Surveillance drives are optimized for continuous 24/7 video recording with multiple camera streams. Key differences: AllFrame/ImagePerfect firmware prioritizes video writing over error correction (prevents frame drops), higher workload ratings (180-550TB/year vs 55TB for desktop), support for 32-64+ cameras, TLER/ERC settings for RAID compatibility, and reduced vibration for multi-drive DVRs. Regular desktop drives aren't designed for this constant write workload.

Not recommended. Desktop drives (WD Blue, Barracuda) aren't designed for 24/7 continuous recording. They may: experience premature failure from constant writing, cause dropped frames during multi-camera recording, have shorter warranties that don't cover 24/7 use, and lack firmware optimization for video workloads. Surveillance drives cost only 10-20% more and are worth it for security applications where reliability matters.

Both are excellent and purpose-built for surveillance. WD Purple: AllFrame technology, up to 64 cameras, 3-year warranty, popular choice. Seagate SkyHawk: ImagePerfect firmware, SkyHawk Health Management, 3-year warranty including data recovery. For AI systems, SkyHawk AI and WD Purple Pro add higher workload ratings and AI stream support. Choose based on current price — both are proven in the industry.

Storage depends on cameras, resolution, and retention period. Rough estimates per camera: 1080p @ 15fps ≈ 7GB/day, 4K @ 15fps ≈ 25GB/day. For 8 cameras at 1080p with 30-day retention: 8 × 7GB × 30 = 1.7TB. For 8 cameras at 4K with 30-day retention: 8 × 25GB × 30 = 6TB. Motion-activated recording reduces storage 50-70%. Most home systems do well with 4-8TB; commercial systems often need 12TB+.

SkyHawk (standard): 180TB/year workload, supports up to 64 cameras, 3-year warranty — ideal for traditional DVR/NVR systems. SkyHawk AI: 550TB/year workload, supports 64 cameras + 32 AI streams, enterprise-class reliability, handles AI analytics workloads — designed for AI-enabled NVRs that process video for object detection, facial recognition, etc. If your system uses AI analytics, choose SkyHawk AI; otherwise, standard SkyHawk is sufficient.

Quality surveillance drives typically last 3-5 years in 24/7 operation, with many lasting longer. Factors affecting lifespan: temperature (keep DVR ventilated), workload (more cameras = more writes), power quality (use a UPS), and drive quality (stick with WD Purple, SkyHawk, or S300). Enterprise options like SkyHawk AI and Purple Pro are rated for heavier workloads. Replace proactively after 3-4 years for critical security systems, and always monitor SMART health data.

Yes, but surveillance drives are better optimized. NAS drives (IronWolf, Red Plus) handle 24/7 operation well but use different firmware. Surveillance drives have AllFrame/ImagePerfect firmware specifically tuned for video streams — they skip error correction retries to prevent frame drops. NAS drives prioritize data integrity and may cause brief recording pauses during error recovery. For dedicated DVR/NVR systems, surveillance drives are the better choice.

It depends on your storage needs and redundancy requirements. Single drive: simpler, lower cost — fine for home systems if you accept losing footage if the drive fails. Multiple drives (RAID): more capacity, redundancy — if one drive fails, recordings continue on remaining drives. Many NVRs support RAID 1/5. For business or critical security, RAID is recommended. Also consider that multiple smaller drives can be more cost-effective than one large drive at the same total capacity.