The situation
A new client reached out after upgrading their existing video management system (VMS) to Salient. Their previous security vendor supplied new server hardware along with direct-attached storage (DAS) to support the upgrade.
There was one non-negotiable requirement: the end user needed 90 days of recorded video retention.
But after the upgrade, the client discovered they were only getting about 27 days of storage.
What the previous vendor said
The client did what most businesses would do: they called the original vendor—multiple times—to report the shortfall.
The response was simple: if they wanted to reach 90 days, they would need to purchase additional storage.
At that point, the client started looking for a second opinion and found Systems Integrations.
Our approach: verify before you buy
When retention doesn’t match the design, there are typically only a few root causes:
- The storage wasn’t sized correctly
- The recording settings changed (bitrate, resolution, frame rate, continuous vs. motion)
- Cameras were added without adjusting capacity
- Storage is present, but not actually being used by the VMS
Before recommending any new hardware, we reviewed the system end-to-end.
What we found
We immediately identified the problem: the DAS was physically connected, but it was never properly configured and formatted.
In other words, the client had already paid for storage capacity that wasn’t being utilized. The VMS was effectively recording without access to the full storage volume.
The fix
We:
- Verified the DAS connection and health
- Properly configured and formatted the storage
- Confirmed the VMS was writing recordings to the correct volume
- Validated retention performance against the 90-day requirement
The result
Once the DAS was correctly configured, the system could finally leverage the storage that was already installed.
The client avoided unnecessary hardware purchases and got back on track toward the 90-day retention requirement.
Why this matters for regulated and risk-sensitive environments
Many organizations—especially in manufacturing, property management, healthcare, and professional services—have retention requirements driven by:
- Internal policies
- Insurance and liability concerns
- Incident investigation needs
- Compliance or contractual obligations
If your system is only retaining a fraction of what you believe you’re paying for, that’s not just an IT issue—it’s a risk issue.
Why an IT + cybersecurity perspective matters in video systems
Modern VMS platforms and NVR servers aren’t “just security.” They’re networked systems that rely on:
- Correct storage provisioning and formatting
- Proper server configuration
- Network performance and segmentation
- Cybersecurity best practices
Systems Integrations brings that full-stack perspective. We’re not only a security integrator—we also understand IT and cybersecurity, and we have Security Industry Cybersecurity Certification (SICC certified) expertise on staff.
That’s how issues like this get found quickly: we validate the physical hardware and the configuration behind it.
A quick takeaway
If you’ve recently upgraded your VMS (Salient or otherwise) and your retention numbers don’t match expectations, don’t assume the answer is always “buy more storage.”
A proper review can uncover configuration issues that are easy to miss—and expensive to ignore.
Need a second opinion?
Systems Integrations provides professional video surveillance assessments, troubleshooting, and upgrades across South Jersey, Southeast PA, and New Castle County, Delaware.
If you want us to verify your retention, storage configuration, or recording settings, contact us and we’ll help you get clear answers fast.