Video surveillance has dramatically changed in recent decades. Open, IP-based network technology has largely replaced the closed, proprietary world that long dominated the security industry. Megapixel has displaced analog technology as the most common choice for video surveillance cameras in both new projects and major updates to existing systems. Multi-sensor cameras have reduced the demand for PTZs and offer better overall situational awareness. The list goes on.
While other new technologies have been introduced by the video surveillance industry with varying levels of impact, another major shift is occurring almost unnoticed. Video surveillance is now in the early stages of a general move into the cloud.
Such a shift will inevitably lead to disruption of markets for long-time industry players and change how security operates at many levels. As with any successful new technology, the cloud brings great benefits and promise, as well as new challenges and a range of potential risks. Selection of the best architecture for the cloud, and the surveillance systems that use it, will be key to successful projects.
The Cloud and Video Surveillance
Cloud technology is not new. The IT industry has long adopted cloud-based services to reduce costs, improve resiliency, deliver new services, and increase customer satisfaction. Based on that experience, many vendors now provide a wide range of cloud-based services to the commercial, government, education, and consumer markets. Examples that may be familiar to the average security professional include Amazon Drive, Apple iCloud, Box, Carbonite, DropBox, Filesanywhere, Google Drive, IBM Cloud, Microsoft OneNote and many lesser-known products.
Much more recent is cloud technology’s growing acceptance across the security industry, especially for video surveillance applications. Security by its nature is conservative overall and slow to adopt new technologies, in large part as a natural response to reducing potential risk. But the benefits of the cloud for video surveillance are many.
Source: Security Today