Simplicity

Whilst simple in concept and in use, the technology incorporated within COLDSTORE delivers a very high reliability system even when using the lowest costs disks available. Our Linear Array of Idle Disks (LAID™) system combined with our unique Sequential Filing System™ (SFS) produces a powerfully simple system which provides massive capacities at very low cost. The system is extremely simple to manage, with all disk set up and configuration being entirely automatic. Thus even the end-user can add, remove, replace and even upgrade disks. These operations are done without ever stopping the recording of data.

Sequential Recording

Disks are used sequentially, with all disks not in use being switched off, saving power and thus dramatically reducing temperature, vibration and wear - the three primary disk killers. The system uses a unique mirrored overlapping-pair writing pattern to provide full data redundancy during the critical writing process, but not requiring twice the number of drives of fully-mirrored RAID1 systems.


Power Efficiency

COLDSTORE exploits the fact that only 3% of video data is ever replayed, and so every disk is off (on average) for 87% of the time. SFS™ controls the disk read/write heads, moving them across the disk very much like a vinyl record player, virtually removing disk vibration. Combining LAID™ and SFS™ together with a custom-designed low-power main CPU board results in a disk array which hardly needs any cooling at all, and uses as little as 40 watts even with a fully populated 45TB array.
As there are special times when it may be necessary to run all the drives simultaneously for an extended period (e.g. during a mass search process), COLDSTORE is designed to handle this with ease, incorporating a well-specified power supply (with dual hot-swappable PSU option) and temperature-controlled chassis cooling fans. Even in this mode, COLDSTORE will use around 120 watts maximum - more than three times as efficient as typical RAID systems.


Disk Types and Physical Location of Data

COLDSTORE can use any make and size of SATA disk and indeed any mix of disks. Disks may be added "on the fly" and will automatically be incorporated into in the array. Disks may also be extracted at any time, and due to the strictly sequential writing pattern, the recorded time-span of any disk may be displayed on the front panel. This allows simple physical location (and extraction) of any particular recording for evidential purposes. Such simple, yet powerful features allow the disks in the array to be easily managed by the end users themselves.


Operating Modes

In addition to the mirrored overlapping-pair mode, COLDSTORE can also operate in single sequential disk mode and sequential mirrored-pair mode (i.e. sequential RAID1) as required. These modes of operation still benefit from the power-saving, low temperature, vibration and wear features of LAID and SFS, including simple disk management and instantaneous extraction of evidence.


Integration with Video Recording and Management Systems

Veracity provides a simple SDK to DVR/NVR manufacturers who wish to provide their end users with the benefits of COLDSTORE. Direct control of COLDSTORE via a defined network protocol is an alternative method of integration. COLDSTORE is delivered with a full configuration and management application. Once configured, disks may be removed and extracted at any time without re-configuration.
Array management may also be done directly via front-panel controls. The front panel is also used to show array status, disk capacities, disk time span and IP address.