There has been a great deal of talk about video-surveillance-as-a-service (VSaaS) in recent years, and several authoritative sources are starting to highlight the business case for VSaaS.
The argument runs that the advent of multi-megapixel HD cameras and the proliferation of these cameras has created an explosion of video data, which all needs to be stored and managed.
Our experience and research suggests a hybrid video surveillance storage model using internal (e.g., in-house DVR, NVR, VMS-embedded server, NAS, or other storage device) and external storage (e.g., cloud) usage is being increasingly considered by larger enterprises. The cloud could be used for holding backups in this hybrid scenario, for example.
But the opportunity for VSaaS becomes that much more compelling when you look at the small and midsized business (SMB) market. The benefits of cloud are well-known, after all. We now back up our mobile data to the cloud and use many cloud-based applications in our day-to-day activities.
With familiarity comes the acceptance of the benefits of cloud infrastructure, particularly amongst SMBs that do not necessarily have a highly robust IT infrastructure or the IT maintenance resources to limit their operational risks. In the sub-10 camera market VSaaS has a real opportunity to build market share; the odds are stacked in its favor — not least because of its affordability for SMBs.
Retail benefits
Take the scenario of a retailer with a few cameras covering the front of the store, its aisles, store room, till, and counter area. The shop manager could now buy HD-quality SD card-fitted cameras, which hold up to a week’s worth of images. He could use a subscription-based VSaaS to hold his archive of images for a longer period. These images could also be viewed and analyzed by a security manager centrally if he is part of a chain of shops, all in the cloud. He can view the images from mobile devices his smart phone or iPad for example. This model eliminates the need for each shop to buy and configure a PC with a Video Management System (VMS) and link these cameras into this VMS.
A reasonably high specification server with VMS software license and per camera license fee might cost over GB pound 3,000 (US $4,695) just to commission. Add in annual licence fees and the usual Windows maintenance and updates, this becomes beyond the resources of many SMBs.
Much of this cost can be eliminated by small companies running a few cameras only. For these SMBs the only initial cost needs to be for the purchase and installation of the cameras and cabling, perhaps connecting them with an existing laptop to view the resulting images. Now that many network cameras are “plug and play”, they can sign up to a VSaaS service via a web browser thereby cutting operating costs on a four camera system to as little as GB pound 20 (US $31) per month.
Technology can cope now
We believe the time is right for VSaaS, in the UK SMB market at least, not simply because the price is right but the technology is finally robust enough to cope. A key technical factor in its favour is the work that surveillance camera manufacturers have done in the last few years to ensure easy plug and play capability. It is worth having a look at the work in this area by market-leading camera manufacturer Axis Communications and by ONVIF — the open standards industry body which was co-founded by Axis six years ago.
Axis’s products have always supported the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Ethernet standard since its birth more than 25 years ago. They went further than this in the last couple of years to launch a “One-Click” service that automates the process of finding an IP path out through any router they are attached to. It works. We use it in the VSaaS service we offer.
The trend towards edge-based video recording and video management is also an interesting stimulus to VSaaS adoption. The wider availability High Capacity SD cards, which we detailed in an article published by IFSECGlobal.com last month, offers more options for integrators to offer cloud-based services to support edge recording.
ARPTEC chipset
As well as launching a video tutorial that walks installers and end users alike through the simple setup of an edge-based recording system, Axis is also progressively adding more processing power into its cameras via upgrades of its own ARTPEC chipset — designed to do more video processing and analytics in the camera itself. The fifth generation of this chipset, is due out later this year.
It is also worth considering developments at the open standards body ONVIF, which develops technical standards for easier networking and remote controlling of cameras as well as integrating with task or product-specific third-party software.
One new ONVIF standard, designed to improve video streaming, called Profile S, is also worth a closer look as it should also stimulate VSaaS adoption. Profile S is ONVIF’s first profile, which tackles video and audio streaming, PTZ, and relay output control, as well as video encoder configuration and multicast support. Profile S is already available and in widespread adoption by several major manufacturers.
In addition to the innovations of leading camera manufacturers and the key standards bodies, it is worth considering the stimulus that 4G cellular networks will provide as they are rolled out nationally over the next two years. 4G will make it easier for an SMB owner or security management firm to remotely view sites’ cameras out of office hours via mobile devices. Everything Everywhere indeed…
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I agree that the time is right to move VS into the cloud but as I think the real question here is if bandwidth will be able to keep up with demand as more and more is place on the existing infrastructure. Its funny because on this very site there is an article about 2G suffering cuts because of need to boost 4G service. https://www.ifsecglobal.com/author.asp?section_id=3046&doc_id=560995& Here at work we are pushing alot of stuff out to the cloud just because the upfront cost compared to the monthly fees and down the road replacement costs and maintainence just can’t be beat. This… Read more »
Everything seems to be heading that way. Latest versions of Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite, for instance, both two of the biggest mainstays in software.
At Stanley we’ve seen increasing demand for vSaas over recent months as customers want the flexibility, connectivity and affordability that cloud technology brings. http://goo.gl/G6mdO
A significant increase or….?
Cloud based storage of data has been quite successful over the years, so adopting Video to the mix is a natural offering.
The difference will be the (3) options:
– store the video
– view the video
– monitor the video
A common question (even here) is bandwidth requirements. VSaaS providers are addressing this by utilizing an appliance. Similar to a switch or router.
What will be interesting to watch is the platform development of each service. One that uniform ones VMS. This will especially be attractive to operations that have multiple locations (devices).
Cloud storage for events after the fact would, I’d think, be more popular than relying on cloud storage for monitoring, viewing, and storing.
Popular because few currently know the difference. We think in terms of Cloud Storage as just that storage. What we need to invision is not what is available today but how the Service will evolve. We need to look at this as SaaS, Web based applications. The first opportunity is addressing multiple sites. Having (1) portal to access different DVRs/NVRs is a small blessing than say unify each locations hardware. Second, dependent upon the selected provider, you will have the opportunity to add enhanced services from (1) provider and not (3). Monitoring Service is growing in acceptance. You still have… Read more »
@John Feeney Agree. Its not just storage VSaaS is about the application for video surveillance on the cloud > creating a calendar like interface to allow you search for evidence related to an incident or just monitoring in real time. Beyond SMB, we are also seeing adoption in large University campus environments, where Facility teams are working closely with their IT counterparts to source and deliver a cloud based VSaaS to different departments/groups.