In The Clouds
Six top security integrators talk about why their customers are moving to cloud video surveillance
Video data storage in the cloud was a novel
concept when Dean Drako founded Eagle Eye
Networks back in 2012. While cloud was being
used for almost all other business systems
at that time, the physical security industry
took a cautious and measured approach to cloud adoption.
Twelve years later, that has changed. Today, cloud is firmly
established in our industry, and the Security Industry Association
(SIA) has regularly recognized the cloud movement as a top trend
in its annual Security Megatrends report.
This year marks a turning point for cloud. In its 2024 Security
Megatrends report, SIA identifies cloud technology as a “foundational
trend.”
According to SIA researchers, foundational trends are “so much
part of the fabric of the world that they are viewed no longer as future-
looking megatrends, but instead as common concerns that all
business leaders must manage as they operate within our industry.”
Cloud adoption is no longer plodding. In fact, industry analyst
group Novaira Insights forecasts that the number of cloudconnected
cameras will grow at a brisk 80% CAGR in North
America through 2026.
Cloud is here to stay and the migration from on-prem to cloud
is picking up speed, but it’s also true that we have a long way to
go before cloud video surveillance systems outnumber traditional
on-prem systems.
We believe about 10 percent of video surveillance systems are
storing data in the cloud today. That leaves an enormous addressable
market for cloud video surveillance. That means that cloud
evangelists still have work to do, and this translates into a tremendous
opportunity for resellers to expand their business by helping
their customers make the move to cloud video surveillance.
Core Motivators for Move to Cloud
What is driving organizations to start storing their video surveillance
data in the cloud? The core motivators have remained the
same since the beginning and include, lower total cost of own-ership (TCO), better cybersecurity, ease-of-use for reseller and
end user, open systems that works with all camera models and
existing infrastructure, open APIs for easy integration with thirdparty
technologies, RMR and the subscription-selling business
model, AI compatibility, scalability and automatic updates.
A recent informal survey of our top resellers reinforces these motivators
and offers insights into how cloud is being received in the field.
The focus on AI compatibility has sharpened over the past
three years, according to Lon Bazelais, founder and president of
Grid Squared Systems based in New York City. He says that prior
to AI applications becoming more common, “The main reason
we opted for cloud storage was redundancy. Cloud storage offers
our clients a way to secure and protect the video data from
hardware theft, hardware failure, natural disasters or other disruptions.”
However, AI is coming more to the forefront for integrators
and customers alike. “More recently, another added feature of
cloud storage is that AI functions are more easily integrated
with systems that are cloud-based. Cloud environments offer
the framework for the powerful computing resources that AI requires.
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