Organizations across a range of industries can realize the advantages of using the cloud for surveillance storage, says Danny Collins, Product Marketing Manager, Surveillance at Wasabi Technologies.

The surveillance industry has hit an inflection point. Higher-resolution cameras, increased retention requirements and a slew of business applications directly tied to surveillance data have put an immense amount of pressure on local storage systems.

It’s time to rethink data storage

It’s becoming clear that some data storage platforms don’t align well to the emerging trends, technologies and shifts in utilization. Additionally, organizations are beginning to encounter problems in data collection, data access and data protection that interfere with the value of video captured, impede operational effectiveness and even cause legal and regulatory issues.

With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that the surveillance industry is slowly warming up to using the cloud for its flexibility and nearly unlimited storage capacity.

Cloud storage adoption rates are still slower overall in the surveillance industry than in some others. Most end users continue to utilize physical recording servers to house their video storage. One of the main barriers is the belief that moving to the cloud is an all-or-nothing decision that will force companies to get rid of their existing widespread infrastructure and start brand new, throwing away money and technical know-how. However, leveraging the cloud is far from a zero-sum game.

A full-fledged shift to a cloud-native video surveillance system can come with problems. It’s a complete architectural change that may require substantial software and workflow modifications, with pure cloud environments requiring a new set of skills that might be in short supply within an organization.

Also, not all clouds are the same and not every type of cloud storage is optimized for video surveillance. It’s not uncommon for some cloud storage providers to contain hidden costs (API calls, egress fees, storage tier fees, etc.) that can result in unpredictable spend over time and increased total cost of ownership.

Benefits of the cloud

The fact is that one of the most important benefits of the cloud is flexibility – it can be deployed in any environment and can complement existing local infrastructure. The compromise is that surveillance camera users can slowly test the waters of the cloud through a hybrid cloud storage approach which means they can maintain their existing technology and continue to benefit from it, while also leveraging the added benefits of cloud storage.

This is a best-of-both-worlds solution and companies can adjust their cloud storage adoption as needed based on factors that are unique to them, such as the scale of their video data or technology that they already have in place.

This applies to video management systems (VMS), too. Historically, most VMS cannot connect directly to cloud storage. However, emerging technologies are allowing for this bridge to finally happen. Now once-siloed VMS technology immediately becomes cloud-aware without any changes to existing operations.

Organizations don’t have to part ways with valuable footage or be forced to purchase additional local storage. Instead, a hybrid cloud storage model allows businesses to offload video that they don’t need at that moment but have it accessible immediately for when they do need it, essentially creating “bottomless” storage. This advancement is vital for video surveillance deployments, balancing modern storage capacity needs with compliance.

Storage security

As video surveillance technology has evolved, so must video storage security. The cloud provides additional levels of security to an industry that constantly handles sensitive data. Cloud storage providers may also obtain certifications such as SOC 2, PCI DSS and HIPAA, CJIS, FERPA, etc., demonstrating that they have implemented controls to meet specific compliance requirements.

Most cloud providers meet these industry compliance standards, but some meet more than others. Compliance requirements vary depending on industry and jurisdiction. It’s important to carefully review requirements that apply to your organization and ensure that the cloud storage provider you choose can meet those compliance requirements.

Some cloud providers also offer ‘immutability’, an added layer of protection that prevents video from being tampered with, or accidentally or maliciously deleted. Having an offsite copy of video, like one stored in the cloud, is crucial in a case of lost or damaged footage, ensuring companies can abide by their state footage preservation laws. Along with immutability, cloud storage allows surveillance leaders to take a “defense-in-depth” approach to protect against the broadest range of threats, including cyber-attacks or ransomware.

The organizations that take advantage of the cloud are bound to benefit whether they use surveillance for education, local government, healthcare, cannabis or other environments. It’s not an all or nothing game – taking a hybrid approach in which the cloud complements existing technology investments is a manageable and appealing first step from which organizations can immediately reap the rewards of the cloud’s promise.

This article was originally published in the May edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.