We have a recording server running XProtect Corporate at a site which records about 50 cameras directly to a SAN via an SMB share with no archive routine.
The client wishes to get rid of the old server and begin recording video to a new share. When I have tried to change the location of the existing Storage configuration or creating a new storage configuration, I am told that it is going to try to move un-archived video data. The problem is, all of the video is un-archived, so It seems that it is going to try to move multiple terrabytes of video.
How can I make the server begin recording to the new path while leaving the old video in place until we choose to delete it.
Basically, you have done what is possible with the Corporate 2014, but without revealing too much, I can state that this will be much easier with the Corporate 2016 version, which is imminent.
i assume you have only 1 recording storage for all 50 cameras. This recording storage propably has a really big rentention time (e.g. 300 days) and a big maximum size setting (e.g. 10 TB).
Most people propably have an archive storage added to the recording storage configuration seen above. Both archive and recording storage configuration form a tuple that is listed in the storage configuration list underneath the same entry.
I suggest you add an archive (green plus button on the bottom left of the storage properties window) to your recording storage. Place the archive path on the same drive letter (different folder) that is being used by your current recording storage. Its retention time and maximum size should at least match the corresponding recording storageconfiguration. Specify an archvive run every day at 1 AM(e.g.)
Now you reduce the retention time of your current recording storage to 1 day. Milestone will move (when on the same drive) almost all data to the archive path when the next archive run occurs. Since it simultaneously reduce the size of your current storage path, you won’t need extra space. Once this is finished (might take days) you can create and select an entire new storage configuration for your cameras at another location. Milestone will then prompt if it should move the recording storage video data (1 day retention) to this new location (might take an hour).
The old data will remain in the previous storage configuration (and is available in the Smart Client).