Page 18 - Security Today, March/April 2024

but have instead OEMed part of the solution, such as the surveil- lance cameras. That can make managing and updating from a cyber security perspective difficult. That said, the simplicity of a single partner to turn to for things like tech support can be a significant advantage.
Open system, on the other hand, gives customers the ability to integrate different edge devices, or repurpose their existing edge devices if they change vendors. However, depending on the strength of the technology partnership between the vendors cre- ating the complete solution, system management and cybersecu- rity can still be a significant challenge.
Today’s organizations are increasingly seeking to avoid lock- ing themselves into an individual vendor by embracing a plat- form-based model built on having the flexibility to shift between single and multivendor best-of-breed systems based on strong partnerships rather than exclusive agreements. The need for cy- bersecurity has highlighted the value of aligning platform man- agement and device manufacturer as organizations look for any advantage they can get against cybercriminals.
An open-platform approach that emphasizes strong, best-of- breed technology partnerships is one of the most important ways
today’s organizations can ensure their approach to the cloud is as effective and secure as possible.
The Race to the Cloud and
Return to the Edge
As technology has grown more advanced, cloud storage has be- come more complex. Today’s cameras produce higher quality video, with a greater level of detail—in fact, Quad HD (QHD) and even 4K video are now standard for many systems. This, along with higher frame rates and retention times, has had a sig- nificant impact on both storage and bandwidth needs, which have increased accordingly—and so has the cost.
Even as video compression technology improves, organiza- tions are using more devices than ever and producing higher quality video than ever. This has made a cloud-only approach less viable for many organizations as they struggle to keep up with rising subscription fees.
The combination of cloud expenses and improved edge ca- pabilities has been the driving force in the shift toward hybrid deployments. Deep learning capabilities and improved process- ing power allow cameras to run analytics at the network edge.
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MARCH/APRIL 2024 | SECURITY TODAY
COVER STORY
A 30,000 View
Cloud-based video: the journey and its future course By Martin Gren
Today it seems like the cloud is everywhere. In the security in- dustry, cloud-based video and access control solutions are certainly big trends. But how, and why, did the journey toward cloud-based video begin? And where is it headed?
The Right Elements, the Wrong Timing
When the first network camera—the AXIS NetEye 200—was launched in 1996, its performance was on par with the available bandwidth at the time; but the technology had a way to go to meet the needs of the security industry. At that time, dial-up networking typically took around 17 seconds to transmit a VGA image. While the capability was exciting, and the possibilities promising, the re- sults were not ideal. Improvements were required.
The late 1990s saw the emergence of Software as a Service (SaaS), offered by Application Service Providers or ASPs, like Hotmail and RocketMail. At that point, using webcams with dial-up networking produced a slow stream that equated to a series of still images. Additionally, camera configuration was a challenge, so a better way of communication was required. Un- fortunately, high-speed internet was still in its infancy, so it was too early to accommodate IP video.
Tech Advancement Spawns Viable Solutions
As we approached the new millennium, things were about to change. High-speed internet finally provided what was needed for
network video success, especially for security and surveillance use cases. For Axis, this meant the introduction of a new breed of camera: the AXIS 2100 Network Camera. In addition to provid- ing a direct network connection (no PC required) with the ability to operate as a standalone via LAN connection or modem, it was the first camera with VGA resolution at a good framerate (10 fps) and at a reasonable price. Accordingly, it was easy to configure and deploy—meeting user needs.
On the heels of these advancements, the first cloud-based video solution was introduced by Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica. The company pioneered a hosting plan that included the cost of the IP camera—and subscriptions were sold to small