Software Licensing moving forward

Don't miss a thing. Post your questions and discussion about other uncategorized NAS features here.
Post Reply
Q-nap
Starting out
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:16 pm

Software Licensing moving forward

Post by Q-nap »

Hi, I'm new here although I have had my QNAP for some time. I bought the system mainly for disk storage and media through the house. It was replacing my old Windows NT server which sadly passed away after a long and useful life. I found the QNAP to be pretty easy to use and had all the facilities that I had on my old server plus more interesting ones. An excellent bit of kit.

One of the reasons I bought the QNAP instead of a simple disk farm and another server or a NAS from an alternative supplier is a friend of mine had one and he had installed VMs and Surveillance Station on his. The SS software was/is not that important but as I have two licenses for cameras myself I thought why not. It's a cheap way in. SS was a bonus. I'm just getting around to installing it and have discovered it is being retired and replaced with a SaaS version on subscription. I'm not going to be paying for any software on subscription whilst I have alternatives and certainly not CCTV software that you usually get free with cameras. From what I can see though I can still install SS and use it until at some time in the future a system failure or a firmware or software upgrade will cause it to stop working. As that can be any time I can't even plan ahead.

My question is; Is there going to be a free or fully purchasable version of the CCTV software going forward or will I need to look elsewhere for software or another NAS when my SS dies. I'm also a bit concerned that you may start charging for other items like Containers and VMs, perhaps even Backup SW going forward as this now seems to be your software model.

I'm interested in your views as I've been asked about installing one for a friend. He is just interested in a Web Server so a Raspberry Pi would do him. However he does want more disk space for his movies instead of several discrete USB drives. He too is interested in CCTV for access to his flat as he has cameras linked to his phone atm. Although he would keep on that system if one wasn't available for him on the NAS.
User avatar
dolbyman
Guru
Posts: 34903
Joined: Sat Feb 12, 2011 2:11 am
Location: Vancouver BC , Canada

Re: Software Licensing moving forward

Post by dolbyman »

Depending on your (unknown) NAS model, QVR Pro can also be used (perpetual licenses in local containerized application)

https://software.qnap.com/qvr-pro.html
Q-nap
Starting out
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:16 pm

Re: Software Licensing moving forward

Post by Q-nap »

Thanks for the quick reply, much appreciated. I have a TS453 Pro with 8Gb and 4 x 14Tb drives in Raid 5.

QVR Pro may be a perpetual license but at $259, to give me the four camera licenses I'd like, is a bit rich for me. I can buy a dedicated system for that from a CCTV company and store the files there or add to the NAS, either way I still have to buy the cameras which will cost about the same. Plus I have to pay at least $99 extra for unlimited playback time which I understand is to play recordings over 14 days old. Unless I am missing something. At those prices we are competing with CCTV specialists and I don't see the need. I've been looking and there are other packages around some free and others about £60 up that could do what I need.

At the moment my plan it to use SS until it breaks or I decide I need another camera. Then I'll look around and see what is available, from QNAP and third parties but it won't be SaaS.
Post Reply

Return to “Miscellaneous”