Tutorial : How to combine default Surveillance stations licenses on one server.

[AbuMoosa]

Please note : -

1. You must have at least one Synology DS (with legitimate serial number to make it work). This DS will act as a host for all licenses. 
2. Surveillance Station version must same on all the servers.

 

1. Set up a host server
The host server controls all surveillance services on recording servers. Users can view videos, send and receive notifications, and manage all default or purchased device licenses.

Sign in to the server.
Go to Surveillance Station > Application Center and run CMS.
Go to CMS > Advanced, select Host server mode, and click Save.

2. Set up recording servers
Recording servers are the remote servers that record videos. You can add them manually or by search:

Set up recording servers by search:

On the host server, go to Surveillance Station > CMS > Recording Server and click Add > Add server.
Click the Search icon, find your target server, and click Enable.
Enter the user name and password and click OK.
Confirm that your server is now in recording server mode and click OK.
Check the required information, test the connection, and click Next.
Edit the advanced settings and click Finish. Do not tick Prevent users on this recording server from making changes to it if you would like to operate on this server afterwards.
Repeat steps 1 to 6 until you've added all recording servers.

 

See below screenshot, I have once DS214Play (Host) and the second one my recording server is Xepnology HP Z800

Edited February 23, 2021 by AbuMoosa

[Yuriy Pelekh]

Nice. Thanks @AbuMoosa!

I have linked two NASes and is about to add the third one. So, it will give me 6 licenses. However, it is not clear to me, does it meant that I could use only one NAS for surveillance and store all recording there and two other NASes will serve only for licenses and their storage will not be affected in anyway? I'm afraid to not put an extra load on those two NASes hard drives that serve only for licenses because they have completely different purpose.

[smileyworld]

@AbuMoosa it also works if the host is xpenology and the recording server is virtualized DSM.

@Yuriy Pelekh depends where you add your camera. If you add all cameras to NAS1, then all resources (CPU/RAM/STORAGE) will be used from NAS1. However if you add the cameras not only to NAS1, then the resources will be shared.

[nadiva]

yeah, spinning off recording servers which do nothing just prop up default licences works. failover doesn't, can't use the idle server for this purpose. for 3(x2) servers, 3 more servers are needed for a failover sadly. Can't spin VirtualDSM docker for this purpose either.

[mgrobins]

I'm a little confused here and about to jump into this rabbit hole. I have a DS1812+ which is near end of life after a removalist dropped it and buggered some drive bays. It still works though as an accessible NAS which means I would have the serial number benefits and licence for cameras (Do we get 6 cameras on default SS?).

I'd normally have more research done myself however the guides on here are mostly way out of date and need a hard resent with new guides and instructions. Outside of this space there is very limited community information which is a shame. I think this is the most usable choice of OS for home users.

Questions:

1. Does each xpenology machine give me additional cameras I can use from its default licence or do I not get SS on it at all?
2. Can licences be purchased that will work on Xpenology? 
3. If I use my DS1812+ as host to set things up, or to grab its licence, can I then shut it down and leave it unless I have to make host changes?
4. It never used to be possible to take the serial from an owned DS unit and use it to create a Xpenology NAS. Has this changed and does it influence what we can do here? 
5. How are you accessing SS externally from home - is there an app that it functions with or must you log in to the nas by browser (eg with Talescale or other VPN method)?