DAHUA NETWORK CAMERAS: Setting Up NAS Storage for Seamless Recording

DAHUA NETWORK CAMERAS: Setting Up NAS Storage for Seamless Recording

Network-Attached Storage (NAS) offers a robust solution for recording management in DAHUA Network Cameras, providing a centralized and accessible storage system over the network. This guide will explain how to set up NAS storage for your DAHUA cameras, ensuring efficient and reliable recording storage.

Understanding NAS Storage

NAS storage uses network protocols to access files over a network. Two common protocols are NFS (commonly used in Linux/Unix systems) and CIFS (commonly used in Windows systems). DAHUA Cameras support NAS based on NFS, requiring an NFS server to handle the recording and image storage.

Prerequisites for NAS Storage Setup

  • A DAHUA Network Camera.
  • A NAS device with NFS capabilities, such as DAHUA's ESS or EVS5000, or a self-built Linux server like Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora, or Redhat.
  • A PC running an NFS server, for demonstration, Ubuntu 14.04 is used.

Step-by-Step NAS Storage Setup

Step 1: Prepare Your NFS Server

Ensure your NFS server is installed and running. For this example, a PC with Ubuntu 14.04 installed and an NFS server running is used.

Step 2: Configure the DAHUA Camera

Set your DAHUA Bullet IP camera to NAS storage mode. You will need to add the PC server’s address and storage path into the camera's settings.

Step 3: Enter Server Address and Storage Path

  • PC’s address: 192.168.10.68
  • IP camera address: 192.168.10.246
  • NFS Path: \home\gaivmaple\nfs

Step 4: Set Up NFS Path

On the NFS server, create the directory that will store the camera's recordings. For instance, /home/gaivmaple/nfs should be set up to receive data from the camera.

Step 5: Configure NFS Permissions (if necessary)

Ensure that the NFS service has the appropriate permissions to write to the specified directory. This may involve configuring the server's /etc/exports file and restarting the NFS service.

Step 6: Save and Test the Configuration

After configuring the camera with the NFS server details, save the settings and allow the camera to connect to the NAS storage. It is important to test the setup to ensure the camera can record to the NAS storage without issues.

Step 7: No Need for NAS Server Password

Do not worry about configuring a password for the NAS server; the IPC (IP Camera) can still record to it without additional authentication in this setup.

Conclusion

Setting up NAS storage for your DAHUA Network Cameras is a strategic move for enhancing your surveillance system's storage capabilities. By following these steps, you can ensure that your camera recordings are stored centrally and are easily accessible over the network. Always refer to your specific NAS device and camera manual for detailed instructions and additional configuration options. With the right setup, you can achieve a reliable and efficient recording solution that scales with your needs.