Page 38 - Security Today, November/December 2018

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE
SHIFTING TOWARDS THE CLOUD Dramatic changes bring network technology to the forefront
By Jeff Whitney
Video surveillance has dramatically changed in recent decades. Open, IP-based net- work technology has largely replaced the
closed, proprietary world that long dominated the security industry. Mega- pixel has displaced analog technology as the most common choice for video surveillance cameras in both new proj- ects and major updates to existing systems. Multi-sensor cameras have reduced the demand for PTZs and of- fer better overall situational awareness. The list goes on.
While other new technologies have been introduced by the video surveillance indus- try 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 dis- ruption 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 in- dustry has long adopted cloud-based ser- vices to reduce costs, improve resiliency, deliver new services, and increase custom- er 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, Car- bonite, DropBox, Filesanywhere, Google Drive, IBM Cloud, Microsoft OneNote and many lesser-known products.
Much more recent is cloud technol- ogy’s growing acceptance across the secu- rity industry, especially for video surveil- lance 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 surveil- lance are many.
A cloud-based surveillance system can reduce the amount of equipment and hu- man resources needed onsite. Video can be recorded and uploaded over the Inter- net to another location, eliminating the need for significant and expensive local video storage. Security of the video data and the system can be enhanced. Staff-
ing costs can be reduced since there is less equipment to manage and maintain, fur- ther improving ROI.
As an example, consider the use of cloud-based surveillance in a convenience store or a small office. Traditional systems are usually composed of an NVR or PC- based server under a counter or in a back room. The device would require basic ad- ministration from someone onsite. Video quality and system reliability is often poor, and the system may not have been profes- sionally installed due to cost.
A small number of single sensor cam- eras is often sufficient for these types of minimal surveillance system requirements. By moving to a cloud-based application, no employee would be required to admin- ister a local NVR or server; it would be managed and the video content accessed from anywhere. No technical expertise or training would be required locally, result-
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 | NETWORKING SECURITY
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