Custom video storages

By default, all video files from units are stored in the standard Wialon storage. You can configure the system to use your own custom storage instead.

Custom storage is particularly useful when you need to customize storage limits per unit or meet specific data residency and compliance requirements for your clients.

This page describes the complete process of managing custom storages, including how to:

Prerequisites

External storage setup: Before you can add a custom storage in Wialon, your external S3-compatible storage must be set up with the correct permissions. For full instructions, see Guidelines for configuring S3-compatible storage.

Storage connection details: You will need the following information from your external storage provider:

  • Storage URL
  • Bucket name
  • Storage region (if applicable)
  • Access key
  • Secret key

Account types: Only the creator of a top account can create, edit, and delete custom storages. Creators of accounts with dealer rights can assign and reassign storages.

Video tab access: Requirements for accessing the Video tab are described on the Video page.

Configuring a custom video storage

To create a custom video storage, you need to add your external storage details to the system.

  1. Open the Video tab in CMS Manager.

The Video tab in the CMS Manager interface. Callout 1 points to the 'Video' section in the left navigation menu. Callout 2 points to the 'Manage storages' button directly below it. The main table shows an account list with a 'Storage' column.

  1. In the Actions section, click the Manage storages button.
  2. Click the Add storage button.

A screenshot of the 'Manage storages' modal window. The window is in its empty state, displaying a 'No storages added' message. Callout 3 points to the 'Add storage' button at the top.

  1. In the New custom storage window, fill in the required details:

    The 'New custom storage' form shown with example details filled in. Callout 4 points to the block of configuration fields such as URL, Bucket, and Access key. Callout 5 highlights the 'Test connection' button. Callout 6 points to the 'Save' button at the bottom of the window.

    • URL: Enter the endpoint URL provided by your storage provider. The URL must start with https://.
    • Storage name: Create a descriptive name for your storage to easily identify it later (for example, “EU clients storage”).
    • Bucket: Enter the exact name of the bucket you have created with your storage provider.
    • Region: (Optional) If your provider uses specific regions, select the correct region name here.
    • Access key: Enter the access key ID for your bucket. You can use the icon an eye icon to show or hide the key.
    • Secret key: Enter the secret key associated with your access key. This field is also masked by default.
    • Limit per unit: Specify the storage limit for each unit in gigabytes (GB). Enter a whole number between 1 and 1000. The default value is 5 GB. If the limit is reached, the oldest files for that unit are removed to make space for new ones. Files marked as important won’t be removed. Learn more about video storage rules.
  2. Click the Test connection button. This will verify if the credentials you entered are correct and can successfully connect to your storage bucket.

    • A green success message confirms the connection is working.
    • A red failure message indicates an issue with the provided credentials or network access. Correct the details and test again.
  3. Once the details are correct and the connection test is successful, click Save.

Your new storage is now created. It will appear in the Manage storages window and is available for selection in the account table.

Assigning a custom storage to an account

By default, video data from units is stored in the Wialon storage. To direct files to a custom storage, you must assign that storage to the account that the units belong to.

  1. On the Video tab in CMS Manager, find the required account in the account table. The table shows only accounts with the Video monitoring service enabled.
  2. In the Storage column for that account, select the custom storage from the list.

The process of assigning a custom storage on the Video tab. Callout 2 points to the 'Storage' column, where a user is selecting 'EU clients storage' from an open dropdown menu for an account.

  1. In the confirmation window, read the warning carefully. After the 10-second safety timer reaches zero, the Assign button becomes active. Click it to confirm.

The 'Reassign storage' confirmation dialog box. It displays a warning that existing files will not be moved automatically. Callout 3 points to the 'Reassign' button, which is temporarily disabled and shows a countdown timer.

The selected storage is now linked to the account.

  • All new video files recorded by units within this account will be sent to the assigned custom storage.
  • All new units added for video monitoring in this account will also use this custom storage.

Once you reassign an account to a new storage, all older files will become inaccessible through the Wialon interface. If your old files were saved in a custom storage, you can still access them directly from your external storage provider.

Questions and answers

What happens if I assign a custom storage with incorrect settings to an account?

If the custom storage you assign to an account has incorrect settings (such as a wrong key or bucket name), it will cause a connection failure.

  • In the main monitoring interface (Video tab > Files tab), users will see “Service error” messages.
  • The system will be unable to save any new video files from the units of that account.

To resolve this issue, you must correct the invalid information and update the storage settings.

Updating an existing custom storage

You can modify the details of any custom storage you have configured. This is useful for rotating security credentials, adjusting storage limits, or changing other configuration details.

  1. Open the Video tab in CMS Manager.

The Video tab in the CMS Manager interface. Callout 1 points to the 'Video' section in the left navigation menu. Callout 2 points to the 'Manage storages' button directly below it. The main table shows an account list with a 'Storage' column.

  1. In the Actions section, click the Manage storages button.
  2. From the list of your configured storages, click on the row of the storage you wish to update.

The 'Manage storages' window listing a configured custom storage. Callout 3 highlights the row for 'EU clients storage', showing a cursor hovering over it and a delete icon on the right side.

  1. The storage details will open in an editable form, similar to the creation window. You can modify any of the fields:

    The 'Custom storage properties' form for editing a storage's details. Callout 4 points to the block of editable configuration fields. Callout 5 highlights the 'Test connection' button, and Callout 6 highlights the 'Update' button used to save changes.

    • URL
    • Storage name
    • Bucket
    • Region
    • Access key
    • Secret key
    • Limit per unit

Make the required changes to the fields. The Update button will become active only after a change has been made.

  1. Click Test connection to verify that the new details are correct.
    • A green success message confirms the connection is working.
    • A red failure message indicates an issue with the provided credentials or network access. Correct the details and test again.
  2. Click Update to save your changes.

The storage configuration is now updated with the new details. The system will use these new settings for all future file uploads to this storage. If you updated the credentials, existing files will remain accessible as long as the bucket name and location have not changed.

Consequences of invalid details

If you update a storage with incorrect details (such as a wrong key, URL, or bucket name), it will cause a connection failure with significant consequences:

  • In the main monitoring interface (Video tab > Files tab), users will see a “Service error” message for any units assigned to this storage.
  • No previously saved files will be displayed.
  • Saving new files will also fail.

To resolve this issue, you must return to the storage settings, correct the invalid information, and click Update again. Once a valid connection is re-established, your files will become visible in the interface, and normal operation will resume.

Unassigning a custom storage (reverting to default)

To revert an account from a custom storage back to the default Wialon storage, follow these steps:

  1. On the Video tab in CMS Manager, find the required account in the account table.

The 'Manage storages' window listing a configured custom storage. Callout 3 highlights the row for 'EU clients storage', showing a cursor hovering over it and a delete icon on the right side.

  1. In the Storage column for that account, select Wialon storage from the dropdown list.
  2. In the confirmation window, wait for the 10-second safety timer to expire, then click the Assign button to confirm the change.

The account is now unassigned from the custom storage. All new video files from account units will be saved to the default Wialon storage.

Once you reassign an account to the default Wialon storage, all older files will become inaccessible through the Wialon interface. You can still access the old files saved in a custom storage directly from your external storage provider.

Deleting a custom storage

You can permanently delete a custom storage configuration that you no longer need.

  1. Open the Video tab in CMS Manager.
  2. In the Actions section, click the Manage storages button.
  3. Hover your mouse over the storage row you need to remove and click the icon a red cross icon.

The process of deleting a storage in the 'Manage storages' window. Callout 3 points to the delete icon (an 'X') and its 'Delete storage' tooltip, which appears when the user hovers over a storage row.

  1. Confirm the deletion after the safety timer.

The 'Delete storage' confirmation dialog box. It warns that files will become unavailable to the end user but will remain in the storage service. Callout 4 points to the 'Delete' button, which is temporarily disabled and shows a countdown timer.

Deleting a storage configuration is irreversible and has the following consequences:

  • The storage configuration is permanently removed from the system.
  • Any accounts that were assigned to the deleted storage are automatically reassigned to the default Wialon storage.
  • Files in Wialon associated with the deleted storage will be removed. This means the files will no longer be viewable or accessible from the Wialon interface.
  • The action doesn’t delete the actual video files from your private bucket. You are responsible for manually deleting these files from the external storage.

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