Rapid Growth

Millions IP cameras shipped globally in 2016

  • By Mansoor Tariq
  • May 01, 2017

According to IHS, last year an estimated 66 million network cameras were shipped globally, which led to a 48 percent increase in the raw capacity of enterprise storage for video surveillance. The video surveillance market is growing rapidly and this growth can be attributed to many factors, including the growing awareness for the need to improve safety and security around the world. This is forcing governments and organizations to take a proactive approach toward video surveillance.

Additionally, improved technologies such as better camera resolution and more advanced and accurate analytics is making video surveillance attractive to a growing number of clients. Companies are also applying video surveillance technologies to improve business efficiencies, whether it’s in logistics, smart cities, retail or countless other markets. The evolution of the video surveillance industry, which has spurred these technological innovations, can be attributed to the industry’s move towards IT. However, the IT industry is not moving towards video surveillance at the same rate, which presents challenges to security professionals.

The Importance of Purpose-Built Solutions

Many of the traditional CCTV systems across the world are analog systems that transmit an analog video signal over coaxial cable back to a video recorder, such as a DVR or monitor. For several years, the video surveillance industry has been making the transition to IP solutions, which means that a digital camera sends data via a computer network. IP solutions allow for better picture quality, greater flexibility and scalability, and the use of video analytics. This transition to IP has fundamentally changed how security systems are conceived, designed and deployed.

This fundamental change means that security professionals are now embracing network equipment in their projects. However, they’re regularly using infrastructure built for IT as part of their security system. This can be attributed to some IT companies failing to offer surveillance-specific solutions and simply providing their IT offerings to security professionals. However, this can cause massive headaches when these solutions underperform. By selecting purpose-built infrastructure, such as storage and servers, security professionals can leverage solutions that are specifically designed to perform optimally in a write-intensive video surveillance environment with surveillance-specific features that optimize the read/write process during operation.

When using servers and storage for IT in video surveillance, frame dropping and security leaks (gaps in the recording) become real threats –and this can have serious consequences. Higher resolution cameras and longer retention periods place an even greater burden on IT infrastructure and increase the chances of dropped frames. In these situations, having purpose-built solutions for video surveillance becomes absolutely imperative.

Promise Technology develops purpose-built NVRs and storage solutions that include a suite of proprietary features called SmartBoost Technologies. These unique features are designed specifically for video surveillance applications and enable them to overcome performance bottlenecks and handle a much higher number of IP cameras than competing solutions.

Education for IT and Security Professionals

The move toward IP video surveillance and understanding the importance of deploying purpose-built solutions relates closely to the growing need for education and training amongst IT and security professionals.

Many security professionals have been in the industry for decades and have developed extensive knowledge around analog systems, but now they must understand all of the effects of the industry’s move towards IP. With analog solutions there was no need to calculate bandwidth and data as they were often plug-and-play. Alternatively, in IP solutions, everything is dynamic.

This means that project design process is crucial. This can really only be done properly after the security professional has undergone certified training and education on all key components in a security system. Certified hands-on training is essential. The bigger the project, the bigger the impact and consequences are when dealing with such a large number of cameras, data and storage.

Promise hosts free video surveillance certified training courses around the world to equip security professionals with the skills and expertise they need to design, install, configure and maintain the optimal security solution for their customers.

The First Step Forward

The video surveillance industry is incredibly dynamic and this presents challenges to security professionals. The first step in overcoming these challenges can be delivered through certified training programs and by utilizing purpose-built IT infrastructure.

This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • AI Is Now the Leading Cybersecurity Concern for Security, IT Leaders

    Arctic Wolf recently published findings from its State of Cybersecurity: 2025 Trends Report, offering insights from a global survey of more than 1,200 senior IT and cybersecurity decision-makers across 15 countries. Conducted by Sapio Research, the report captures the realities, risks, and readiness strategies shaping the modern security landscape. Read Now

  • Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

    AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now

  • Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

    Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now

  • Motorola Solutions Named Official Safety Technology Supplier of the Ryder Cup through 2027

    Motorola Solutions has today been named the Official Safety Technology Supplier of the 2025 and 2027 Ryder Cup, professional golf’s renowned biennial team competition between the United States and Europe. Read Now

  • Evolving Cybersecurity Strategies

    Organizations are increasingly turning their attention to human-focused security approaches, as two out of three (68%) cybersecurity incidents involve people. Threat actors are shifting from targeting networks and systems to hacking humans via social engineering methods, living off human errors as their most prevalent attack vector. Whether manipulated or not, human cyber behavior is leveraged to gain backdoor access into systems. This mainly results from a lack of employee training and awareness about evolving attack techniques employed by malign actors. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.