# Configuring Backup and Redundant Storage

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Nx Witness provides the ability to add redundant storage. This means that even if the server used for archive goes offline, the archive will still be available. This is especially useful in multi-server environments. The most common structure is to set servers to record and back up archive to a NAS device, or to each other.

There is also an internal archive integrity check so that if archive files are changed or removed, users who are actively viewing that archive will be notified. See "Archive Integrity Check Failure"..

IMPORTANT: To configure either backup or redundant storage it is necessary to define at least one main and one backup storage location as described in "Configuring Server and NAS Storage".

To configure redundant storage

1.Make sure each server is available and accessible through the network.

2.Create a shared folder on each server and make sure \\server\shared is accessible through the network.

3.Go to Server Settings and add all shared folders as NAS devices.

4.Set to Backup on each one added.

5.Repeat the above steps on all servers.

6.Setup backup parameters as described below.

With this structure, each server will back up footage to all other servers in the System. This will reduce the overall amount of stored footage but creates healthy redundancy.

Note that each server backs up the archive for selected cameras, but if a camera is moved to a different server, backup will include only the portion archived when the camera was recorded on the previous server, not the entire archive.

To configure storage backup

Backup settings are defined in the Server Settings -> Storage Management tab. Note that these are System-level settings that affect all servers, and are saved even if a backup storage location is not defined or is not currently attached. Once backup storage is available they will be applied. A small alert displays under the Backup Archive section of Server Settings -> Storage Management if you there is no backup storage drive or no camera have been selected.

1.In Server Settings -> Storage Management, c lick on the Backup Settings button to open the Server Settings dialog:

2.Click Backup Archive From to select cameras that will have their archive backed up. In the Select Device to Backup list that opens, you can check Backup newly added devices to discover and include devices that may be added to the System later. Click OK when you are finished selecting cameras.

3.Use the Backup Quality menu to select which streams to backup (Hi-Res, Lo-Res, or All) based on your available bandwidth.

4.Execute Backup provides several backup options:

•On Demand – backup occurs only when Start Backup Now button in Server Settings -> Storage Management tab is pressed, and continues until all data is backed up or the operation is canceled. Only p revious data is backed up in this case.

•Real-Time – footage is written to main and backup location(s) immediately and simultaneously, so backup is performed immediately and continuously. If there is insufficient bandwidth to write to a network location, a warning displays. Previous data is not backed up in this case.

•By Schedule – backup is performed on specific days of week, between specific start and finish hours, or Until finished. Only p revious data is backed up in this case. Note that the footage will be backed up since the last time backup was finished (or since the very beginning if it is the first time backup occurs). If network bandwidth is insufficient, the backup may not be fully completed within the specified time frame. If this ocurs, the date and time of the footage that was backed up will be clearly indicated (Archive backup complete until...). There is an option to Limit Bandwidth to a certain Mbit/s. Note, however, that too tight a bandwidth constraint can cause the entire backup to fail.

When archive backup is finished, a corresponding notification event is triggered. See "Archive Backup Finished".