Cloud Video Surveillance has come a long way from being a buzzword in the security industry. While its potential is vast, its practical applications vary significantly depending on the use case. Let’s dive into when cloud surveillance is a game-changer and when it’s simply an additional line item on your invoice.
Traditionally, cloud surveillance was synonymous with storing video footage in the cloud, often replacing local storage. This strategy works successfully for some companies, particularly if convenience is more important than security. Recording directly to a cloud archive eliminates the need for local storage, offering a hassle-free solution that is both quick to deploy and easy to manage.
For example, monitoring a construction site for apartment buyers or keeping tabs on how their ordered pizza is being prepared. But when it comes to security, a cloud archive alone cannot replace a local one. They should complement each other, ensuring additional protection and data safety.
Let’s be honest: cloud video surveillance isn’t always a magic bullet. It used to be the trendy choice, but times have changed. Today, it’s more like a cool feature – life-saving in some situations and just another line item on the bill in others.
When Cloud and Local Archives Must Work Together
If we’re talking about security, a cloud archive should never be the sole solution. It should enhance, not replace, local storage. This ensures data remains safe even if something goes wrong.
When Is Cloud Surveillance Worth Paying For?
It’s simple: if the potential loss from missing video archives outweighs the cost of a cloud subscription by a wide margin, then it’s a no-brainer!
Cloud Analytics: The Hype vs. Reality
Cloud-based video analytics is heralded as the next big thing in security systems, often showcased at industry events as a revolutionary step forward. The vision of smart cities powered by real-time, cloud-driven analytics is enticing. However, after the buzz fades, the reality often falls short of expectations.
Customers, having watched too many promotional videos online, approach suppliers with inflated expectations. To them, video analytics is something mystical – vaguely understood but occasionally indispensable. And let’s be clear: their high expectations are often fueled by the flood of advertising noise.
Many have already been “caught in the net” of camera manufacturers proudly advertising built-in “analytics features,” creating the illusion of an all-in-one solution that’s “free.” In reality, this analytics is often tied tightly to specific recorders and tends to perform poorly. That’s when you realize how risky it is to depend on a single vendor – it’s like putting all your eggs in one basket.
Moreover, many cameras still run outdated software from the 2000s, riddled with random security vulnerabilities or intentionally embedded components that report back to the manufacturer. Even today, we encounter ActiveX and Internet Explorer requirements or compatibility with only one specific brand. Some manufacturers disable RTSP stream transmission or use proprietary ONVIF versions. Connecting such cameras directly to the cloud without firewalls is risky.
Independent Software: The True Savior
This is where solutions like SmartVision shine. This software can handle RTSP video streams from any equipment, regardless of the “zoo” of manufacturers you might have. It doesn’t matter how many brands you’re dealing with – it all works seamlessly in one interface, on modern applications for both mobile and desktop, as well as remote cloud servers.
Breathing New Life into Old Systems
If you’re running an old IP surveillance system, replacing all the equipment and cabling can be expensive and time-consuming. With SmartVision, you don’t need to worry about your mix of brands – you’ll see everything in one application, whether on a computer or phone. Security operators can continue monitoring their screens without any disruptions. It’s a lifesaver for aging shopping centers, suburban mansions, or even apartment buildings in city centers where cables have long been sealed into walls.
In the end, operators at their posts will keep staring at their monitors as before. Nothing changes for them. But for the customer, everything is now visible through a unified interface in a modern app – on mobile devices or PCs. SmartVision turns any IP camera into a smart device.
What Features Does SmartVision Offer?
Monitoring: Real-time video viewing from surveillance cameras with minimal load on Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 computers.
Continuous Video Recording: Record video in an open MP4 format without interruptions. The system ensures high-quality recording with efficient compression for optimal storage and disk space savings.
Time-Lapse Recording: Save important events without overloading storage. Time-lapse recording in MP4 format allows users to select the desired frame rate for optimized data storage and disk space savings. As a result, you can extend the archive depth using the same disk space.
Motion Detection Recording: Utilizing smart motion detection and time-lapse features helps significantly save disk space and store critical video fragments in high quality when motion is detected. This intelligent function records only meaningful events, avoiding unnecessary storage consumption.
Intelligent Video Analytics: SmartVision offers robust detection capabilities, including object detection, license plate recognition, facial recognition, and fire/smoke detection. These AI-driven features enhance security and enable proactive incident management.
System Stability: The system includes automatic recovery from broadcast failures or connection losses. Enhanced stability ensures uninterrupted monitoring even when integrated with budget-friendly cameras, which is essential for continuous surveillance.
Cloud Integration:
To ensure remote access to surveillance cameras and event backup storage, SmartVision supports integration with the Cloud Service for Video Surveillance
Remote video viewing from any camera is possible without complex settings, static IP addresses, DDNS, or specific router configurations. Additionally, users can receive push notifications about events detected by surveillance cameras.
Download SmartVision and set up your surveillance system effortlessly and cost-effectively.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Opinion Bulletin journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.