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How to Backup and Archive CCTV/NVR Footage to Cloud Storage Automatically Using RcloneView

· 6 min read
Tayson
Tayson
Senior Engineer

Keep surveillance video safe from theft, fire, or device failure. RcloneView connects NAS/SFTP/SMB NVR folders to Wasabi, S3, or Google Drive, then automates Compare + Sync Jobs so only new footage moves and evidence stays intact.

RcloneView app preview

Manage & Sync All Clouds in One Place

RcloneView is a cross-platform GUI for rclone. Compare folders, transfer or sync files, and automate multi-cloud workflows with a clean, visual interface.

  • One-click jobs: Copy · Sync · Compare
  • Schedulers & history for reliable automation
  • Works with Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, S3, WebDAV, SFTP and more
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Free core features. Plus automations available.

RcloneView user interface overview

1. Why cloud backup matters for CCTV footage​

  • NVR/NAS disks fill fast with 24/7 recordings.
  • Theft, fire, or vandalism can wipe the only copy.
  • Compliance and audits demand longer retention windows.
  • Remote review and evidence sharing require off-site access.
  • Manually copying multi-GB H.264/H.265 files is error-prone.

2. What makes surveillance files tricky​

  • Continuous writes create thousands of date-based clips.
  • Large bitrates (1080p/4K) stress bandwidth during backup.
  • Folder trees vary by vendor (YYYY/MM/DD, camera IDs).
  • Need scheduled transfers (hourly/daily) without human oversight.
  • Integrity matters: corrupted frames weaken evidentiary value.

3. How RcloneView helps​

  • Connect NAS/SMB/SFTP/WebDAV sources and Wasabi/S3/Google Drive targets in one UI.
  • Two-pane Explorer makes cloud-to-cloud or LAN-to-cloud moves visual and direct.
  • Compare flags new/changed clips so you only ship deltas.
  • Checksum support (S3/Wasabi) validates uploads.
  • Sync Jobs + scheduling run backups automatically, no scripts required.
Two-pane Explorer layout for CCTV backup

4. Step-by-step setup for CCTV/NVR backup​

Step 1) Connect the NVR storage (SMB or SFTP)​

  1. Click Remote → + New Remote.
  2. Choose SMB (for NAS/Windows share) or SFTP (for Linux NVR exports).
  3. Enter server address, share/path, and credentials (add domain if needed).
  4. Save and confirm listing in Remote Manager.
Create NVR remote from Remote Manager

Step 2) Add your cloud target (Wasabi/S3/Google Drive)​

  • Wasabi/S3: paste access/secret keys, region, bucket.
  • Google Drive: click Connect and finish OAuth in the browser.
  • Keep both remotes visible for side-by-side work.

Step 3) Open source and destination​

  1. Go to Browse.
  2. Left pane: open the NVR folder (e.g., /recordings/2025/12/08).
  3. Right pane: open the bucket or Drive folder for backups.
  4. Expand a few date folders to verify paths.

Step 4) Preview deltas with Compare​

Folder comparison showing CCTV deltas
  • Click Compare to highlight missing or size-changed video files.
  • Resolve name collisions (duplicate camera IDs) before copying.
  • This prevents overwriting newer clips on the target.

Step 5) Copy or Sync safely​

  • Start with one-way copy from NVR → cloud (no deletes).
  • Enable checksum for S3/Wasabi to validate uploads.
  • Use bandwidth limits during business hours; lift caps overnight.
  • For very large days, lower concurrency to avoid throttling, then raise later.

Step 6) Save the workflow as a Job​

Save CCTV sync to jobs
  1. In the Sync/Copy dialog, click Save to Jobs.
  2. Name it (e.g., cctv-daily-wasabi).
  3. Choose one-way sync if you plan to prune old clips later.

Step 7) Schedule automatic runs​

Schedule CCTV backup job
  • Open Job Manager → Add Job.
  • Pick your saved job and set cadence: hourly, every 3 hours, or nightly at 02:00.
  • Stagger jobs by camera group if bandwidth is limited.
  • Check Job History after the first few runs.

5. Example backup policies​

  • Short-term (hot) storage: keep last 7 days on NAS/NVR for quick review.
  • Long-term archive: push all footage to Wasabi/S3 weekly; enable versioning.
  • Audit/review: copy selected days to Google Drive for investigators and managers.
  • Franchise or multi-site: separate buckets/prefixes per store to isolate access.

6. Security and compliance​

  • Add an encrypted (crypt) remote before cloud upload if policy demands it.
  • Limit remote credentials to least privilege; use bucket policies or Drive share controls.
  • Retain logs for chain-of-custody; export job history if required by auditors.
  • Align retention with privacy rules (e.g., erase after defined periods where mandated).
Log tab for CCTV backup monitoring

7. Cost optimization for video archives​

  • Store rarely accessed footage on Wasabi or S3 infrequent-access tiers.
  • Keep only active days on Google Drive for quick sharing.
  • Use lifecycle rules on S3/Wasabi to transition older objects to cheaper tiers.
  • Exclude camera test clips and motionless segments if your policy allows.

8. Restore footage when needed​

  • Browse the cloud remote in Explorer; filter by date folder.
  • Copy only the relevant hour/day to local disk for review.
  • Use Compare to confirm restored files match originals (size/time or checksum).
  • For legal holds, duplicate to a separate read-only prefix/bucket.

9. Real-world deployment patterns​

  • Small retail: NVR → Wasabi hourly; keep 30 days in cloud, 7 days local.
  • Factory: CCTV → NAS → nightly Wasabi copy; monthly S3 cold archive.
  • Franchise network: per-location prefixes in one bucket; Drive copies for HQ audits.
  • Security provider: per-customer buckets, scheduled jobs, and encrypted remotes for regulated sites.

10. Operational checklist​

  • NVR remote (SMB/SFTP) added and browsable.
  • Cloud remote (Wasabi/S3/Drive) added and authenticated.
  • Folder structure confirmed (YYYY/MM/DD or camera-based).
  • Pilot Compare run done; no unexpected mismatches.
  • One-way copy executed; deletes disabled initially.
  • Job saved and scheduled; bandwidth tuned.
  • Logs reviewed; retries clean; checksum enabled where supported.
  • Restore test completed for a sample day.
  • Retention and encryption policies documented.

11. Troubleshooting quick wins​

  • 429/5xx throttling: lower concurrency, add bandwidth caps, retry later.
  • 403/permission denied: re-auth the remote; check bucket ACLs or Drive sharing.
  • Slow LAN → cloud: run overnight; ensure NAS link is wired and stable.
  • Name conflicts: split cameras into separate folders or append site IDs.
  • Partial uploads: rerun the same job—unchanged files skip automatically.

12. Wrap-up​

RcloneView turns CCTV/NVR backups into a predictable, no-CLI workflow. Connect your NAS or recorder via SMB/SFTP, pair it with Wasabi/S3/Google Drive, preview deltas with Compare, and schedule checksum-aware Sync Jobs. With automation, logging, and encryption options, you can meet retention, audit, and disaster-recovery needs without babysitting nightly uploads.