Benefits of Integrating COVA with myDW Services

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Affected Roles: Administrator

Related DW Software: myDW Health Monitoring Service, DW Mobile+

Last Edit: June 16, 2026

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COVA and myDW Integration

Purpose: Understand the functional differences between deploying a COVA recorder with myDW integration versus operating it in standalone mode, and what features are affected when a subscription expires.

Note: Remote management features are limited without myDW integration. Admin will still be able to connect to their COVA directly via IP address and a web browser. Port forwarding the recorder will be necessary for viewing and recorder management from outside of the local network.

Supported/Affected Devices:

DW-COVA16
DW-COVA8
DW-COVA4

COVA Operating Modes

The DW COVA (Cloud-Optimized Video Archiving) recorder is a hybrid NVR that records camera video to its local storage while also providing remote management and monitoring services through myDW.

COVA can operate in three modes:

Registered to myDW with an active subscription
Registered to myDW with an expired or suspended subscription
Operating locally without myDW registration (Standalone)

DW COVA & myDW Deployment Comparison

Table 1: myDW Portal Feature Availability

This table applies to COVA recorders registered to myDW. It shows which portal features remain available when a subscription expires.

Feature	myDW Active Subscription	myDW Suspended (Expired Subscription)
Login Access	Yes	Yes
Mobile Push Notifications (System Events)	Yes	Yes
Mobile Push Notifications (Channel Events)	Yes	Yes
Cloud Video Share	Yes	View only
Remote Live Viewing	Yes	No
Remote Playback	Yes	No
Add / Manage Users	Yes	No
Role-Based Permissions	Yes	No
Recorder Group Permissions	Yes	No
Health Alerts	Yes	No
CVV	Yes	No
Inventory & Health Reports	Yes	No
Centralized Alert history	Yes	No
Dashboard Map & Monitoring Widgets	Yes	No

Table 2: myDW Registered vs. Standalone

This table compares the two deployment approaches. Use it to understand the full value of registering a COVA recorder to myDW versus operating it locally.

Feature	myDW Registered	Standalone (Local IP Only)
Local Recording	Yes	Yes
Local Playback	Yes	Yes
Local Monitoring	Yes	Yes
Local Camera Configuration	Yes	Yes
IdentiSee (Stream Analytics)	Yes	Yes
Mobile Push Notifications (Channel Events)	Yes	Yes
Remote Access (No Port Forwarding Required)	Yes	No — HTTP Port Forwarding Required
Web Browser Access	Yes	Yes — Local Network Only
DW Mobile+ Integration	Yes	Yes - Local Network or HTTP Port Forwarding Required
Mobile Push Notifications (System Events)	Yes	No
Remote Live Viewing	Yes	No
Remote Playback	Yes	No
Health Alerts	Yes	No
CVV	Yes	No
Inventory & Health Reports	Yes	No
Cloud Video Share	Yes	No
Centralized Alert History	Yes	No
Role-Based Permissions	Yes	No
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)	Yes	No

COVA with myDW Standard Subscription

When registered to myDW, COVA becomes part of a centralized cloud-managed ecosystem. Video continues to record locally on the unit's internal HDD, while operational telemetry and health data are transmitted securely to the myDW Cloud. The combination of myDW and COVA's cloud operations supports managed services and proactive maintenance workflows.

Enabled myDW Features:

Centralized Health Monitoring Dashboard
Alert Rules (System, Disk, Video)
Camera View Verification (CVV)
Recorder and Camera Health Reports
Inventory Reports
Organized Hierarchy (Channel Partner, Sub-Channel Partner, End User)
Role-based Access Control
Role-based Specific Camera Selection
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Clip Share Cloud Storage
No Inbound Firewall Port Requirement
Web-based Access from Any Browser
DW Mobile+ Integration

COVA Recorder Local IP Features:

Stream and Monitor Video Locally
Record Video Locally
Receive Mobile Alerts from the Recorder
IdentiSee (stream analytics)
Share Clips Securely through myDW Cloud

COVA with an Expired or Suspended myDW Subscription

When a myDW subscription expires, the COVA recorder transitions to a Suspended state. myDW portal features are disabled until the subscription is renewed. Local recording on the unit's internal HDD is not affected.

Important: There is no grace period. When a subscription expires, the organization automatically transitions to Suspended at the next scheduled state check. Login access, live monitoring, playback, user management, and all myDW features are unavailable in this state. For more information, refer to myDW Subscription State Management.

Suspended myDW Services:

Video Clip Share Upload
Live Monitoring and Playback
User Management
Alert Configuration and Alert Visibility
System Health, Inventory, and CVV Reports

Mobile Push Notifications (System and Channel Events) to users' DW Mobile+ applications remain operational in the Suspended state.

COVA Without myDW Registration (Standalone Mode)

The COVA hardware can be installed and operated locally without registration to a myDW account. In this configuration, the recorder functions as a limited standalone NVR with only its local IP features. System configuration and management are performed through the COVA recorder's web-based client via direct IP address access.

Video will continue to stream and record locally. However, cloud-based services are never enabled. This limits system management.

Note: Port forwarding is required for remote access from outside of the local network in standalone mode.

COVA Standalone Local Capabilities:

Local Recording
Local Web Client Access
Local Camera Configuration
Local Playback
Local Monitoring
IdentiSee (stream analytics)
Port Forwarding Required for Remote Access (offsite viewing)

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For More Information or Technical Support

DW Technical Support: https://www.digital-watchdog.com/contact-tech-support/

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