What Can VMS for CCTV Do?
Surveillance
cameras are almost taken for granted as an integral part of your commercial
security system. No matter your business size, you’ve got cameras monitoring
critical points in your building. The bigger your business, the more cameras
you need, and the more you need to watch them. At a certain point, you’ll need
a Video Management System (or Software) to comfortably operate your
cameras. A flexible video management system platform doesn’t just tie your
cameras together, though – it brings a few unique security solutions to your
business, as well.
All NVRs and DVRs come with a rudimentary VMS for CCTV pre-installed. They’re great for smaller systems, but the functions are limited and it becomes difficult to manage footage from surveillance systems with a lot of cameras. These pre-loaded programs generally only allow you to edit basic camera settings, view live feeds, use PTZ controls, play back recorded footage, and save and export clips and screenshots.
An Open VMS for CCTV is a system that can interface with cameras
and DVR’s/NVR’s from a variety of manufacturers, reducing or eliminating the
hassle of dealing with proprietary cameras and systems. You don’t have to use
an Open VMS, but if you’re looking for a full video management suite you’ll
likely end up with one. Even if you don’t have systems from different
manufacturers, the flexibility of open systems makes them valuable assets for
business security.
The catch with video management systems is the initial setup and
long-term maintenance. Open VMS for CCTV platforms are difficult to create and
maintain, since they have to be compatible with so many brands and types of
cameras. Installing them and making sure all the cameras work properly can be
quite a chore.
Image Correction and Dewarping
A VMS for CCTV can also correct lens distortion common to wide-angle cameras. Fisheye lenses in particular produce a unique, heavily warped 360° image. They can be used to cover an entire room when mounted on the ceiling, but picking out details from the feed can be a challenge. video management system dewarping straightens and flips the contorted image, giving you a clearer view without adding cameras.
Some VMS programs can even create multiple image channels from
one fisheye camera. The corrected images simulate multiple cameras without the
trouble of paying for and installing them. You only need to store one recorded
file for several feeds, cutting down on your storage needs as well.
Distributed Processing Power
With larger camera networks, a single NVR or DVR might not be
enough to handle all your security cameras. Without a VMS for CCTV, you’d have
to use each recorder separately to change settings and view your footage. A
unified platform to manage your surveillance system makes curating your video a
lot easier. A single technician or guard can monitor or review all your feeds
from a central office without constantly switching servers.
Multiple Site Management
A central VMS for CCTV can handle not only multiple NVRs, it can
manage multiple locations, too. This is critical for any company with more than
one site, whether it’s offices, stores, warehouses, workshops, or factories.
You’ll be tied into every local server, meaning you can access any site’s
footage from your central security office.
Storage Redundancies
Your NVR generally stores its footage on its own internal hard drive, and it doesn’t store it forever. If that hard drive fizzles, your data goes with it unless you remembered to make regular backups. With a video management system, you can send the footage to a dedicated storage server with RAID redundancies, ensuring your data is secure.
Alarm, Audio, and Access Integration
Some VMS programs include options to integrate your other
security systems, unifying your interface even further. Compatible systems can
activate devices based on camera inputs, such as remote lighting, alarms,
sirens, 2-way audio, or camera recording.
Your access control system can also be connected to your VMS, triggering a
recording or an alarm when a set of credentials is denied. If your systems are
fully compatible, you can even manage your alarms and access control from the
VMS.
Mobile Recording
Standard NVR/DVR VMS’s allow you to connect your smartphone and
view your feeds remotely through an app. A full VMS for CCTV connects you to
your main server and manage your entire security system with a few extra
features. The latest VMS apps let record video directly through your phone and
store it on your server, effectively turning your security guards into roving
cameras.
Point-of-Sale Integration
For retail businesses, VMS programs can connect with the register to provide real-time Point-of-Sale data. Transaction analysis becomes much easier, allowing you to investigate or keep an eye on discrepancies.