The UniFi Network Video Recorder (UNVR) and UNVR Pro are powerful surveillance storage appliances designed for seamless integration with UniFi Protect. With enterprise-grade performance, scalability, and security, they’re ideal for small to large-scale surveillance deployments. But the key to maximizing their potential lies in one critical component: the hard drives you choose.
If you're installing or maintaining a UniFi UNVR or UNVR Pro, here’s what you need to know about selecting the right HDDs.
Overview of UniFi UNVR Models
UniFi UNVR (Standard)
- Compact 1U rackmount form factor
- 4 × 3.5" HDD bays
- Up to 30 days of 24/7 footage storage for ~20 HD cameras
- Dual 1GbE ports
- Software RAID support (RAID 1 or 5)
UniFi UNVR Pro
- 2U rackmount unit
- 7 × 2.5"/3.5" HDD bays
- Up to 60 days of 4K footage for 20–24 cameras
- 10G SFP+ and 1GbE port
- Software RAID 1, 5, 10 support
- Redundant power support
Why HDD Selection Matters
Surveillance systems generate high volumes of continuous write activity. Unlike desktop or server drives, surveillance-grade HDDs are optimized for:
- 24/7 operation
- High sequential writes
- Reliability under heavy workloads
- Lower power consumption
- Heat management
Using incompatible or low-performance drives may lead to:
- Frame drops
- Recording errors
- RAID instability
- Reduced drive lifespan
Official HDD Compatibility Guidelines
Required HDD Characteristics
| Specification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | 3.5" (or 2.5" with compatible tray) |
| Capacity | Minimum 1TB per drive |
| Recording Type | CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording) |
| Spindle Speed | 7200 RPM (recommended) |
| Interface | SATA III |
| Use Case | Surveillance-grade preferred |
Avoid SMR drives – Shingled Magnetic Recording drives often cannot handle continuous write loads and may cause performance degradation or failure in RAID arrays.
Recommended HDDs for UNVR and UNVR Pro
Ubiquiti’s official UniFi HDDs (8TB, 16TB, 24TB) are pre-tested and fully supported. However, many integrators also use third-party surveillance drives from trusted brands such as:
- Western Digital Purple Series (e.g. WD84PURZ, WD102PURZ)
- Seagate SkyHawk Series (e.g. ST8000VX004, ST10000VX005)
- Toshiba S300 Surveillance Drives
Ensure your third-party HDDs:
- Fit securely in the drive trays
- Use CMR technology
- Are the same capacity (for proper RAID setup)
Drives Known to Be Incompatible
Some HDDs have been identified as incompatible due to physical or electrical issues:
- Seagate SkyHawk ST10000VX0004 (10TB): Doesn’t fit tray
- Seagate ST500LT032 (500GB): No bottom screw holes
- WD WD5000MPCK (500GB): Connector misalignment
- Any SMR Drives: Poor performance, RAID issues
RAID Configuration Considerations
- RAID 1: Mirrors data for redundancy (min. 2 drives)
- RAID 5: Balance of performance, capacity, and redundancy (min. 3 drives)
- RAID 10: High performance and redundancy (min. 4 drives)
All drives in a RAID group must be the same capacity and preferably the same model.
Final Tips for Deployment
- Use drives from the same batch or purchase to ensure compatibility
- Keep spare drives on hand for fast replacement
- Monitor drive health in the UniFi Protect dashboard
- Enable alerts for disk failure or temperature thresholds
Conclusion
Choosing the right HDDs is crucial for the long-term reliability and performance of your UniFi UNVR or UNVR Pro system. By sticking to CMR-based, surveillance-grade drives and following Ubiquiti’s guidelines, you'll ensure a smooth and stable surveillance experience that scales with your needs.