A video management software (VMS) is a part of video surveillance system that allows the user to access real time videos, record, store, & playback recorded videos and derive useful insights of the surveillance site.
Current Video Management Systems are capable of offering much more than just surveillance, hence, upgrading a VMS system becomes as important as upgrading the other assets of the business. A VMS system can be upgraded when an organization is:
Video surveillance cameras come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, features, and functions, which are designed to perform in diverse environmental conditions of the surveillance sites. There are few things that users must consider while selecting Video surveillance cameras for their VMS system. Users must check:
Traditional CCTV systems are just analog devices with limited functionality to monitor and track the events in the camera vicinity, whereas new age cloud-based video management systems are smart enough to record, store, playback, and analyze the captured events in real-time and later. Cloud-based Video Surveillance systems are equipped with high-quality IP cameras, which provide a high-quality image with better fps for the system network. Storage is never an issue with these systems as all the data is stored on the cloud and can be fetched whenever required. Cloud-based video management systems are easy to install as users can just plug-and-play these devices for small setups. These systems are easily customizable in terms of camera numbers, features in the software, types of video analytics, etc.
Video Management Software can be classified into three main categories are per the surveillance sites ― small, medium and large sized VMS installations. Small size VMS installations support 10-20 cameras and are suitable for small enterprises, primarily operating in single sites. Mid-sized VMS installations (connecting 20 -50 cameras) are suitable for small to mid-sized enterprises and large-sized VMS installations (more than 50 cameras) are suitable for big multi-site or multi location enterprises. Small enterprises can just purchase plug-and-play VMS packages and get it installed by any technician. In medium or large sized VMS projects, companies can either outsource the services to VMS service providers or system integrators.
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Integrate Video Management Software with Third-party Systems to Improve Business Operations & ROI
Third party systems are compatible devices, systems, and applications (from another vendor) that can be integrated with a Video Management System to improve its functionality. Security devices like access control devices, IP cameras, alarms, fire, and smoke detectors or devices like barcode scanners, speakers, Point of sale systems, electronic tags, etc., which can help businesses to streamline their operations are a few of the third-party systems for a video management software.
Video Management Software can be classified into three deployment types:
Latency in Video Management System can be defined as a delay in time between the frames captured by the surveillance camera and video feeds displayed on the screen. Latency is measured in seconds and milliseconds (ms). The delay in video feeds (Latency) in a VMS system can occur at different stages of the system; right from IP cameras, transmission network, streamer server to display monitors. To have efficient and real-time video surveillance, VMS systems are intended to function with zero or low latency.
Know more about Latency in Video Management Software and ways to mitigate them.
According to Markets & Markets, VMS market is expected to grow from USD 3.71 Billion in 2016 to USD 10.54 Billion by 2021 and cloud based surveillance systems are expected to dominate the VMS market. In a constantly evolving surveillance environment, a cloud based VMS empowers businesses and service providers with capabilities in Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS), and provides a gamut of web-hosted Video Surveillance services. In VSaaS, video data are transferred from Customer’s IP Surveillance cameras to the service provider’s Cloud based VMS infrastructure.
There are many Video Management Software plans available in the market with a variety of features and prices. Users must do a proper research while selecting any surveillance system. In case of standalone on-premise VMS systems, users can compare the number of cameras offered by the system, camera quality, warranty, ease of installations, maintenance, storage capacity etc. Whereas, in case of large-sized VMS installations (Cloud or hybrid VMS), users can compare pricing plans of the service providers. Users can also consider scalability and flexibility of the system, number of cameras and connected devices offered, third-party application integration with VMS system, micro-services offered, video analytics, surveillance area covered user friendliness of the VMS dashboard, number of administrators of the system etc.
Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) allows the user to select the VMS services as per their security needs and they can opt for pay-per-feature service. VSaaS gives freedom to modify the VMS services as per the changing needs of the business. It also provides the option to share the VMS infrastructure with end clients, which helps in reducing operational expenditure. With VSaaS model, firms saves cost in managing dedicated IT staff, storage devices, maintaining hardware, power consumption etc.
Cloud based Video Management Software is the ideal, scalable, and flexible solution for growing businesses, operating either at a single site or at multiple locations. Users can easily integrate more surveillance cameras & devices (based on demand) and auto update them with new features, through their service providers. Cloud provides ever-expandable video storage space to stream live or recoded videos anytime. Scalability & flexibility of a cloud VMS solution makes it the right choice for any kind of current surveillance projects, in industries like retail, fleet transportation, infrastructure monitoring, city surveillance, and more.
Small businesses with a single location can be secured using on premise video management systems, which may require IP cameras as per requirement (up to 20 cameras), a DVR for on premise storage, a monitor to display footage, and an open software for basic surveillance functionality. Users can also upgrade their systems with additional security analytical features by purchasing specific licensed versions of the VMS software. Small businesses can also integrate systems like POS software, time and attendance software, and security alarms to manage important business processes with the VMS system.
Microservice architecture based Cloud video management software overcomes the limitations of traditionally designed VMS solution (monolithic architecture) and addresses the evolving security needs of the businesses. Let’s see how it benefits cloud video management software:
Know more about microservice architecture based VMS.
In an integrated security system, service providers and system integrators play a very crucial role. Let us check out some of the key things to expect from VMS service providers:
Multi-tenant architecture based Video management Software is capable of serving any number of clients or tenants through a single version of the software. It is a cost-efficient solution for VMS service providers, as they have to develop, maintain and upgrade only a single version of the software to serve all their clients. At the same time, multitenancy also gives an economical and customized VMS services option to multiple tenants of the service provider. Hence, the Multi-tenant architecture based Cloud VMS solution is a win-win solution for both service providers and their clients. Read more on Multi-tenant architecture based Cloud Video Management Software.
Multi-site businesses require Video Management Software to be installed as a combination of On-premise and Cloud based VMS systems (Hybrid VMS). While, on-premise Video Management Software allows each site to secure its premise through video surveillance, at the same time, cloud based VMS on multi-tenant federated architecture ensures interconnectivity and centralized monitoring of the sites. A federated cloud architecture based VMS also provides scalability and multi-tenancy to VMS system of geographically distributed multi-site enterprises.
Know More about Video Management Software based on Federated Architecture.
Video analytics is a capability of leveraging structured algorithms in a video management software to analyze the unstructured video data and generate actionable insights for immediate response and effective decisions. Video analytics continuously scans the live video footage and captures the incidents according to the user configured criteria. The data generated through live and recorded videos, via video analytics, helps in establishing a comprehensive security solution for retail, fleet transportation, city surveillance & other industry verticals.
The insights from video analytics not only helps enterprises in improving their current business strategies, but also in identifying newer opportunities in connected enterprises. A properly defined video analytics in VMS can greatly assist businesses in enhancing their operational performance and service quality.
Catch-up on the emerging trends in Video Analytics – Artificial Intelligence, Tracking, Micro Expressions
Video analytics in VMS (cloud / on-premise / hybrid) works on the video feeds, generated from the on-premise surveillance cameras. Each Video feed consists of thousands of images, which are then analyzed, frame by frame, according to specific sets of conditions and delivers the analytics data.
Video analytics in VMS works in three stages:
Insights from video analytics not only helps retail stores in improving security, but also helps in improving customer’s shopping experience through in-depth insights on their buying behavior. Devices like cameras, temperature sensors, handheld scanners, smart shelves, smart carts & access control devices, etc. generate in-store video analytics data .
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How to Design an Intelligent Retail Store Using In-Store Video Analytics & VMS?
The video analytical features like, face detection, people counting, motion detection, perimeter blackout, queue management, heat mapping greatly helps in managing security of the store & customers. Video analytics can also help in understanding the customer demographics and their buying behavior, which can help store management teams to optimize their product placements and improve on their marketing strategy.
Video analytics features of a retail video management software are used in improving security and surveillance, store performance and customer shopping experience. Below are some of the key video analytics features of a retail VMS solution:
Video Management Software with video analytics not only helps in securing the retail stores, but also helps the management in improving in-store product promotions. Many inbuilt features of retail VMS solutions generate useful analytical data of a retail store. The video analytics data is generated through in-store cameras and connected devices and processed via Video Management Software to generate useful analytical insights. Video analytics features like event-based analytics, heat mapping, smile detection, eyeball detection etc., can be very helpful in evaluating visitors’ reaction towards product placement and new promotional campaigns.
To know more about the role of Video Analytics in retail promotions, click here: How Retail Video Analytics Enhance In-Store Product Promotions
Fleet management systems are quite complex, and so are their VMS systems. Video Surveillance in fleet VMS keeps changing dynamically, and hence the vehicles needs an entirely different setup of connected devices & algorithms in VMS for video analytics. The connected devices like front, rear & dash cams, on-board sensors, accelerometer, G sensors, in-vehicle telematics devices, door sensors, access control devices, fuel gauge etc. works with algorithms of the VMS software to generate accurate analytics data. Video analytics features like monitoring driver behavior, incident capture, route optimization, consignment tracking, time management, number plate recognition, blind spot detection etc. helps fleet managers to improve safety and operational efficiency of their fleets.
Understand 5 pertinant use cases for Video Analytics in Public Transportation.
Advanced video analytics can help city officials in traffic management, crowd management, event management and managing operations at the public places. It also helps law enforcement bodies to instantly deal with any kind of emergency conditions by quickly identifying and responding to the incident.
Video analytics are the integrated results of the insights from connected devices at traffic signals, subways, parking lots, highway tolls etc. and structured algorithms in VMS.
Some of the Video analytics features used in city surveillance are Crowd detection, face recognition/capture, camera tampering, left/missing object detection, vehicle tracking, number plate recognition, tailgating, vehicle wrong way detection, illegal parking, speeding vehicles on roads etc.
Looking for more information? Check out the blog on “Video analytics in city Surveillance”
The data generated from the VMS infrastructure is very confidential for any enterprise. Few essential measures, which can make Cloud Video Management Software more secure, are as follows:
Know more on Dealing with Privacy and Security Concerns of Video Management Software.
eInfochips’ cloud Video Management Software is equipped with cutting edge features, that can adapt & scale to meet any type of surveillance requirements, across a variety of industries. Some of the unique features include: