Enterprise Bandwidth Manager allows you to manage and restrict the total upload bandwidth used by all cameras within a site. By configuring a maximum bandwidth limit, you can restrict the amount of network resources allocated to camera-related activities such as streaming. This allows you to optimize network performance, allocate resources efficiently, and maintain a smooth and reliable camera operation while meeting your organization's specific bandwidth requirements.
How EBM works
The Enterprise Bandwidth Manager service lives in the Verkada Cloud, which means no additional appliance or device is needed to use this feature. This service monitors all upstream traffic on each site where it is configured. For upstream bandwidth consumption calculations, EBM will consider thumbnail and analytics upstream traffic as a constant background process, while cloud video streaming will be considered as on-demand.
Once a new cloud video stream is initiated, EBM will calculate if there is still available upstream bandwidth on the site, if bandwidth is sufficient a new video stream will be initiated and the video will be playable for the user. In case EBM determines that initiating a new cloud video stream will exceed the bandwidth limit configured for a site, the user will receive an error message and the video will only be playable after another equivalent cloud video stream is terminated in that site.
Note: Concurrent cloud live video streams will be allowed as video is multiplexed in the Verkada cloud and will require only one video stream from the camera to the cloud.
Use cases
Enterprise Bandwidth Manager will be very useful for bandwidth-sensitive environments like the following:
On networks with bandwidth constraints, to ensure cloud stream traffic doesn't impact operation.
On networks where the ISP has a hard limit on bandwidth so that the limit is not exceeded.
On cellular connected networks where data rates apply, to reduce bandwidth consumption.
Features controlled by EBM
Cloud Video Streaming: Remote video streaming (live or historical) emanating from an EBM-configured site will be throttled. Once the bandwidth limit has been reached, new streams from a site won't be initiated until an existing video stream is closed.
Analytics and Thumbnails: Bandwidth required for transmitting People/Vehicle Analytics data, and thumbnails are accounted for by the EBM, to ensure the operation of these features is not interrupted because of stream initiation.
Features outside of EBM's scope
The following features fall outside of EBM's scope:
Local Streaming: Traffic from initiating local video streams for both live and historical video will only be sent through the LAN, which is why local streaming is always exempted from the configured bandwidth limit. Learn more about local streaming.
Video Archiving: Video archiving is an on-demand feature, and many times it's crucial for investigations and day-to-day operations. Because of this, creating an archive is always exempted from the configured bandwidth limit. Archives will always be allowed and initiated, regardless of the EBM setting configured.
Cloud Backup: Given that Cloud backup is a bandwidth-intensive feature, and the rate at which it can be uploaded is determined by the network infrastructure, this feature is disabled while using EBM. This feature will be automatically disabled for all cameras on an EBM site.
Timelapse: This feature will be automatically disabled for all cameras on an EBM site.
Configuring Enterprise Bandwidth Manager
Enterprise Bandwidth Manager is available for all cameras and can be configured per site.
Calculating Bandwidth consumption
The following table illustrates the bandwidth consumption for various features on a camera. Thumbnails are enabled by default, while analytics features can be toggled on or off in the camera settings. The Enterprise Bandwidth Manager considers a fixed bandwidth consumption for each feature.
Feature | Bandwidth consumption |
Thumbnails | 40 kbps |
Analytics | 400 kbps |
For stream bandwidth consumption, refer to the table below as a quick reference guide.
Camera Resolution | Stream resolution | Bandwidth consumption |
4K | HQ | 3 Mbps |
4K | SQ | 0.6 Mbps |
Non-4K | HQ | 1.5 Mbps |
Non-4K | SQ | 0.3 Mbps |
Note: For precise calculations, consult the camera's specific bandwidth consumption. requirements.
Configure from the Cameras home-page
The site bandwidth limit can be configured by selecting Set Bandwidth Limit from the site options menu of each site.
These settings can also be checked under the Manage Sites menu, accessible from the top right.
Note: The bandwidth limit may take up to 10 seconds to apply after configuration and up to 10 minutes for a camera relocated to the site.
Permissions
Only Org Admins or Site Admins can configure or modify the bandwidth limit of a camera site.