More Access to Video Surveillance

Steve Knutson

Chief Information Officer

Marco, Inc.

www.marconet.com

Topic: Technology

Integrating a video surveillance once required businesses to purchase a host of expensive equipment, assign an employee to view the footage on a series of monitors and manage the recordings.

That’s quickly changing through the evolution of hosted video services that allow business leaders to access their video feeds from anywhere at any time over the Internet and pay for video surveillance as a monthly service.

Hosted Video Recorders (HVR) give businesses more flexibility – allowing them to install as many cameras as needed at a variety of locations and move them to other sites as needed. 

Why is it growing: Widespread access to the Internet and the ease of transmitting information over the Internet, and the proliferation of connected mobile devices has allowed more businesses to use hosted video surveillance to protect their employees, customers, facilities and assets. The evolution of cloud computing has served as another gateway to the rapid adoption of hosted video services.

How it works: A wired or wireless digital camera captures the scene in front of it, broadcasts the video images as a digitized signal over a LAN line. The signal is transmitted to a server that users can access from any Internet connection. Users receive a secure web login to view their video feeds and even can download applications to view it on their iPhone. Users can choose what they record and when it’s recorded. For an example, they may decide only to record when there is movement in front of the camera. The server stores the recorded information based on the needs of the customer, typically ranging from 1 to 30 days.

How much does it cost: Businesses can pay as low as $29 a month for a hosted video surveillance system. The costs are based on the desired number of cameras, resolution of the recorded video and storage requirements. The hardware and installation can be rolled into a single monthly fee with the hosting fee. 

What do you get: The fixed monthly payment covers video viewing application and storage, telephone support, software upgrades and training. Hosted video surveillance allows businesses to know exactly what it costs to maintain, operate and expand their video surveillance systems.

Who’s using it: Retailers, financial institutions, apartment complexes and small businesses are driving the growth. But healthcare organizations, telecommunications firms, manufacturers and even the public sector are beginning to use hosted video surveillance to protect their customers, employees and assets.

Hosted video surveillance makes taking the first step for businesses easy by allowing them to pay for it as an operating cost  – rather than a large capital expenditure. Businesses can start out as small or as large as they wish and adapt the service to meet their changing needs – knowing the exact cost for the complete service every step of the way.