Synology Surveillance Station + AI Cameras: Smarter Business Security Without the Cloud

Surveillance Station is Synology's video management software. Installed on a Synology NAS, it records and manages network cameras, shows live and recorded video, and handles alerts, all on equipment in your own premises. Paired with AI cameras, which classify people and vehicles and apply rules inside the camera, it gives a business intelligent detection and searchable recordings without sending video to a cloud service: the analysis happens at the camera, the footage is stored on the NAS, and the system keeps working if the internet goes down. It also uses storage the business may already own. The points to plan are camera licences, storage sizing and securing the system like the networked computer it is.

What does Surveillance Station do?

• Records from network cameras continuously, on schedule or on events.
• Shows live views and a timeline for playback across cameras.
• Receives detection events from cameras and applies its own rules.
• Sends notifications and can trigger actions.
• Manages user access to cameras and recordings.
• Supports viewing from desktop and mobile apps.
• Can manage several recording servers and sites from one console.

Where does the AI come from?

What each camera or recorder can detect, and how reliably, depends on the model and firmware. Check the specification of the exact product, and test on site. The general trade-offs are in AI cameras vs traditional CCTV.

Can AI CCTV detect suspicious activity without cloud processing?

Yes, for the common cases. Deciding that a person has crossed a boundary at 2am, or that a vehicle has entered a loading bay, is done by a chip in the camera in a fraction of a second. Nothing has to leave the building. The benefits:

• No continuous upload. A camera stream uploaded around the clock uses significant bandwidth; local analysis uses none.
• Works offline. Detection and recording continue through an internet outage.
• Footage stays on premises, which simplifies data protection questions.
• No per-camera cloud subscription for analytics or storage.

Two honest limits. What on-camera AI recognises is defined behaviour, such as a person in a zone, not suspicion in a human sense; someone still has to decide what an alert means. And remote viewing and phone notifications do need a connection, set up securely. See edge AI vs cloud AI.

How do camera licences work?

Surveillance Station is included with the NAS, with a small number of camera licences. Adding more third-party cameras means buying additional licences, a one-off purchase per camera. Synology states that its own cameras do not need a separate licence. The number of cameras a NAS can handle also depends on the model. Confirm current licence terms and the camera limit for the specific NAS before sizing a system.

Source: Synology Surveillance Station documentation. Compiled 12 Nov 2026.

What does it need?

• A suitable NAS. Enough bays for the retention you need, and a model rated for your camera count.
• Surveillance-rated drives, built for continuous writing.
• Storage sized for the footage. See how much NAS storage for 30, 60 or 90 days of CCTV.
• A PoE switch to power and connect the cameras, with enough power budget. See PoE power budgets.
• Compatible cameras. Most network cameras that follow the common ONVIF standard work; check Synology's compatibility list for model-specific features.
• A UPS, so recording survives short power cuts and the NAS shuts down cleanly in long ones.

The camera decides what it saw. The NAS remembers it. Neither has to ask the internet.

Should recording share a NAS with company files?

It can on a small site, but there are reasons to separate them. Continuous video writing competes with file access, cameras belong on their own network segment, and a failure or security incident then affects both. A common design is a dedicated NAS, or at least a dedicated volume and network, for surveillance. The comparison with a conventional recorder is in Synology NAS vs traditional NVR.

What about security and privacy?

• Put cameras and the recorder on a separate network segment; do not expose either directly to the internet.
• Change default passwords and keep camera and NAS firmware current.
• Limit who can view and export footage, and log access.
• Set a retention period and delete footage after it.
• Display notices that CCTV is in operation. Video of identifiable people is personal data under Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act.

This is general information, not legal advice. See office CCTV and PDPA and who is guarding your network.

Buying in Singapore

Synology AI cameras: the Synology BC510 5MP bullet camera (S$276) and Synology TC510 5MP turret camera (S$276). Recording NAS: the Synology DS925+ (S$1,260) or Synology DS1825+ (S$2,148). Surveillance drives: Seagate SkyHawk from S$158 and Seagate SkyHawk AI from S$567.50. Power protection: the APC Back-UPS Pro BR 900VA (S$452.50) (listed 12 Nov 2026; prices change; ask for a current quotation). TP-Link VIGI cameras such as the VIGI C485 are price on request. To start, use Request for Quotation on the product page, call (65) 6978 3502, email Sales@sourceit.com.sg or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

What is Synology Surveillance Station? It is Synology's video management software, which runs on a Synology NAS to record, view and manage network cameras and their alerts on your own premises.

Can AI cameras work without the cloud? Yes. AI cameras analyse video inside the camera and can record to a local NAS, so detection and recording work without sending video to a cloud service.

Do cameras need a licence in Surveillance Station? A NAS includes a small number of camera licences. More third-party cameras need additional licences bought per camera. Synology's own cameras do not need a separate licence, according to Synology.

What drives should be used for surveillance recording? Surveillance-rated hard drives, which are designed for continuous writing from multiple camera streams.