Time Is Right for VSaaS

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…