Trend of Video Surveillance Moving to the Cloud Continues

The trend towards moving video surveillance to the cloud continues. What opportunities does technology offer the industry in general, and what exactly is Eagle Eye Networks’ solution?

Like a lot of industries, the security industry is changing at a rapid pace. The Telecom and IT sector has moved to cloud solutions in a matter of years. I have been working in Cloud Video Surveillance for a long time but I can see that now there is a perfect storm for Cloud Video Surveillance to go mainstream. I think first and foremost this is because the client is asking for it because practically all his other business applications are already running in the cloud. Whether you are a retail business, school, in hospitality sector; more business applications are moving to the Cloud so at some point the question will come up: If I run my CRM with all my client data in the Cloud or my HR processes with all my employee data, why would I not run my video security system in the Cloud?

The safety of the Cloud is another point that is brought up often. Here I believe we see another trend happening in the security industry where the physical security and IT security industry are converging. When we explain our solution to IT security experts, they immediately get it and more so they start to see they can create business for themselves. They understand the concept of Software as a Service, Firewalls and are comforted by the fact that the video surveillance cameras are  connected with a secure encryption to the cloud and therefore a hack risk to get into the general company network is almost diminished. However, these companies need to learn about what cameras can do and where they should be installed for what purpose. The security industry on the other hand knows everything about cameras but need to be educated on the advantaged of Cloud from a security standpoint. The importance that there is no software to install or maintain, that user management and therefore user audits are super easy in a cloud solution and that cameras can pose a threat to a company’s network if the proper measures are not taken. Last but not least when you explain that video sharing is as easy as sharing a link compared to taking a USB stick to download video, their faces change. And when on top of that, cameras can be reset remotely from the platform directly saving costs and resources, they are convinced as well. Actually, from a GDPR standpoint, our cloud service is compliant and a local solution will have trouble to come to that level of compliancy without heavy ongoing investments.

Finally, for the security industry, offering Cloud is also a differentiator that actually adds valuable recurring revenue to the company’s top line, It is an aspect that is getting a lot of attention in the US and probably will come to Europe as well in the future. From a company valuation standpoint it is good to create revenue over time rather than sending one off invoices for projects. Depending on what you want to do with your business in the future, this may also be a driver to offer cloud.

Eagle Eye Networks aims to transform security cameras into intelligent business tools. In which vertical markets do you see the greatest potential at the moment?

Analytics and AI are the contemporary buzz words but for us the focus is more to make sure that people do more with the video footage they have. Let me start for example with something that has nothing to do with analytics but makes sure that people learn from what is happening. In a traditional DVR solution, many times if you want to download a certain portion of video, you need to go into the DVR with a USB and download the footage before sharing it. What if you find something interesting but no security threat, you will probably not make that effort. However, in a Cloud Solution, you can just select a clipping and share the link with somebody and say, hey check this out, maybe we should change the process at our cash register because it looks like it takes too much time right now. That’s how you learn as a company by using the cameras as a business management tool.

Against this background, how important is security? Or, do you see the danger that this will be sacrificed in favor of more comfort for the user?

Securing the end-users network, video data and system data is the most critical element of a quality video recorder platform.

In your opinion, how will the security technology industry continue to change in the coming years?

For the coming years, the end users will start to focus more and more on the cybersecurity part of their solution as digital hacks will continue to take place. This increased awareness and demand for secure and flexible solutions will foster additional interest and demand in Cloud solutions.

With increasing networking, the danger of cyber attacks is also increasing. Do you as a manufacturer see it as your task to take appropriate measures against this? Or is this a matter for the user?

I am so glad you asked this question!  The largest differentiation between cloud and on-site systems is the cyber security responsibility. It is almost cost prohibitive for an end user to monitor, detect and deploy protection against all of the forms of malware at large in the world and focused on IP devices like cameras. It is absolutely the manufacturer’s responsibility to protect the end user against penetration to the best of its ability. But only a Cloud Services provider can react quickly enough to update the protection in the system.

How do you protect your network against potential IT attacks? Eagle Eye Networks utilizes its Camera Cyber Lockdown technology to protect the customer’s premise and our data centers against malware and live attacks. Eagle Eye Networks’ Camera Cyber Lockdown functionality secures the communication of video and system data by packetizing information and using certificated keys to unlock the packets on both ends.

How do you generally assess the problem of system security in the security technology industry against the background of digitization.

Strong authentication and encryption technologies have enabled technology companies to cross the chasm of digitalization pretty easily. The “problem” in our security technology industry is that too few companies have embraced and adopted the use of such cyber protections in the products. Until the majority of video system manufacturers deploy firewall and ecryption technologies, the perception will remain that moving the physical security industry to IP created a risk.

Eagle Eye Networks is organizing Eagle Eye Networks University in Berlin on June 6^th. For more info on the event contact Anke Schellenberger [email protected].

About the Executive:

Rishi Lodhia is Managing Director of Eagle Eye Networks in EMEA. Rishi has been at the forefront of camera to cloud innovation with his company CameraManager that was the first direct camera to cloud solution. After having been part of Panasonic Cloud Services, where they developed innovative new products as the world’s first 4G camera, Rishi and his long time business partner Tijmen Vos joined Dean Drako at Eagle Eye Networks. Dean previously built Barracuda Networks, with a DNA in cybersecurity.