Technical Information Document. Time lapse image recording to SD card using FTP

Transcription

1 Technical Information Document Time lapse image recording to SD card using FTP

2 Table of contents 1. Time lapse image recording to SD card using FTP 3 2. Other recommendations 5 DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS DELIVERED FREE OF CHARGE AND AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE USE, RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE INFORMATION IS ASSUMED BY THE USER/YOU. AXIS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT AND PRODUCT LIABILITY, OR ANY WARRANTY ARI- SING OUT OF ANY PROPOSAL, SPECIFICATION OR SAMPLE WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION AND THE INFORMATION DESCRIPTION.

3 1. Time lapse image recording to SD card using FTP There have been times Axis customers have requested solution for time lapse image recording on SD card for different reasons. Axis have never officially recommended any solution for time lapse image recording on SD card. A time lapse image recording on the SD card is usually not a normal security surveillance use case. This is why we do not support this feature. Our current SD card storage implementation handles video recording but not image recording. Therefore when customers have asked for support we have only presented a workaround solution. The workaround saves time lapse images to SD card using FTP. In this case the receiver address is to a localhost, the FTP server/recipient on the camera. The destination address to upload the images is the path where the SD card is mounted. /var/spool/storage/sd_disk/ Even if it s technically possible it s not something we recommend. It s a non-robust solution that could cause camera crash. This is mainly because /var is part of the RAM file system and that FTP upload is to a path and not to a storage. The workaround can cause memory leak in the RAM when SD card is disconnected. It s dangerous to have the Root user as the FTP upload user. Because even when the SD card is unmounted a Root user will still be able to go forward with the write command and write directly onto the RAM. Also the user will need an additional tool to generate a video from the images. Note that the camera crash issue is caused by FTP uploading to the RAM. When the recipient is a file system on a network, e.g. remote host, the camera will not encounter this issue. If you still want to use this solution please follow the below recommendation to avoid the camera crash issue. 3

4 Add additional condition to event An Additional Condition rule can be added to prevent further FTP uploads to SD card after a Storage Disruption detected. The Storage Disruption is triggered when the SD card is missing, full or write protected. When this condition is fulfilled the FTP upload event will be stopped. Thus preventing the RAM to be filled up and camera crashes. Step by step: Check the Additional conditions box in the event and press the Add button that appears and in the pop up window select: > Storage > Disruption > SD Card > Disruption detected: No Even with the added Additional Condition we still cannot guarantee that it s robust and will never write to the RAM. The Additional Condition is checked only prior to a FTP upload event. If the SD card is lost during an ongoing FTP upload the image will still be saved to the same path, writing in that case directly onto the RAM. Note with the Additional Condition added, the images will not upload if it s fulfilled. But if the user wants some kind of feedback it s recommend to add other addition event such as sending a notification when failed to upload. 4

5 It is important to stress that the recommendation mentioned above is just additional improvement to a workaround that is very unstable to begin with, something that Axis does not recommend from the beginning. It may solve the camera crash problem but you still may miss storing images due to SD card failure. Overall FTP to SD card on the localhost is not a good way to save images. This solution also doesn t handle retention. In other words making sure the SD card is not filled up. If the card is filled up then no new images will be saved. There s no clean up mechanism that overwrites the old redundant images. Below are some recommendation that are more robust that we can recommend. 2. Other recommendations FTP upload to a remote host over the network Use FTP properly as it is a standard network protocol to transfer files from one host to another over the internet. Upload to a remote host, e.g. another computer or server on the network with a static path. This will make sure your images are saved properly without any camera crash issue or lost images. 3rd party ACAP solution for Time lapse image recording AXIS have tested and can recommend a 3rd party ACAP called VideoLapse Me developed by Pandos Development The ACAP works on firmware 5.60 and upwards. With this ACAP the user will not encounter the problems the FTP solution presents. Feature of this ACAP: > Does not need to have a network connection to operate. > Allows you to download the AVI directly from the camera, multiple times, with different userselectable playback rates (3-60 fps). > Allows you to configure up to 5 profiles running simultaneously, all triggered by different events. > Notification when an images is not able to be saved. Axis has tested Pandos Development s VideoLapse Me on AXIS P1355, AXIS P1365 and AXIS P1428-E, it has worked well. Note that Pandos Development doesn t offer any support and has the following declaimer. THE CAMERA ADD-ONS ARE PROVIDED AS IS AND ANY EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) 5

6 About Axis Communications Axis offers intelligent security solutions that enable a smarter, safer world. As the global market leader in network video, Axis is driving the industry by continually launching innovative network products based on an open platform - delivering high value to its customers and carried through a global partner network. Axis has long-term relationships with partners and provides them with knowledge and ground-breaking network products in existing and new markets. Axis has more than 2,000 dedicated employees in more than 40 countries around the world, supported by a network of over 75,000 partners across 179 countries. Founded in 1984, Axis is a Sweden-based company listed on NASDAQ Stockholm under the ticker AXIS. For more information about Axis, please visit our website Axis Communications AB. AXIS COMMUNICATIONS, AXIS, ETRAX, ARTPEC and VAPIX are registered trademarks or trademark applications of Axis AB in various jurisdictions. All other company names and products are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. We reserve the right to introduce modifications without notice.