The video management system (VMS) is the essential for effective security, says Ethan Kim, Director of Product, Software Solutions at Hanwha Vision America.
Whether it’s a traditional on-premise solution, on-board a camera or in the cloud, the video management system (VMS) remains the heart of a video surveillance network system.
The devices that connect to it are becoming increasingly sophisticated and multi-functional, and a VMS system must evolve its capabilities to keep pace and exceed user requirements, continually enhancing cybersecurity, system scalability, convenience and interoperability.
Companies today face increased security threats and they are managing their operations with fewer resources and tighter budgets.
They need flexibility in how they configure and operate their surveillance system, and that includes their choice of a VMS model.
Companies looking for a VMS solution have many options to choose from ranging from a full on-premise infrastructure to a hybrid approach to a pure cloud solution.
Each approach has its own set of advantages and disadvantages; and neither is “better”.
They all offer unique features and benefits, so the right choice depends on the specific needs of the user.
The cloud, or cloud services, essentially offers users a toolbox of on-demand computing power, storage space and software that can be accessed over the internet.
It’s possible to have a cloud-based system up and running in minutes.
Users don’t have to purchase and manage massive servers, system configurations or storage.
Cloud adds easy scalability. With a few clicks, a system can be provisioned to add more storage or cameras and users can greatly benefit from that elasticity.
An operation becomes much more flexible, nimble and faster since users don’t have to deal with the time-consuming process of backend sizing.
Our industry has seen a rapid increase in cloud adoption and we anticipate this growth will continue to accelerate as the cloud continues to evolve and mature.
Its increasing acceptance signals that the industry has moved past many early challenges and negative perceptions.
Now, there are clear advantages associated with cloud technologies, including operational efficiency, speed, system storage and scalability, and enhanced data security through stronger encryption and authentication methods.
The cloud can also offer a centralized data and information platform.
Once a cloud system is up and running, users can have full access to their system from any internet-connected device from anywhere.
Cloud removes the barrier of physical access or needing to be onsite compared to the flexibility of being remote.
Once the data egresses and is ingested to the cloud, it’s the same ease of access from anywhere.
Users don’t need to buy and maintain massive servers and storage space.
Often, systems with high camera counts or long required retention times have high storage and maintenance costs.
Plus, hard drives have limited lifespans and servers need updates, licensing, reboots and antivirus software.
Now, you’re eliminating all those initial costs, and you’re also shifting from capital expenditures to operational expenses.
For example, a user doesn’t need to outlay $50,000 in physical servers that depreciate on day one.
Some cloud systems have different tiers of add-on features.
With some traditional on-premise infrastructures, you have to buy a full license or defined feature set, often as an “all or nothing” arrangement.
With the cloud, it’s often more of an “a la carte” deal where users can pick and choose the features they want for a certain camera without impacting anything else – another example of cost savings.
Then there’s software-as-a-service (SaaS). This model essentially eliminates the need for users to install and manage their own hardware.
Instead of owning assets that require having a physical resource on-site for hardware maintenance, software upgrades and security patches, users let the service providers do the work by paying a recurring (on-going) fee.
Cloud-based video SaaS (Vsaas) offers cloud storage and management.
This eliminates the need for on-site servers, compared to traditional on-premise VMS solutions that store video on-site and require manual configuration and updates.
There are many benefits of VsaaS:
With VSaaS, users can view live camera feeds, search through recordings and make backups – all from a web browser anywhere with an internet connection.
VSaaS offers several advantages and for those seeking flexibility, scalability and lower upfront costs, the cloud can be a viable solution.
For businesses with strict security requirements, data sensitivity or a reliance on live monitoring, on-premise may be preferred.
Here are some key decision factors to keep in mind:
Even more factors to consider include:
Finally, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is a crucial factor to consider when choosing between on-premise and cloud solutions.
On-premise infrastructure involves purchasing and maintaining hardware, software and IT staff in-house.
The initial investment can be significant, but it may provide long-term cost savings and greater control over data security and customization.
The transition from on-premise to cloud-based VMS allows for easier camera connectivity, simpler web-based interfaces and intelligent features like video analytics and object detection.
Cloud-based VMS offers scalability, with the ability to easily add cameras and storage without the need for additional hardware.
The scope of cloud deployments can vary from customer to customer, based on their market, unique requirements, the focus of their operations and budgets, among many other factors.
It’s also important to note that the cloud is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Many companies, including Hanwha, view an ideal scenario as a technological ecosystem where both on-premise edge and cloud solutions co-exist.
Edge intelligence and capabilities have been advancing rapidly and leveraging the strengths of both the edge and the cloud allows organizations to maximize the benefits of both approaches.
Even Hanwha Vision’s own WAVE VMS follows this hybrid model, allowing customers to maintain local storage locally and also benefit from the cloud’s ease of use and connectivity to the cloud.
There are various solutions beyond VSaaS and traditional on-premise VMS.
With the advancement and widespread adoption of cloud technology, on-premise VMS systems that rely on local servers can be extended to hybrid models by incorporating cloud modules.
Additionally, solutions can be categorized as hosted VSaaS or managed VSaaS, depending on the primary storage location of video footage (on-premise or off-premise) while all access and management is managed through the cloud.
There are four main types: hosted and managed VSaaS, on-premise and hybrid VMS, and choosing the right option largely depends on how users need to store and access their video footage.
The bottom line is that surveillance customers are looking for solutions that match the new ways of working they have had to adopt in recent years.
This trend will accelerate the continued acceptance of constantly evolving technologies including edge recording and cloud platforms.
This article was originally published in the November edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.