How to determine the Video Streaming Gateway (VSG) throughput and performance?

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Bosch Video Streaming Gateway (VSG) is a separate “Sub-Service” of VRM that can run independently, or in conjuction with VRM. VSG acts as an iSCSI NVR for non iSCSI capable devices.

VSG is specifically designed to provide integration for 3rd party ONVIF, JPEG, RTSP, and legacy H.263 Bosch devices.

The base functional capabilities of VSG are as follows:

• One VSG Server Platform can support 7 VSG Worker Instances
• Each Worker Instance can support 32 Cameras
• The total supported cameras for one VSG server is 224 Cameras

Step-by-step guide

Calculating Throughput:

VSG throughput and performance is determined by several factors:

• The server platform it is installed on
• The iSCSI target it is writing to
• The number of possible clients in the VMS
• The number of cameras assigned to the VSG

When designing a system, all of these factors must be considered in order to build a cleanly-functioning system.

Understanding Basic Throughput:

1. When using a standalone server, the VSG throughput will vary based on the hardware platform itself:

• Older generation servers could provide 350 to 400 Mb/s of throughput.

o This includes both the RTSP pull from cameras, as well as the iSCSI push to the storage target

The new Generation 10 Server can supply 3000 Mb/s of throughput:

• 1500 pull
• 1500 push

2. The second part of the equation is the available throughput of the iSCSI target.

NetApp 2800 single Controller with no expansion shelves = 650 MB/s

Example Calculation

In a VSG standalone sever scenario with a camera that is streaming at 3Mb/s:

• 3 Mb/s pull
• 3 Mb/s push
• 3 Mb/s Viewing (1WS)

Bandwidth calculation for a single camera would be 9 Mb/s.

A 100 camera system would be calculated at a theoretical worst case scenario 900 Mb/s:

• 300 Mb/s pull and 600 Mb/s push

VSG and Recording Appliances:

VSG and Recording appliances are a unique situation:

• The VSG and iSCSI are located on the same platform
• Throughput is still limited to the hardware capabilities of the Appliance

Based on RAID 5 configuration:

⚠️ When utilizing a Recording Appliance with VSG, throughput will be slightly lower. The VRM numbers are based on individual cameras performing and iSCSI "Push". VSG is performing a "Pull" to bring the video into the system.

Nice to know:

BVMS system design guide includes also a relevant VSG section.