean

No these cameras have the ability to record to a NAS via NFS now there is an option to record using SMB/CIFS I don't use that option. Please read up on Hikvision cameras they are not cheap cameras.

Mine have SMB or FTP (and local SD card) but not NFS. That's cool to have as an option, no doubt. See that's what I meant , because SMB, FTP, NFS are protocol use to connect , but NAS is not. So they should put FTP/SMB/NFS/NAS together, because what is NAS, right ?

Anyways we got the idea :)

By the way, what CPU and how much RAM is in your system?

 

[Black Ninja]

When I start thinking about it... I don't actually know what in my cameras NAS means? I only assume it's SMB because you know most used consumer os Windows/SMB , but it might be actually NFS. Could be even iSCSI for what I know, who knows what the stupid vendor had in mine when they put the "NAS" option there.

Well we know NAS device can support many protocols , but there is no way to connect two together unless you know what they are, because they have to match. Meaning you cant connect SMB to NFS, or NFS to iSCSI target. This is frustrating. It's all vendor's fault. Now I start digging in manuals , but there is nothing there, where I could've have better options that FTP, but anyway I drifted too much on the "NAS" issue.:)

 

[Black Ninja]

@Rickinfl And I am still curious what CPU and how much RAM you use in this system?:)

 

[Rickinfl]

I'm using a Gigabyte motherboard with a Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz. I'm running 16 Gigs of RAM for right now but it's using 98% of it. FreeNAS rule is 1gig to 1TB. So I'd need at least 96 gig of RAM. From all I have been reading FreeNAS loves RAM. The processor is cold it hardly even gets used. I'm running that netdata app that's included in FreeNAS 11. Of all the resources the RAM is the heaviest hit it pretty much stays maxed out.

You have to understand I'm learning something new everyday. I just jumped into FreeNAS a month or so ago. I'm really new at this. This was my first FreeNAS system I built. I have 2 more sitting here I have to build. The 2 most valuable things I've learned so far is... I didn't put my LSI 9211-8i into IT mode :( , But that is fixable. The second thing was RAM and ECC RAM. I'm going to end up changing out that motherboard in that system since it doesn't support ECC RAM. Hey we learn from our mistakes and the learning part is what NOT to do next time right? lol

I'm a heavy Linux user so I've always seen this FreeNAS in the corner of my eye and kind of brushed it off because I was building Ubuntu Servers running NFS for storage. Also I was running a lot of ESXi. I really like ESXi for it's simplicity, but I learned the hard way ESXi does NOT monitor your drives, Lucky I have Idrac running on my servers to notify me. It's just a pain to work with ESXi especially the free version they want you to mortgage your home to get a license. I started looking into Xen Server for storage, but again not really user friendly try adding a hard drive to Xen!

My goal is to run FreeNAS as a storage server, but to replace my ESXi one day I'm learning the VM part now. Each day I just keep reading and reading.

 

[Rickinfl]

Now I'm pretty much building the same server at home. Same case and everything, but I'm using a Tyan S7012 motherboard with 2 - 6 core X5650 procs and 64 gig of ram. 2 - LSI 9211-8i controllers in IT mode. The motherboard has 4 nics on it. I just load balanced them. I'm running 8 - 3 TB drives in Raidz2 and a stripped set of 4TB for my Hikvision cameras (16). (I don't care if I lose the data on those strips need max storage).

 

[Rickinfl]

Here is a pic of where I was last week. Note: I haven't installed all the RAM or the Noctua processor fans yet. And got the missing Molex adapter installed that is missing on the left. As for the Cards from left to right... 9211-8i, 1gig network card for my DMZ, 9211-8i and the red card is a USB 3.0 5 port card. Also for those who have that case might noticed it's shorter? lol Yes I cut 3 inches off the back and it looks factory everyone I tell this too can't believe it until I show them the 3 inch piece I cut off. Love those cases everything is screwed in not spot welded. I unscrewed the back plate and moved it forward.

 

[fracai]

You are setup is interesting and little bit complicated, my IP cameras can send notifications with screenshot directly to email. Record on motion I gave up a year ago, and 1080p is a must in my case.

Mine can send alerts as well, but I wanted a common monitoring space, not just messages whenever the camera saw something. Pushover and Flickr is much easier for me to triage than email.

I agree with you that dedicated hardware is better. But as far as why not get a Amcrest DVR and be done with it , the answer would be the same if the questions was: Why build a freenas if you can get a 4bay Synology or Qnap NAS already build. I think you know what I mean :)

I get that. Mine was built before I considered cameras so I made some compromises.

 

[Rickinfl]

Here is a major problem. Most DVR's can't record ALL cameras at 1080p. If you read the specs carefully you will see what I'm talking about. Doing it this way ALL my cameras record at 1080p.

 

[Rickinfl]

Read this... Don't brush over it... really read and understand this. And this is why I built my own.

https://www.security-camera-warehouse.com/knowledge-base/nvr-bitrate/

 

[Gabriel Oberreuter]

Just sharing my experience.

Got FN on a server, using iSCSI (2x 10 Gb links) to provide the access to a Xen/VMware virtualized server. Installed Ubuntu and SHINOBI CCTV on it.

• got like 10 D-Link DCS-4602EV
• got 4 Hikvision model DS-2CD3145F-I -> important: support H.265 !! greatly reduces space required to save video, which impacts on FN

all of them configured in SHINOBI, so shinobi captures the video data from the cameras. Working all good so far, can post more details if interested.

 

[Black Ninja]

I'm using a Gigabyte motherboard with a Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz. I'm running 16 Gigs of RAM for right now but it's using 98% of it. FreeNAS rule is 1gig to 1TB. So I'd need at least 96 gig of RAM. From all I have been reading FreeNAS loves RAM. The processor is cold it hardly even gets used. I'm running that netdata app that's included in FreeNAS 11. Of all the resources the RAM is the heaviest hit it pretty much stays maxed out.

You have to understand I'm learning something new everyday. I just jumped into FreeNAS a month or so ago. I'm really new at this. This was my first FreeNAS system I built. I have 2 more sitting here I have to build. The 2 most valuable things I've learned so far is... I didn't put my LSI 9211-8i into IT mode :( , But that is fixable. The second thing was RAM and ECC RAM. I'm going to end up changing out that motherboard in that system since it doesn't support ECC RAM. Hey we learn from our mistakes and the learning part is what NOT to do next time right? lol

I'm a heavy Linux user so I've always seen this FreeNAS in the corner of my eye and kind of brushed it off because I was building Ubuntu Servers running NFS for storage. Also I was running a lot of ESXi. I really like ESXi for it's simplicity, but I learned the hard way ESXi does NOT monitor your drives, Lucky I have Idrac running on my servers to notify me. It's just a pain to work with ESXi especially the free version they want you to mortgage your home to get a license. I started looking into Xen Server for storage, but again not really user friendly try adding a hard drive to Xen!!!

My goal is to run FreeNAS as a storage server, but to replace my ESXi one day I'm learning the VM part now. Each day I just keep reading and reading.

Thanks for sharing that. I am on the opposite site , I have very little knowledge about linux but have more experience with FreeNAS and ESXi. I am sure with you knowledge with Linux and you passion to learn, you pick up vary fast the missing pieces. The rule about the memory is guidance is not set in stone, but in your case you are really stretching it too much.
As you can see my main NAS (in my signature) has 32GB and 64GB RAW storage, from 16x4TB drives. Is all working flawless and I don't use jails to run VM, or use for trans-coding plex, just for NAS and nothing else. I am running around 80% and as you know it's time to look for expansion when you reach 80% or more pool space. So in this case (this is my comfort zone and personal opinion) I can just swap these drives with 8TB or 10TB cause the system don't allow for more ram, I wouldn't feel comfortable swapping the drives for lets say 8TB and have 128 RAW TB on the same 32RAM. In my case it will probably still work okay , cause I don't use FreeNAS as hyper-visor or anything else but NAS. But I don't want to play on the edge because I need good performance from it as well, since I have 10Gb connected to it I don't want 150MB/s transfer speeds. From what I heard (but never experienced) when you start running out of RAM in FreeNAS, it get much more ugly than other OS, and your performance can drop like 10x to a crawling state.

So I'll have to build ( I almost done) new system with 128GB and then I can put 16X10TB or 16x12TB and have a really strong performer.

LSI 9211-8i is my all time favorite and it must be in IT mode absolutely.

You mention idrac on ESXi I assume is dell server, but I don't see why you can't monitor drives on ESXi. With RAID card, you install drivers and it should be able to and you can open from LSI Software from inside VM to see more and change configuration if you need to. With Xen I have 0 experience, I like ESXi!:)

 

[Black Ninja]

Now I'm pretty much building the same server at home. Same case and everything, but I'm using a Tyan S7012 motherboard with 2 - 6 core X5650 procs and 64 gig of ram. 2 - LSI 9211-8i controllers in IT mode. The motherboard has 4 nics on it. I just load balanced them. I'm running 8 - 3 TB drives in Raidz2 and a stripped set of 4TB for my Hikvision cameras (16). (I don't care if I lose the data on those strips need max storage).

Too much CPU for just a FreeNAS. I would remove one cpu , and swap the other for something XxxxxL for better power consumption.

 

[Black Ninja]

Here is a pic of where I was last week. Note: I haven't installed all the RAM or the Noctua processor fans yet. And got the missing Molex adapter installed that is missing on the left. As for the Cards from left to right... 9211-8i, 1gig network card for my DMZ, 9211-8i and the red card is a USB 3.0 5 port card. Also for those who have that case might noticed it's shorter? lol Yes I cut 3 inches off the back and it looks factory everyone I tell this too can't believe it until I show them the 3 inch piece I cut off. Love those cases everything is screwed in not spot welded. I unscrewed the back plate and moved it forward.

I love pictures thanks for sharing it, but it really looks like a mess. No offense. You have one CPU with proper passive server CPU cooler, and second CPU is what modified laptop cooler? :)
I am too much OCD for this picture, but again no offense.

 

[Black Ninja]

Here is a major problem. Most DVR's can't record ALL cameras at 1080p. If you read the specs carefully you will see what I'm talking about. Doing it this way ALL my cameras record at 1080p.

That is excellent point, I never own pre-made DVR box, but I can only imaging all the limitations that will have. When you build your own server you can record 4k from all the cameras if you want to, because is data over the network for the server and as long as can handle the data traffic it won't matter for him what resolution you are sending. It could be ridiculously powerful and reliable server no factory build box can match.

 

[Black Ninja]

Read this... Don't brush over it... really read and understand this. And this is why I built my own.

https://www.security-camera-warehouse.com/knowledge-base/nvr-bitrate/

This is very helpful.

P.S. I don't have a server, router, switch, etc with a single power supply. This DVR I am building will be the only one...for now.:)

 

[Black Ninja]

Just sharing my experience.

Got FreeNAS on a server, using iSCSI (2x 10 Gb links) to provide the access to a Xen/VMware virtualized server. Installed Ubuntu and SHINOBI CCTV on it.

• got like 10 D-Link DCS-4602EV
• got 4 Hikvision model DS-2CD3145F-I -> important: support H.265 !! greatly reduces space required to save video, which impacts on FN

all of them configured in SHINOBI, so shinobi captures the video data from the cameras. Working all good so far, can post more details if interested.

You couldn't complicate it ever more , could you? :)

So FreeNAS is iSCSI target for hyper-visor, in which one of the VM is DVR , right?

P.S. I have a DVR as VM reds to go, but I ran it of local HDD datastore dedicated just for that VM.

I am not familiar with the shinobi thing, mine are IP cameras and encoding is done inside the camera so to the DVR (over the network) travels MPG, and JPG files.

 

[tvsjr]

Too much CPU for just a freenas. I would remove one cpu , and swap the other for something XxxxxL for better powerconsuption.

Ripping a chip, maybe (although this may limit the number of RAM sticks and PCIe slots you can use, depending on motherboard configuration). An -L processor is simply capped to not exceed a certain speed. It idles at the same power consumption as a non-L part. But, by not capping it, you have the extra performance when the system demands it.

 

[fracai]

Read this... Don't brush over it... really read and understand this. And this is why I built my own.

https://www.security-camera-warehouse.com/knowledge-base/nvr-bitrate/

So, the key point they're making is that a DVR that may claim to support 1080p, but it won't be able to support that at 30 FPS for the full number of channels. The solution is to pay more for a DVR that can support greater bandwidth, reduce the number of channels, or reduce the resolution.
There's another option. Reduce the FPS. You're not producing a feature film here and there's no need to record security feeds at 30 FPS. Drop your camera FPS to something around 7 and you'll easily fit all the channels you need. Even dropping the FPS to 15 would suffice instead of dropping to 720p.

 

[Black Ninja]

Ripping a chip, maybe (although this may limit the number of RAM sticks and PCIe slots you can use, depending on motherboard configuration). An -L processor is simply capped to not exceed a certain speed. It idles at the same power consumption as a non-L part. But, by not capping it, you have the extra performance when the system demands it.

You are right, it could be a problem if the memory is spread in all the banks , but with few sticks it shouldn't be.

I know "L" is running on slower clock , but I don't know if that's simply and the only the difference that gives it such a low power consumption compared to the non "L". I can't speak from experience (comparing both on idle)
but that could be the case. Very good point.

P.S. You do have a nice NAS in you signature, I would assume you don't have much use of second CPU , but perhaps you got a great deal on the system as a whole , that's the reason is dual CPU , right ?