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Manage video and alarms with VSaaS
Each year demand for video surveillance continues to grow, as organizations seek to increase the security and safety of people and property. Searching for a solution that scales with their operations while minimizing upfront investments is challenging for companies with many locations.
Video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) is an easily scalable solution that addresses those needs. It helps users to monitor, manage events, record, and replay video security footage from anywhere via the cloud. With VSaaS, cameras are the only hardware investment needed on-site, which benefits many businesses with space constraints or those that desire little to no equipment on premise. It also eliminates maintenance and decreases costly site visits for storage equipment and server upkeep.
Businesses can operate alarm management and cloud storage directly or outsource to a security operations center (SOC). When a user decides to outsource the alarm management, the service will relay all alarms and insights triggered by the system to the chosen SOC. The SOC can monitor all events across multiple sites 24/7 and deploy the appropriate measures for peace of mind.
Intelligent solutions that work around the clock
Instead of monitoring video footage 24/7, intelligent VSaaS offerings can alert when needed with artificial intelligence (AI) at the edge and in the cloud. Cameras with built-in video analytics – a form of AI – autonomously detect pre-defined situations and trigger the cloud-based alarm management service. If needed, the cloud service will alert users to take appropriate action. When implementing intelligent solutions, it is important that the video analytics is robust enough to minimize false alarms by differentiating between real security events and false triggers – such as snow, wind (moving trees), rain, hail, and water reflections – that can make video data more difficult to interpret.
Nevertheless, an actual alarm can still be unwanted based on customer requirements, which can result in high costs because some response is needed. With additional enhancements to VSaaS, an AI-based alarm verification service can help filter unwanted alerts to only detect true events. For example, an animal detected by the camera alongside a perimeter is a valid alert, but unimportant for perimeter security. An AI-based alarm verification service will filter such unwanted alerts. The advantages of the service are minimizing false alarms, reducing costs, and strengthening the reliability of the security application. This service makes it possible to tailor alerts to a customer’s needs, filtering unwanted alarms, increasing efficiency, and minimizing costs.
Cost effective solution that improves operational efficiency
Users can easily and securely access and manage their live views and recordings anytime and anywhere from any smartphone, tablet, or computer for improved flexibility and operational efficiency. VSaaS is also cost-effective. No servers are required to install, update, or maintain, so businesses can quickly realize the cost-effectiveness of their investment. The only hardware needed are cameras, and businesses pay for only the services they use. They can add cameras where and when they need them and extend cloud storage depending on storage requirements and retention time needs. The flexible concept allows users to adapt a security solution that meets their budgets and needs.
Common applications for VSaaS
While various types of organizations can benefit from VSaaS, below are specific examples that are an ideal fit.
Logistics centers
Logistics centers are prone to vandalism and theft, mainly due to their remote locations. Also, it isn't always cost-effective to have security guards monitor the sites outside of business hours. VSaaS offers an ideal solution for such places since it offers 24/7 monitoring from anywhere. When an event occurs, the system will alert the user to take appropriate actions. Adding prerecorded or live audio can reduce after-hours break-ins and discourage property damage.
Retail or service chains
Businesses with multiple sites across a city, region, or country, such as retail or gas station chains, will benefit from the simplified operations and reduced equipment maintenance needs with VSaaS. For these organizations, managing hardware across tens or hundreds of locations can be challenging and costly. VSaaS offers a more reliable, efficient, and cost-effective solution by reducing the amount of hardware at each location.
Temporary construction sites
Temporary installations, such as construction sites or event venues are often easy theft and vandalism targets. Having personnel on-site isn't always practical. VSaaS enables a more effective way to secure the perimeter, protecting equipment and property, with no additional hardware required on-site other than a camera. Video analytics can alert a user, helping them act on what they see or trigger prerecorded audio to ward off the intruder.
Considerations for choosing a service provider
When choosing a VSaaS provider, there are many factors to consider. These include flexibility, data security, and the ability of the offering to be enhanced as technology advances.
Innovations in AI are happening quickly. It has developed more in the past five years than in the 50 previous years. Ensure the VSaaS offering is future-proof and able to keep pace through firmware updates and the ability to add new service offerings as video systems become more intelligent. The ability to adapt will further minimize unwanted alarms and deliver predictive insights enabling solutions that are tailored to specific customer needs.
Integrators should also verify the camera’s ability to securely connect to the cloud for a secure ecosystem that supports remote monitoring, management, and maintenance. They should be able to work with their clients remotely via a cloud-based device management service to change configuration settings or install firmware updates, ensuring that a system meets the highest security standards.
The service should also be flexible to work with cameras from multiple manufacturers when needed. This will allow integrators to meet end user budgets without proprietary camera lock-in.
When the right offering is selected, VSaaS provides organizations a scalable solution with minimized upfront investment. It helps site managers, security operators, or operations staff make quick decisions, especially from remote locations, when faced with events, preventing them from becoming incidents.
For more information and specific services available with VSaaS by Bosch, visit https://www.boschsecurity.com/us/en/news/product-news/vsaas-1-0/