Daily checks catch problems you can see on the live wall. Other problems grow slowly. A disk wears out. Clocks drift apart. A tree grows in front of a camera. Weekly and monthly checks find these before they cost you footage. This guide is for IT admins and supervisors.
Before you start
- Collect the shift logs for the period.
- Have your camera register and your footage access register at hand.
- Know your target retention: how many days of recordings you plan to keep.
- IT admins: make sure you can use the server's own monitoring tools.
Weekly checks
- Review offline cameras. List every camera that was offline this week, and for how long. Chase any camera that has been down for more than a day or two.
- Test playback at random times. Pick a random time at each site and play it back on the timeline. Include some night hours.
- Check the oldest recording. Move along the timeline to the oldest date you can play back. It should be about as old as your target retention. If it is newer, storage is running short.
- Check disk space and disk warnings. IT admins use the server's own tools for this.
- Check time sync. Compare the clocks on a few cameras, an NVR and the SSMS server. NTP (network time protocol) keeps device clocks in step with one time source. If clocks differ, fix the NTP settings.
- Read the logs. Go through the shift logs and the footage access register. Look for repeated problems and unusual requests.
Monthly checks
- Retention against policy. Compare the oldest recording with your written retention period. If it is shorter than expected, you have a storage problem. Report it to Skyline.
- Disk health. SMART is a self-check built into most disks. It warns before a disk fails. IT reviews the SMART results for every recording disk.
- Server updates. Apply operating system updates as your IT policy says. Tell Skyline before major changes, such as a new operating system version.
- Firmware review. Firmware is the software inside cameras and NVRs. Check whether the makers released important updates. Test one device first.
- Joiners and leavers. Remove access for people who have left. Check that any device password changed this month was also updated in SSMS.
- Lens cleaning. The site team cleans dirty lenses. They use a safe ladder and a proper lens cloth.
- Camera views. Check that each view still covers what it should. Plants grow, shelves move and new signs go up.
- Camera list against the register. Compare the cameras on the live wall with your camera register. Find out why any camera is missing or new.
- Record the results. Write the date, who checked, what was found and what was done.
Weekly and monthly at a glance
| Check | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Offline cameras | Yes | Summary of the month |
| Random playback test | Yes | |
| Oldest recording | Quick look | Formal check against policy |
| Disk space and warnings | Yes | |
| Disk SMART health | Yes | |
| Time sync | Yes | |
| Shift logs and registers | Yes | |
| Server updates | Yes | |
| Firmware review | Yes | |
| Joiners, leavers and passwords | Yes | |
| Lens cleaning and camera views | Yes | |
| Camera list against the register | Yes |
When to call Skyline
- Retention is shorter than expected and you cannot find the reason.
- Disk warnings appear on the SSMS server.
- Many cameras drop offline at the same time.
- You plan a major change to the server or the network.
Before you call, read what to send Skyline support. It lists the details that help Skyline act faster.
Where to go next
- Daily SSMS operator checklist
- Storage and retention: how long video is kept
- What to do when a camera goes offline
- Getting help: what to send Skyline support
Quick checklist
- Offline cameras are reviewed every week.
- Playback is tested at random times at every site.
- The oldest recording matches our retention target.
- Disk space and SMART health are checked.
- All device clocks match.
- Monthly results are written down and signed.
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