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The 3 benefits of bringing your Axis camera to the cloud

4 Apr 2022

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The popularity of cloud services is continuously growing across all aspects of the modern world. Cloud infrastructure is now well established as an enabling factor for connecting platforms and services that are cost-effective and safe, and the business benefits of doing so are clear. As such, it is inevitable that the cloud will eventually become the default storage method for video surveillance in the professional security industry [1]. Although, connecting security equipment to a cloud platform is not always the first thought of a buyer of a security device. Our device partner Axis uses a partnership model which allows customers to utilise the best edge devices, appliances, and cloud by selecting devices and applications that suit their needs [2]. This delivers endless possibilities from one surveillance device. AXIS technology features such as the one-click connection system allow your camera to be linked to our cloud system seamlessly in a matter of seconds. When connected, it will unlock the possibility to analyse video data and deliver features such as motion detection, facial recognition, and behaviour analysis. Furthermore, device management from encryption keys to firmware upgrades, can all be conducted from the same administration interface.

Depreciating assets and budget

When budgeting for a traditional security system, you assume to pay a large upfront investment. Yet as soon as you install your camera on your system of servers, you will also have to budget for recurring costs such as video footage backups, system updates, server maintenance and space alongside the energy costs involved in these servers. In terms of depreciating assets, the value of your technology such as your servers will go down every year until they become redundant with little value. The average lifespan of that server is only 5-8 years which means you’ll have to invest in a whole new system when that time comes [3]. This server could also break before it becomes redundant creating a completely unpredicted cost that you cannot plan for. Therefore, the long-term cost of an onsite security system can be far higher than predicted. When moving your storage to the cloud, these recurring costs will be replaced with a low-cost monthly subscription per device which eradicates any need for server investment. Allowing more accurate budgeting with no surprise costs.

Similarly, you won’t have to factor in the costs of extra training or hiring budget for IT engineers that may be needed to keep up the maintenance of the system. The cloud will take care of any system updates minimising the need to pay for an engineer to manually update systems and features such as remote access and one-click connect which eliminates the need for costly site visits. Furthermore, if your business is growing faster than your onsite storage allows, you do not need to purchase extra servers just extra amounts of cloud storage which means you can use this additional saved budget on expanding other business functions.

Features that the cloud provides

When your security equipment is connected to the wider network, the data that it generates can be used for a much wider variety of purposes beyond the protection of people and assets which your traditional system provides. Access control as-a-service (ACaaS) provides automated control of your entrance and exit points by managing doors remotely and allowing or removing access from anywhere. When combined with video surveillance, you can create a powerful system that can incorporate two-factor authentication for improved security which can be used as a virtual concierge removing the need for someone manning a door.

Data analytics can also be drawn from your camera with features such as people counting which can be used to monitor how many people are on your premise at one time. Aggression detection and loitering can protect potential threatening incidents before they escalate, and this footage can be quickly cut and sent from the smart dashboard and sent in an already encrypted file to make investigating any potential incidents easy and data compliant. In a retail environment, you can identify behaviours and shopping patterns with features such as queue mapping, hot zones and people counting to improve queue waiting times or identify areas that can be used to better tailor the environment. While the transaction checker can identify the exact point a purchase is made and bring up the footage of fraud during the checkout process.

Benefits of cloud backup of your data

Storing your data remotely removes a lot of hassle for yourself which means that you can focus your energy on the job itself and not have to worry about whether your data is safely secured. Your data is backed up automatically meaning if your own system crashes or footage is deleted by human error, no data will be lost as it can be re-accessed again through the cloud. Additionally, the footage can be accessed from anywhere through our online platform, so you never have to worry about not being able to access vital footage.

Many firms who have experimented with IP-video cameras in the past have run into security problems when added to corporate networks as the device has been left vulnerable to cybersecurity issues due to default passwords and a lack of firmware upgrades. A cloud platform for video surveillance is designed from the ground up to ensure data is encrypted and will be sensitive to new vulnerabilities or malware, providing an additional layer of defence against both physical and cyber-attacks. We are also GDPR compliant which ensures that you don’t have to worry about ensuring your data storage aligns with European regulations, simplifying the safety and storage of your data.

Check our quick video on migrating your cameras to the cloud:

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