Storing images

Open the Event Storage dialog to set the camera options for storing images.

The camera can store images in a ring buffer that is located either internally in its RAM or on an external file server. A ring buffer will overwrite its oldest images once the storage capacity has been reached. Storing images on a file server is accomplished without installing any additional software on the file server.

This strategy for storing images on a remote server is very powerful, thanks to the low network loads and the integrated image buffer of the camera, which can also bridge short network failures. It is thus no problem at all to record the events of 30 cameras on a regular Windows computer (P4 / 3 GHz).

In addition, you can use Flash devices to store events. These may be internal storage media as in R models, such as the M22M-Secure R8 or you can connect external flash devices (e.g. USB flash drives or sticks) to the camera.

Notes:

Web and Basic models cannot store image files on external file servers.
The size of the internal storage capacity varies between camera models. For information on your camera's internal storage capacity, refer to the Internal Ring Buffer section.
Click on the More button to display all options of the dialog.
In addition to SMB, MOBOTIX cameras now also feature CIFS (Common Internet File System) to access directories on remote Windows machines. CIFS provides (limited) support for domain authentication and Active Directory Services.

Internal Ring Buffer

As per factory default, the MOBOTIX camera immediately starts storing images in its internal ring buffer, which is created automatically in the camera RAM.

Click on the Download button to download all images in the internal storage as a .tar file.
Click on the Delete All button to delete all images from the internal storage.

Notes:

Rebooting the camera (as per default time task every morning at 3:36 am) will also delete all images from internal storage.
Since the .tar file for downloading may be as large as 64 MB depending on the camera model, you should use the Player's event query function to download only portions of the ring buffer.

External Ring Buffer

Without installing additional software, the camera can store images externally on a file server. You can choose from two file server versions:

Using NFS (Network File System) on a Linux or UNIX computer.
Using Windows, on a shared volume on a Windows computer from Windows NT 4. Note that you can also use Windows Workstation/Professional besides the Server products for this purpose, but the number of parallel connections serviced by such a workstation is limited.

Notes:

This feature is not available for Web and Basic models.
Changes to the external recording settings always require a reboot to take effect. Do not forget to save the configuration: Click Set to save the changes, then click on Close to close the dialog.
When using SMB, the MOBOTIX cameras can only use local accounts on Windows computers. Domain or Active Directory logins are partially supported using CIFS.

Caution:	The camera will automatically create a folder structure in the specified folder on the external file system, which is based on its factory IP address (dots are replaced by underscore characters). This path contains the audio and video data as well as various other files, which are required for the proper functioning of the storage on an external file server. Make sure that the camera paths and their contents cannot be changed in any way by assigning corresponding rights on the storage folder.

Caution:

The camera will automatically create a folder structure in the specified folder on the external file system, which is based on its factory IP address (dots are replaced by underscore characters). This path contains the audio and video data as well as various other files, which are required for the proper functioning of the storage on an external file server.

Make sure that the camera paths and their contents cannot be changed in any way by assigning corresponding rights on the storage folder.

Storing Images on a Linux Server

When storing images on Linux/UNIX file servers, the camera uses NFS (Network File System) and uses a directory on the server (commonly entered in /etc/exports) as a mounted file system.

Camera Configuration

Parameter Description

Remote NFS Server Select the Remote NFS Server option. Note that this will enable the fields that are relevant for NFS. Click on the (Hint) link that appears behind the NFS option. This page contains further information for configuring the Linux/Unix server. It may make sense to print this page for reference purposes.

File Server (IP) Enter the IP address or the name of the file server. The file server must be accessible for the camera in the local network.

Remote Directory/Share

Enter the absolute path of the directory on the server which the camera should use for storing images (e.g. /mxdata).

Make sure that this directory exists and that access rights are assigned accordingly.

Userid and Groupid

This option is only visible if you clicked on the More button beforehand. Enter the user ID of a user with write access rights:

UID = user ID
GUI = group ID

If you are using the factory default settings, you need to check whether or not a user with this user ID exists and whether or not this user has write access to the directory.

Storage

You can limit the storage capacity to be used by the camera. Enter the maximum storage capacity for the camera in the text field.

Note:	Once the reserved storage space is occupied, the oldest images will be overwritten automatically.

If you do not want to limit the storage capacity, check the unlimited checkbox. In this case, an error will occur once the storage capacity has been reached.

Note:	Click on the Calculate link to determine the storage capacity requirement for your application in the Calculate Storage Size dialog.

Time to keep

You can limit the time to keep the stored images. Enter the maximum value in the text field.

If you do not want to limit the time to keep the images, check the unlimited checkbox.

Number of sequences

You can limit the maximum number of sequences to be stored. Enter the maximum number in the text field.

If you do not want to limit the number of sequences, check the Unlimited checkbox.

Click Set to save the changes. Next, click on Close to close the dialog and on OK to save the changes permanently. Reboot the camera (Admin Menu > Reboot).

Server Configuration

Note:	The server configuration may vary for different distributions. Note that MOBOTIX cannot provide support for configuring the Linux/Unix server.

Log onto the file server as root user.
Create a new directory (e.g. mxdata):
mkdir /mxdata
Change the owner and the user group for this directory:
chown -R 65534:0 /mxdata
Assign the required access rights for the directory:
chmod 755 /mxdata
Use the ps aux | grep nfs command to check if the NFS server is already running. If this is not the case, use the /etc/init.d/nfsserver start command to start the service, or install the service from scratch, if it is not available.
Use the rpcinfo -p command to check if the nfs, mountd and portmapper services are executed. Normally, nfs and mountd are started by the NFS server while portmapper is executed as a separate service. If portmapper is not executed, you can start it using the /etc/init.d/portmapper start command.
Open the /etc/exports file in a text editor and enter the following line:
/mxdata 10.160.139.50(rw,no_root_squash)
To re-initialize the list of entries in /etc/exports, execute the exportfs -a command.
Next, restart the NFS server. Execute the /etc/init.d/nfsserver restart command.

This completes the configuration of the Linux/UNIX server.

Return to this dialog and check if the external ring buffer works, as described in the Checking the External Ring Buffer.

Note:	It is not required to close this help window while the camera is rebooting. If the camera is available again, this help window may be used in the usual manner.

Storing Images on a Windows Server

When storing images on Windows computers, the camera can use a Windows share on a Windows NT 4 system or higher. Note that you can use not only products of the Windows server family, but also Windows Workstation products (also called "Professional" nowadays), but the number of parallel connections serviced by such a workstation is limited.

Notes:

Note that MOBOTIX cannot provide support for configuring the Windows server.
When using SMB, the MOBOTIX cameras can only use local accounts on Windows computers. Domain or Active Directory logins are partially supported using CIFS.
Windows 95, 98, Millennium and products of the Windows "Home" family are not supported and should never be used.

Server Configuration

Log onto the system as administrator user.
Create a new user and set a password (e.g. mxcam). The camera will use this user name later on to log onto the server.

Open Start > Run, enter lusrmgr.msc and click on OK to open the Windows management console for managing local users.
Click on Action > New User.
Enter a new user name (e.g. mxcam).
Set a Password and enter the same password in Confirm password.
Deactivate the User must change password at next logon checkbox.
Activate the User cannot change the password and Password does not expire checkboxes.

Make sure that simple sharing is not used:
- Open Start > Control Panel > Folder options > View (tab).
- Deactivate the Use simple file sharing [recommended] option.
- Click on the OK button to close the dialog.
Create a new directory with a name of your choice (e.g. mxdata).
Right-click the directory and select the Sharing and Security option from the context menu.
Activate the Share this folder option and assign a name for the share.
Click on Access Rights and add the account name you just created.
Change the access rights for this user by activating the Full Control option in the Allow column.
Close all open dialogs by clicking on OK.

Camera Configuration

Parameter Description

External Ring Buffer

Select one of the Remote CIFS Server or Remote SMB Server options. This will enable the fields that are relevant for CIFS and SMB storage, respectively.

When using SMB, the MOBOTIX cameras can only use local accounts on Windows computers. Domain or Active Directory logins are partially supported using CIFS.

File Server (IP) Enter the IP address or the name of the file server. The file server must be accessible for the camera in the local network.

Remote Directory/Share Enter the Share Name that you have assigned during server configuration (e.g. mxdata), not the directory or the absolute path.

User Name Enter the user name the camera should use to log onto the server (e.g. mxcam).

Password Enter the password you have assigned to the user name.

Storage

You can limit the storage capacity to be used by the camera. Enter the maximum storage capacity for the camera in the text field.

Note:	Once the reserved storage space is occupied, the oldest images will be overwritten automatically.

If you do not want to limit the storage capacity, check the unlimited checkbox. In this case, an error will occur once the storage capacity has been reached.

Note:	Click on the Calculate link to determine the storage capacity requirement for your application in the Calculate Storage Size dialog.

Time to keep

You can limit the time to keep the stored images. Enter the maximum value in the text field.

If you do not want to limit the time to keep the images, check the unlimited checkbox.

Number of sequences

You can limit the maximum number of sequences to be stored. Enter the maximum number in the text field.

If you do not want to limit the number of sequences, check the Unlimited checkbox.

Recording to Flash Devices

If this storage option is available on your camera, the Storage on External File Server / Flash Device dialog (Available Storage Targets section) allows using Flash devices as storage media.

Use the selection box next to each Flash device to set the desired file system format for the corresponding storage device. Depending on the type of Flash device you are using, you can choose between these formats:

Format	Description
MxFFS	Select the MOBOTIX Flash File System for applications that are requiring safe storage and which are creating high throughput over longer periods of time. This storage format has been developed with the following two properties, which are a prerequisite for serious applications: Controlled wear of Flash cells: Since Flash media have a limited (but nevertheless high) number of writing cycles for each cell, special care has been taken to make sure that the Flash device is being written evenly, thus prolonging the life of the storage device. Error tolerance: If the data integrity of the device is being compromised (e.g. due to power failures or user errors such as disconnecting a USB flash drive without prior deactivation in the Manage Hardware Expansions) the damage to the storage device remains rather small. Instead of losing the whole device as would be the case if other file systems would have been used, MxFFS will only loose 4 M;B per incident. Please note that the factory-installed Flash devices of R models *only* allow using the MxFFS format.
FAT32	Other Flash devices, such as USB drives/sticks allow using the Windows-compatible FAT32 file system. This file system brings the advantage that you can connect this storage device directly to your Windows computer in order to access the stored event data. However, using FAT32 for event storage is only recommended for application scenarios, which do not produce a high throughput and in which reliability plays a subordinate role.

Format

Description

MxFFS

Select the MOBOTIX Flash File System for applications that are requiring safe storage and which are creating high throughput over longer periods of time. This storage format has been developed with the following two properties, which are a prerequisite for serious applications:

Controlled wear of Flash cells: Since Flash media have a limited (but nevertheless high) number of writing cycles for each cell, special care has been taken to make sure that the Flash device is being written evenly, thus prolonging the life of the storage device.
Error tolerance: If the data integrity of the device is being compromised (e.g. due to power failures or user errors such as disconnecting a USB flash drive without prior deactivation in the Manage Hardware Expansions) the damage to the storage device remains rather small. Instead of losing the whole device as would be the case if other file systems would have been used, MxFFS will only loose 4 M;B per incident.

Please note that the factory-installed Flash devices of R models only allow using the MxFFS format.

FAT32

Other Flash devices, such as USB drives/sticks allow using the Windows-compatible FAT32 file system. This file system brings the advantage that you can connect this storage device directly to your Windows computer in order to access the stored event data. However, using FAT32 for event storage is only recommended for application scenarios, which do not produce a high throughput and in which reliability plays a subordinate role.

Formatting Flash Devices

Click on the Format button to the right of the file system selection box of the device to open the Secure Formatting, which will guide you through the rest of the formatting process for the selected Flash device. Select one of the following formatting methods in this dialog:

Formatting Method	Explanation
Quick Format (default)	Only writes new administrative file structures and leaves the majority of the data stored on the device unchanged. Accessing these data is not possible by regular means, but they could be reconstructed at a later time by others.
Safe Format	In addition to writing new administrative structures, this method deletes every byte of the storage device by overwriting the device with a specific pattern. This method provides a high level of security, but formatting will take considerably longer.

External Logging (File Server Storage Only)

Activate the options in the External Logging section (only shown if you clicked the More button) to periodically copy the log files for external image storage as well as the camera's Web Server Logfile and System Messages to the file server.

Event Storage: Copies the log file for event storage to the directory of the file server used by the camera to store the images. You may also set a maximum size for this file (default is 128 kB).
Camera Logfiles: Copies the Web Server Logfile and the System Messages to the same directory.

Checking the External Ring Buffer

To test the camera's external ring buffer on a file server, do the following:

Make sure that you saved the camera configuration to the permanent storage after you had activated the external ring buffer and that you rebooted the camera afterwards.
Open the System Messages of the camera and check the entries of the STORAGE service. If the camera was able to connect to the file server, you may see the following message:
connected to file server 192.168.x.x:/mxcam.

In order to remedy errors that are occurring, you should activate the options in the External Logging section and check the Event Storage Logfile.

You should also configure the File Server Checks to alert you of file server problems using the messaging options defined in the File Server Checks dialog.

Storing the Configuration

Click on the Set button to activate your settings and to save them until the next reboot of the camera.

Click on the Close button to close the dialog. While closing the dialog, the system checks the entire configuration for changes. If changes are detected, you will be asked if you would like to store the entire configuration permanently.

In order to enable these settings, you need to reboot the camera!

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