“Cloud-based video surveillance is now the standard – it’s no longer the future,” says Eagle Eye Networks

Digital, cloud-based channels such as Zoom and Google Meet have become second nature to many businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recently utilised these applications to speak with Rishi Lodhia, Managing Director of Eagle Eye Networks in EMEA, to discuss the latest developments for the business, and why be believes cloud-based surveillance solutions are now the accepted standard in the sector.

The company also recently ran a webinar on why businesses should use cloud storage for their video business management systems. Watch for free, here.

Rishi Lodhia, Managing Director, Eagle Eye Networks EMEA

James Moore: Hi Rishi, how have your last couple of months been?

Rishi Lodhia: Let me be clear, what happened in the last couple of months has set us all back in different ways; health-wise in some cases, financially in others. At the same time, this period shows us how people are redefining the products and services they want to work with and cloud services are leading the charge for change here. We have really seen an increase in interest from companies that have started to understand the additional benefits of cloud video surveillance over local, on-premise storage solutions, as it is an investment in a durable solution that protects their business in the long run.

Interesting, can you elaborate on why this may be?

Of course, James. I have been working on cloud video surveillance, but every day I am seeing that cloud solutions are becoming more mainstream; the same is true for video surveillance. Thanks to the Cloud we have all been able to work from home without issues and from a video surveillance perspective, companies have acknowledged major benefits from working with cloud video.

We recently ran a poll on LinkedIn, for instance, asking clients about the state of their video surveillance system during COVID. 43% of the respondents cited they did not know their cameras were offline, while another 43% highlighted their system needed security updates. These findings demonstrate how cloud video provides a better service. The need for reseller companies to obtain recurring revenue is another reason why the move towards cloud-based systems is experiencing rapid growth right now.

Have Eagle Eye Networks been able to develop anything in particular during this time?

Actually we have been very active and we have pushed hard to integrate thermal cameras in our platform. In all honesty, even I did not expect that in a matter of three weeks we would have full integration with all major camera manufacturers, including Hikvision, Dahua, Axis and Mobotix. Our open platform and the fact that we work with all manufacturers allowed us to be versatile and quickly adapt to changing market needs.

And, we’ve had great responses from customers! Many have already ordered thermal cameras to integrate with our cloud platform.

Do you think the use of thermal cameras is a trend set to continue, even after COVID-19?

It will be an interesting case for commercial buildings to evaluate as part of their ‘return to work policies’. Again, the fact that all this works in the cloud and makes it so much easier to integrate will demonstrate the power cloud video surveillance solutions, such as Eagle Eye Networks, has to offer.

There are other use cases as well for thermal cameras.The city of Amsterdam, for example, will be utilising them at traffic lights and when temperature detection finds large crowds of bikers at a traffic light, the light will go on green.

On the subject of cities, can you tell us a little more about the recent work you did in Mexico City?

When Tijmen and I first started, this was something we hoped would once happen – then in a matter of four months, it was done. Over 13,000 cameras were installed in Mexico City’s Citizen Safety project together with our Mexican partner, OmniCloud. Jaime from Omnicloud summarised this project nicely and I always think it is better to let your customers speak…

Jaime Abad Valdenebro, CEO, Omnicloud.mx: “Effective citywide surveillance is more than installing cameras in a few key locations, it’s about creating a platform that meets the unique needs of each municipality. In partnership with Eagle Eye Networks we leveraged the Eagle Eye Video API and SDK to customise a unique web application that is designed to integrate fixed, mobile body-worn, and vehicle cameras into one interface, providing an unprecedented level of insight and awareness into our cities operations. The scalability of the Cloud will make sure these types of public applications of video surveillance will be beneficial for all citizens.”

Find out more about Eagle Eye Network’s Mexico City project, involving over 13,000 cameras, here…

How is cyber security being regarded these days, in relation to video surveillance and the cloud?

That’s an interesting question, James, as I think it has changed over time. When we first talked about cloud video surveillance, there were numerous misconceptions about the cloud in general, let alone being used in video surveillance. For many, cyber security was a concern, primarily because it was hard to understand, so people preferred to stay with traditional CCTV systems.

However, in the last few years, the argument for cyber security has changed as people start to understand that a cloud solution can actually be more secure than an on-site solution where software updates are not carried out regularly. Customers understand that a hosted solution from a company that provides dedicated 24/7 support is far better than a standalone service that you yourself are responsible for.

Actually, during our Virtual Roadshow in March, we invited a cyber security specialist – it was incredible to witness how easy it was for her to create a phishing attack on a person.

How are your relationships with integration partners supporting Eagle Eye Networks?

Well, most importantly, it is less about how it is helping our business but more about our clients’ businesses. As offices are reopening, a lot more emphasis is placed on access control and centrally managing the access for the building overall. We can easily do this with our integration partners, such as Salto KS or Brivo.

In a short period of time, for example, Brivo has implemented many features that can help businesses to safely get back to the office. In addition, we are doing more integrations with Alarm Monitoring Centers and we have found that with our easy to use, open APIs, this integration can be done quickly. Recently we have integrated with G4S in the Netherlands.

How else are you trying to help businesses around this time?

We want to make it easy for new clients to experience the benefits of cloud video surveillance. Firstly, clients never have to commit large, up-front investments when choosing a cloud solution, which will come in handy at this time. We are also organising weekly webinars to help our resellers with our new features and develop their knowledge about our platform and the cloud in general. Eagle Eye University courses are offered in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish.

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