VMS technology leaps to the next plateau

Nov. 29, 2016
Years of software development and partner integrations result in enterprise-level capabilities

VMS solutions have taken a quantum leap in capabilities, not just from a conventional surveillance perspective, but in relation to how they are helping businesses and organizations better protect their people, property and assets, and manage their overall operations across the enterprise.

Today’s VMS solutions are strikingly different from earlier versions. They more fully address a larger scope of operations, including not only mainstream surveillance, but also physical access control, logical access control, license plate recognition, time and attendance, point-of-sale and parking systems, and so much more.

With numerous new information and control capabilities, VMS continues to evolve from being considered a surveillance software solution to a more holistic control platform and management tool. And as on-going developments in areas such as predictive analysis progress further, VMS solutions are being elevated to levels of performance where they can actually help prevent problems from occurring rather than just documenting them.

As a result, these solutions are increasingly being earmarked for business intelligence applications such as inventory tracking and deliveries. Moreover, VMS upgrades and enhancements continue to be introduced that enhance mobility, functionality and encryption which are accelerating its adaption for more mainstream applications.

Here are a few important criteria you should look for when evaluating a VMS solution:

Ease of Use

Investment in a VMS control platform is a major decision for organizations, and its ease of use is an important factor in both the product selection and in the success of its implementation and usage. Today’s VMS platforms are created with the user experience in mind, featuring maximum flexibility and functionality. Design features such as the ability to view and control the system from anywhere on the network through an intuitive, integrated interface, complete with overlay controls and touch-screen operation makes the user experience more intuitive.

Server Storage Optimization

Server storage management is a significant benefit from both an operations and cost perspective. Improved storage management with automatic optimization of hard drive volumes and load balancing across multiple servers are just a few new tools that make today’s VMS solutions more versatile and cost-efficient.

Usability Improved with Mobile/Streaming Technology

Mobile device apps have put physical security management and control in the palm of our hands. Its advantages include real-time situational awareness from any location; faster response, analysis and follow-up times; increased productivity; and ultimately, incident prevention. For example, while on rounds, security guards can now use their smartphones or tablets to send or view live video to or from the VMS of potentially dangerous situations such as a flooded parking lot, perpetrator or a broken window for immediate or schedule response.

VMS mobile apps are dependent on high quality video to enable security personnel to perform accurate remote monitoring of live or recorded images from multiple HD cameras while in the field. This can be accomplished over 3G/4G networks without compromising video quality. Some VMS mobile apps also feature system alerts when a meaningful event occurs, as well as the ability to control and monitor PTZ cameras through the cloud at full frame rates. These are powerful new VMS capabilities that help move the power of central control rooms into the hands of authorized personnel in the field.

Enhanced Situational Awareness through Intelligent Functionality

One of the keys to effective security is increased situational awareness. Advanced VMS solutions heighten situational awareness through powerful software that enables event fusion. Combining unrelated events can dramatically focus and streamline live surveillance activities and aid in forensic investigations. This is especially true in large facilities with multiple sites and cameras.

Situational awareness is also closely tied to product performance. VMS software with optional 32-bit or 64-bit processing allows operators to take full advantage of their systems’ resources when streaming video for better performance. And, with multi-streaming camera support, the default stream can be set to low resolution while continuing to record high resolution video. This allows users to view more video streams while assuring that the highest quality video continues to be recorded.

Encryption Keeps Data Safe and Secure

The threat of cyber-attacks is more worrisome than ever before. Knowing your VMS is secure is not only comforting, it’s essential to maintain the security of your facility and reduce potential liabilities. Networked systems and control solutions such as a VMS solution should have AES encryption, which "scrambles" data into unreadable code for transport, then when reconnected at the receiving point, unscrambles data when the designated permissions are provided.

In physical security applications, end-to-end encryption of data communications helps to ensure strong security and privacy throughout the enterprise network. Unguarded, unauthorized access to the data from any surveillance and security system on your network can allow intruders to potentially access your facility without ever being detected – even long after they’re gone. In addition to enhancing physical security, encryption also helps reduce legal liabilities that may result from theft of property and data, or worse.

Keeping VMS Solutions Up to Date is Easier than Ever

It is critical to keep VMS software up to date, which can be a difficult, time-consuming process, especially for large systems with multiple locations. This can now be accomplished with auto-updating features like those available on today’s smartphones and tablets. In addition to saving valuable time to find and implement software, auto-updating ensures that users are running the most current and most secure version of their VMS.

Technology Partnerships Ensure That Your VMS Will Evolve

Technology partnerships are becoming increasingly vital to a comprehensive security solution. While each partner focuses on their core competencies and innovations, the integration of solutions from multiple technology partners provides end users with features and capabilities that will transcend typical VMS applications. VMS platforms built with open architecture drive integrations with technology partners specializing in access control, cameras, encoders, license plate recognition and other various analytics.

The intelligence, intuitiveness and ease of use of VMS solutions available today make managing video data much more efficient and less cumbersome, regardless of the size of the system. Moving forward, vendors will continue to build on VMS platforms with new and powerful enhancements designed to provide even greater stability, scalability, security, and enterprise-level integration.