VMS (Video Management Systems) Made Simple

By Jeff Whitney, VP of marketing, Intransa

When the first tape-based VCR security systems were largely replaced by DVRs, the hardware manufacturers were careful to keep the controls and settings very similar so that security personnel would not be challenged by the new platforms. DVRs, however, soon showed their limitations, and for many in the industry moving to IP based technologies was a necessary next step. Unfortunately, IP has proven to be quite complicated to the original security dealers and integrators who were used to simple VCRs or DVRs. They now have to contend with server selection and configuration, widely varied storage capabilities and complexity and requiring significant bench time to tie all of that hardware together with an independently manufactured video management system (instead of supplied) embedded in the hardware. And IT integrators were not much better off, understanding servers and storage but not the unusual workload of video surveillance with 98% writes to disk and only 2% reads being typical. Of course, surveillance technologies like cameras and access readers were unfamiliar, and the need to be bonded to install many projects was not common in IT projects.