One-page printable calculator: the storage formula (bitrate × 10.8 × cameras × days × recording factor), the bitrate-by-resolution-and-codec table, the worked 40-camera example, the raw-to-provisioned steps (RAID + headroom), the retention two-limits table, and a blank worksheet for your own site.
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The handbook · 7 volumes
Fora Soft Video Engineering Handbook
This calculator sizes surveillance storage from bitrate, cameras, days and recording mode, then adds RAID and headroom. Our seven-volume handbook covers what moves those numbers: Volume 1 on codecs, resolution and bitrate, Volume 6 on analytics that change recording modes, and Volume 7 on real-time pipelines and their infrastructure cost. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
Sizing storage for your camera fleet and retention rules?
Send us your camera list and retention needs: we return provisioned storage in TB, a codec recommendation and a hardware or cloud plan. 250+ video products shipped since 2005.