Bulk Configuring Quality and Retention Settings Through Profiles

Last updated
Save as PDF

There are many different ways to configure the quality and retention settings on MV cameras. Depending on the detail and retention you desire, different cameras will require different recording settings. With quality and retention profiles, it is now easy to group cameras together and bulk-assign the same quality and retention settings to all of them without going through each camera’s individual settings page.

You can also use APIs to set individual camera settings, or create and assign profiles. More documentation under the Meraki Developer Hub.

Creating Profiles

Navigate to Cameras > Configure > Camera profiles.
Under Quality & retention profiles, select New profile.

Fill out each field accordingly, starting with the type of profile and its name.
- Due to bandwidth requirements, some quality and retention settings are not available when Cloud Archive is enabled. As a result, you have to create separate profiles for cameras with Cloud Archive disabled and cameras with Cloud Archive enabled. Select which one you are creating this profile for.
- Give the profile a name.

Configure the quality & retention settings just like on the individual camera settings page.

NOTE: You cannot create a new schedule from this page. Instead, go to an individual camera settings page (in manual configuration) and create schedules there.

At the bottom you will see a table for Per model configuration. Different models of cameras have different options available for video resolution and quality. As a result, you need to customize what quality and resolution and type of camera will have when this profile is assigned to them.
- To help choose your settings, the last column shows you an average number of retention days with the selected options.
  - If motion-based retention is enabled, the average is computed assuming ~7 hours of motion a day. Navigate to the individual camera settings page to see a more accurate estimated retention.

Select Save.

Deleting or Editing Profiles

Ensure that the profile you wish to delete is not assigned to any camera. See Unassigning Profiles.
Navigate to Cameras > Configure > Camera profiles.
On the profile you wish to delete, click Delete or Edit.
- When deleting, select Yes to confirm.
- When editing, fill out the form as in the instructions above.

Assigning Profiles

If you have any Cloud Archive licenses, ensure those are applied to the cameras before assigning a profile. Assigning a profile does not assign the license.

Through the List Page

Use the checkboxes to select the cameras that you want to bulk assign.

NOTE: You cannot select cameras with both Cloud Archive disabled and enabled, since they will have different profiles due to the different quality and retention settings available for Cloud Archive.

Select Assign quality & retention profile.
Select the profile you wish to assign.
Select Review Changes.
Take a look at the modified average retention days before confirming.
Select Save.
Review assigned profile by visiting an individual camera’s settings page or adding the Quality & retention profile column on the nodes list page.

Through a Camera's Settings Page

Navigate to a camera’s Settings > Quality and retention tab.
Select on Profile assignment under Configuration method.
Select Change profile.
Select the profile you wish to assign.
Select Review Changes.
Take a look at the modified average retention days before confirming.
Select Save.
Review assigned profile by visiting an individual camera’s settings page or adding the Quality & retention profile column on the nodes list page.

Unassigning Profiles

Navigate to a camera’s Settings > Quality and retention tab.
Select on Profile assignment under Configuration method.
Select Manual configuration.
By default, the camera will retain its previous settings. Change the settings as desired.
Select Save.

Using Cloud Archive with Profiles

Due to bandwidth requirements, some quality and retention settings such as the Maxiumum retention limit are not able to be edited when Cloud Archive is enabled. As a result, you have to create separate profiles for cameras with Cloud Archive disabled and cameras with Cloud Archive enabled.

Note the following behavior when using Cloud Archive with profiles:

When you assign a camera a Cloud Archive license, its non-Cloud Archive profile will be unassigned and it will go back into manual configuration. By default, the camera will retain its previous settings. Change the settings as desired, or assign it a new Cloud Archive profile.
When you remove a Cloud Archive license from a camera, its Cloud Archive profile will be unassigned and it will go back into manual configuration. By default, the camera will retain its previous settings. Change the settings as desired, or assign it a new non-Cloud Archive profile.