Video surveillance technology is changing rapidly. High-resolution cameras, multi-camera systems, and the use of AI and machine learning are increasing the size and amount of surveillance data needed to be stored. At the same time, stricter compliance regulations are increasing the length of time that data must be retained. While this has placed massive burdens on surveillance storage systems, ironically, storage is the one area where innovation has been lacking. Until now.

Unlimited video storage capacity in the cloud

When Salesforce.com launched its revolutionary web-based CRM solution twenty-three years ago, the concept of Software-as-a-Service didn’t exist. The company invented it. They entered a crowded market dominated by traditional enterprise CRM software applications, quickly capturing market share by offering a simple, cost-effective solution to the crazy expensive and complicated monolithic CRM applications of the day. Salesforce’s mission to “end software,” not only propelled the company to the top of the industry, it transformed it entirely.

The same thing is happening to the video surveillance industry. The market is currently dominated by expensive, enterprise-grade on-premises storage systems. Just like the CRM systems of yesteryear, these traditional methods of storage worked well for years, when the need for new cameras was rare, resolutions were low, and overall file sizes were relatively small. However, that’s all changed:

• High-definition cameras – While frame rate, bit rate, and compression all play a factor in file sizes, in general, a 4K video requires four times the storage space of Full HD (1080p), and approximately 16 times the storage space of a standard definition (SD) video.

• Wider coverage areas– As camera prices decline, organizations are expanding their surveillance field of view with wide-angle lenses and multiple camera setups. This can help to identify more incidents and detect potential security threats, but it also dramatically increases the amount of video data needed to be stored.

• AI/ML analytics – Whether to ensure public safety or uncover business insights, there’s no question AI is set to revolutionize the industry. But in order to tap its true power, more of your video data must be preserved. These tools also bring their own storage burdens, including metadata and the analytics they produce.

• Retention periods – Beyond what your AI tools will require you to save, retention periods are increasing in a number of industries, requiring ever more storage capacity if you hope to remain in compliance.

Cloud object storage, with its ability to cost-effectively scale as you go, is ideally suited to solve the surveillance industry’s storage capacity problem. Given the growth trajectory of surveillance data, the “cloudification” of the surveillance industry is inevitable. In fact, wireless direct-to-cloud camera systems that eliminate the need for on-premises hardware are already on the market. While these solutions have their appeal in certain use cases–most notably, greenfield environments–they don’t help the vast majority of enterprises that have already invested heavily in an on-prem video management system (VMS). These organizations can ill afford the time and expense of “ripping and replacing” a solution they’ve used for years or training their staff on a totally new system.

Wasabi understands the video surveillance market, which is why we are the first cloud storage provider to offer a unique hybrid cloud solution that meets the scalability demands of video surveillance deployments without the need to change existing hardware, systems, or workflows.

Cloud-enabling existing on-premises video management systems

The majority of video management systems (VMS) on the market don’t have the ability to directly connect to cloud storage. Our new solution, Wasabi Surveillance Cloud, is a bundled offering that includes a cloud bridge software application that automatically connects the VMS to a Wasabi cloud object storage subscription. The new solution instantly enables your on-premises video management system with the unlimited scalability, security, and disaster recovery features of Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage. With Wasabi Surveillance Cloud, a once-siloed VMS technology immediately becomes cloud-aware without any changes to existing operations.

• Eliminate costly server upgrades by archiving video to low-cost cloud storage to free up space on expensive primary storage

• Disaster-proof your on-prem video library by keeping a complete copy in the cloud. Wasabi’s immutable storage feature, which can be enabled at no additional cost, protects against ransomware or accidental deletions or changes.

• Stay in compliance with legally mandated retention periods or to prove chain of custody

Easy provisioning for security integrators

Many surveillance deployments are installed, maintained, and serviced by security systems integrators. When additional storage needs to be provisioned, this typically requires the integrator to send employees or contract labor onsite to install and configure new servers. Faced with ongoing supply chain issues and a tight technology labor market, this is not as simple (or cheap) as it once was. The Wasabi Surveillance Cloud software application installs in minutes on the end-customer’s Windows-based server, which automatically pairs the VMS with a storage bucket in the Wasabi cloud. Instead of sending people onsite, adding new storage buckets or additional storage capacity can be handled easily by the integrator’s end-customer through the intuitive Wasabi Surveillance Cloud software user interface.

The easiest way to transition to cloud-based surveillance

Just as Salesforce bet that the future of software would one day be delivered as-a-service in the cloud, Wasabi sees the video surveillance industry relying solely on cloud storage in the not-too-distant future. Wasabi Surveillance Cloud is the way to get there. It provides customers with the easiest way to transition to the cloud while preserving their existing investment, and the best, most predictable solution to support the exponential growth of their video data.

To see Wasabi Surveillance Cloud in action, check out this short video demonstration.