Video surveillance playback system with multi-tiered storage

A system for an overarching multi-tiered video surveillance data storage system providing sequential writing optimization for LTO media for managing time-based video surveillance data streams from a network of video surveillance cameras, providing video playback, with the system comprising:

• a server computer system configured to execute a Video Management Software (VMS) application;
• a high-speed storage tier comprising at least one NVMe flash storage module;
• a first archival storage tier comprising at least one hard disk drive (HDD);
• a second archival storage tier comprising at least one Linear Tape Open (LTO) tape library system;
• a metadata database accessible by the system, and
• a video data management middleware layer configured to execute on the server computer system and operate between the VMS application and the storage tiers, the middleware being specifically configured to minimize mechanical seek commands and overall video data retrieval time of the LTO tape library system by:
• aggregating distinct video surveillance data streams from a plurality of distinct surveillance cameras stored on the first storage tier into a new container file based on shared time intervals;
• physically writing the new container file in the second archival storage tier on LTO media in a contiguous sequential format, such that the video data for all cameras in the plurality for the shared time interval is stored within a single physical span on the LTO media;
• performing deterministic mapping of time-indexed video segments to corresponding physical tape block addresses, such that each defined time interval of recorded video is associated with a fixed, reproducible starting and ending location on the LTO media, and
• upon receiving a playback request from the VMS application for a first camera within the shared time interval:
• configured to retrieve the new container file by issuing a direct LTO media command to move the LTO tape to the starting physical block address, and
• configured to automatically replicate the entire new container file, including the first camera and all other distinct cameras in the plurality, onto the high-speed storage tier configured to enable immediate playback of any camera recorded video from the plurality for that shared time interval without further mechanical seek commands of the LTO tape library system;
• wherein the video data management middleware layer is further configured to maintain a mapping between video timestamps and physical block addresses across supported storage tiers, such that in response to a playback request, the middleware layer identifies whether the requested video data resides on the high-speed storage tier or an archival storage tier, and if the requested video data resides on an archival storage tier, retrieves the corresponding new container file by issuing a direct LTO tape positioning command to the starting physical block address and replicates the new container file to the high-speed storage tier prior to delivering the video stream to the VMS application.