Backup NVR for NVR5216-16P-4KS2

[nogi]

Looking for a low cost recommendation of the appropriate Dahua model NVR to act as a backup to my NVR5216-16P-4KS2. By backup I mean in the event of someone running off with my NVR5216-16P-4KS2 and video data along with it.

My current setup is as follows. 12 cameras, mostly Dahua, connected to the PoE ports on the NVR5216-16P-4KS2 in the NVRs private VLAN. The NVR5216-16P-4KS2 wan port is connected to my network on the 192.168.1.x/255.255.255.0 subnet. The cameras are only accessible via the NVR and set to continuous recording.

I am wanting a low cost Dahua that can record from the same cameras so I assume I need a dual Ethernet as a minimum. One to connect to the NVR5216-16P-4KS2 LAN to see the cameras and the other to my normal LAN.

I want to stick with Dahua as I'm not wanting to invest in a blueiris solution right now and with 10/12 cameras being Dahua it's keeping things simple. Rack mountable is a bonus but not a deal breaker. I'll most likely run WD purples in the unit.

Any suggestions?

 

[happf]

Do your dahua cameras have support for internal SD Cards? I purchased some 64gb cards and will be putting one in every camera as my backup. Does that count?

 

[nogi]

Do your dahua cameras have support for internal SD Cards? I purchased some 64gb cards and will be putting one in every camera as my backup. Does that count?

They do and I have been putting some in but microSD cards are limited in storage capacity compared to a SATA HDD.

 

[happf]

Since your current nvr has POE built in, 1st hurdle will be how to get both nvrs to see both cameras. You're going to need some external switch with POE, and then run a cable from it to both nvrs. Hopefully POE can handle when two POE endpoints are connected together? I would think your 2nd nvr should not need built in POE. Is the Dahua 42xx line the only lineup below the 5216? I see a new model, the N42B3P (with 16 POE ports). At least it supports H265. I would think if you are using H265 on your current 5216 you'll want an NVR that supports H265 so that your storage requirements are the same and also saves you from having to mess with the various streams from the cameras.

For the cost savings going to the lower line of dahuas, I personally would just spend the money and get another 5216 non-poe and it will save a lot of trouble, that way it's not just a backup but complete redundancy and if either nvr breaks down, randomly reboots, etc, you've got the exact same interface, hardware etc.

 

[aristobrat]

I thought I saw an option on my NVR5216 that allowed it to cluster with another NVR... Does yours show that option?

 

[happf]

Interesting. Yeah, I see a cluster option in my 5216. I googled it, but am slightly confused on how exactly it works. Seems like it's a way that the backup nvr gets it's config from the main nvr, but I'm confused on if it's also actively recording or if it's just a hot spare and doesn't start recording until it detects an issue with the master. I found this link but it's for the 6000 model lineup: Backup/NM Standby Setup - Dahua Wiki

On another note, if cluster doesn't do what you want, I do see various export buttons which makes me think I can save my nvr settings to a usb stick. Hopefully those settings are interchangeable between the different models. If not, and one can only export/import settings between exact models, maybe another pro then for just getting another 5216.

 

[nogi]

Hmmmm didn't know about the cluster option. Has anyone used it?

I'll be looking at a base model 4k with at least 2 LAN ports. One for the main network so I can see it and the other to connect to the existing NVR so it can see the cameras. PoE should be auto sensing so shouldn't be an issue connect 2 of them together, assuming Dahua haven't done anything funky with their implementation.

 

[camb]

I'm interested in this as well. I'd like to run a Dahua 16 channel with another server running Milestone. How do I do this?

 

[aristobrat]

Most cameras can handle multiple streams, so you could always just setup the Dahua NVR and Milestone on their own. They should each separately login to the cameras and record the streams.

 

[fenderman]

They do and I have been putting some in but microSD cards are limited in storage capacity compared to a SATA HDD.

since your cameras are plugged into your NVR, if someone runs off with it, they will lose power and stop recording...you dont need any additional storage space to record nothing...
if you are going to use 2 nvrs, you want them completely redundant, use a poe switch to power the cameras and send the feed to both.

 

[Crazykiller]

Hmmmm didn't know about the cluster option. Has anyone used it?

I'll be looking at a base model 4k with at least 2 LAN ports. One for the main network so I can see it and the other to connect to the existing NVR so it can see the cameras. PoE should be auto sensing so shouldn't be an issue connect 2 of them together, assuming Dahua haven't done anything funky with their implementation.

I just received a NVR4116-4KS2 for a colleague and will test the cluster functionality this week, I think. I got an NVR5232-16P-4KS2 with cams connected to the PoE ports and am also interested if it's possible to record simultaneously from the cams which are connected to the internal PoE ports. If it works I'll hide a 4116 somewhere to have some extra footage.

 

[nogi]

since your cameras are plugged into your NVR, if someone runs off with it, they will lose power and stop recording...you dont need any additional storage space to record nothing...
if you are going to use 2 nvrs, you want them completely redundant, use a poe switch to power the cameras and send the feed to both.

I have a camera pointed directly where the nvr is so I'd still have footage up till when it's removed.

 

[Crazykiller]

hmmm... wanna have a look for the cluster functionality and it seems its gone with the firmware update. Could anybody confirm that there's no cluster config with the actual firmware (System Version:3.210.0003.0, Build Date: 2017-04-18)?

 

[fenderman]

I have a camera pointed directly where the nvr is so I'd still have footage up till when it's removed.

My point is the SD card in the camera is sufficient... having another NVR won't help

 

[Crazykiller]

My point is the SD card in the camera is sufficient... having another NVR won't help

It helps if he gets your NVR and IPC and you have a hidden second NVR. Of course this is a lot of redundancy. But maybe the right for my crank mind

 

[fenderman]

It helps if he gets your NVR and IPC and you have a hidden second NVR. Of course this is a lot of redundancy. But maybe the right for my crank mind

not really unless you are concerned that they will take you cameras...that doesnt happen..otherwise you wont capture any more useful footage with a second nvr unless you use a poe switch - hide that as well and make them truly redundant. Its simply easier to hide the nvr...

 

[Crazykiller]

Hmmmm didn't know about the cluster option. Has anyone used it?

I'll be looking at a base model 4k with at least 2 LAN ports. One for the main network so I can see it and the other to connect to the existing NVR so it can see the cameras. PoE should be auto sensing so shouldn't be an issue connect 2 of them together, assuming Dahua haven't done anything funky with their implementation.

I just wanted to try the cluster functionality, but it seems it's gone with the actual firmware. Maybe it was to unstable, I dunno. It is not available through the WebUI anymore. Didn't checked the GUI so far. I suppose the cheap NVR never had that feature.
So here comes your cheap solution:
It is not necessary to get a NVR with two LAN ports, as long as both NVR are in the same Network with their normal address for WebUI. It is connected the same way like you watch your cams with WebUI, SmartPSS or iDMSS.
For testing I ordered this one from @EMPIRETECANDY NVR4116-4KS2
You add your first NVR to your second NVR like you would add cameras to your first NVR. A search should display your first NVR.

Select your first NVR and click "Manual Add".

In the popup click connect, then it should show the number of channels your first NVR got.

After clicking "OK" it will add the first 16 channels to your new NVR.

If these are the wrong channels you could edit them of course.
That's it. Now you'll see the channels in your second NVR with all IVS rules etc. and are able to configure your schedules as you are used to.

 

[Crazykiller]

not really unless you are concerned that they will take you cameras...that doesnt happen..otherwise you wont capture any more useful footage with a second nvr unless you use a poe switch - hide that as well and make them truly redundant. Its simply easier to hide the nvr...

My NVR is hidden and you would have to screw out a lot of things off the rack, but because of the internal PoE it's still in the rack... so maybe I'll get a second NVR, time will tell. For now the 5232-16P with 8TB+4TB WD Purple was expensive enough

 

[fenderman]

My NVR is hidden and you would have to screw out a lot of things off the rack, but because of the internal PoE it's still in the rack... so maybe I'll get a second NVR, time will tell. For now the 5232-16P with 8TB+4TB WD Purple was expensive enough

I'm not advocating a second NVR...I think it's silly for a home environment..

 

[Crazykiller]

I'm not advocating a second NVR...I think it's silly for a home environment..

If you work in IT-Security and cyber defense, you think a lot (maybe too much) about things that could happen and make plans for every scenario and build redundancies over and over. At least you can't fully deactivate that behavior when you arrive at home