Overview

Introduction

In modern IP video surveillance deployments, maintaining system reliability and minimizing downtime are critical operational requirements. ACTi’s VMS ecosystem integrates dedicated diagnostic utilities that allow administrators and integrators to quickly identify system abnormalities, collect support evidence, and restore database integrity without requiring deep system-level intervention.

This white paper introduces ACTi’s Diagnostics toolkit for VMS and NVR 3 environments, highlighting built-in health reporting, log collection, and database recovery capabilities that significantly improve service efficiency and reduce support costs.

Diagnostics Concept in ACTi VMS

Diagnostics in ACTi VMS refers to the automated collection of system health data, operational status, and storage/database integrity verification. These functions enable:

• Rapid identification of hardware and software anomalies
• Standardized log export for technical analysis
• Self-service troubleshooting for field engineers
• Faster escalation with complete diagnostic evidence
• ACTi provides two dedicated diagnostic utilities:
• Troubleshooting Utility – System and service health reporting
• DB Builder – Recording database scanning and rebuilding

Together, these tools form the foundation of ACTi’s VMS diagnostic framework.

Troubleshooting Utility

Purpose The Troubleshooting Utility is designed to automatically collect system and NVR-related information into structured diagnostic logs. These logs can be reviewed by local administrators or forwarded to ACTi’s Field Application Engineers (FAE) for rapid issue resolution.

Availability

• Built-in for NVR 3 version v3.0.16.23 or newer
• Downloadable from ACTi website for earlier versions

Diagnostic Reports Generated

• System (Host PC hardware and OS details)
• Programs (Installed applications list)
• Processes (Active running processes)
• Services (Service status monitoring)
• SQL Server (NVR 3 database service health)
• Storage (HDD / virtual drive accessibility)
• Devices (Connected cameras and NVR devices)

Operational Value

• Standardized diagnostic data collection
• Eliminates guesswork during troubleshooting
• Enables remote technical analysis
• Shortens Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)

DB Builder – Database Diagnostics and Recovery

Purpose DB Builder is ACTi’s dedicated database diagnostic and repair utility. It scans the recording database and rebuilds missing or corrupted index structures when:

• Hard drives are disconnected unexpectedly
• Playback files become missing
• Database integrity errors occur

Availability

• Built-in for NVR 3 version v3.0.16.29 or newer
• Downloadable from ACTi website for earlier versions

Recovery Procedure Administrators can perform database recovery directly from NVR:

1. Enter System
2. Select Maintenance
3. Click Scan
4. Click Rebuild

After rebuilding, recordings are restored automatically.

Operational Value

• Restores lost recordings without reinstallation
• Prevents permanent data loss
• Minimizes service downtime
• Enables self-service field recovery

Benefits of ACTi Diagnostics Framework

Operational Efficiency - Automated log collection and reporting Reduced Downtime - Fast identification and correction of faults Lower Support Cost - Self-service tools reduce onsite support needs Data Protection - Database rebuild prevents recording loss Standardized Support - Consistent evidence for FAE troubleshooting

Use Cases

System Integrators

• Quick site health checks before escalation
• Standard diagnostic evidence for tender maintenance contracts

Enterprise Operators

• Routine system health audits
• Proactive detection of storage or database risks

ACTi Technical Support

• Faster root-cause identification
• Reduced back-and-forth data requests

Conclusion

ACTi’s Diagnostics toolset empowers system administrators with automated health visibility and recovery capabilities. By integrating Troubleshooting Utility and DB Builder directly into VMS/NVR environments, ACTi ensures rapid fault identification, reliable database restoration, and reduced total maintenance costs — delivering a resilient and service-ready surveillance infrastructure.