Open Platforms Are Ready for Liftoff

Integrating disparate security systems together in pursuit of a seamless overall solution can be a time-consuming, expensive and frustrating process. Find out how an increasingly united movement toward establishing conforming products is alleviating these challenges and paving the way to true interoperability.

May 12, 2011 SSI Staff

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[IMAGE]12130[/IMAGE]Developing a Universal Platform

First released in 2008, the ONVIF specification currently defines a common protocol detailing how network video devices exchange information such as live video, audio, metadata and control instructions. Conformant network video devices from different participating ONVIF manufacturers are able to communicate with each other by requesting and sending live view video streams.

The specification also ensures that conformant devices are automatically discovered and connected to network applications such as video management systems (VMS), making significant inroads toward solving overarching issues of interoperability within IP-based products.

ONVIF’s core specification 2.0 covers local and remote device discovery, device management, imaging configuration, media configuration, real-time streaming of audio and video, event handling, video analytics, pan/tilt/zoom (p/t/z) control and security. The latest version of the specification also encompasses recording, storage, display and interfaces for analytic devices.

As of this writing, there are nearly 800 conformant products, identified with an ONVIF logo, that fall under categories such as IP cameras, encoders, decoders, NVRs and VMS. In early 2010, IMS Research estimated that the group’s 180 members accounted for more than 70 percent of the network video equipment market share. Since then, ONVIF’s membership ranks have swelled to nearly 300 companies.

But despite this progress, several specific questions remain. Security professionals still want to know how interoperability will contribute to the design, retrofit and management process. End users want to hear about the global benefits of standards and the potential cost advantages for their companies.

Real-World Interoperable Solutions

Few in the security industry would dispute that when an end user implements a new or upgraded IP-based physical security system at a facility, the overriding goal is to install a best-of-breed solution. Not only does an end user want a cost-effective system, but a reliable one that delivers the best performance in all areas.

If an Application Programming Interface (API) didn’t already exist between different manufacturers, for fear of technological challenges it wasn’t uncommon for an end user to stick with one product from a single manufacturer instead of mixing and matching. Now, when an end user sees the ONVIF logo on a product they can proceed with the confidence of knowing it has been through a rigorous set of self-certification testing to ensure it works properly with other conformant products.

This level of interopera
bility helps remove much of the complexity of network video system design and product selection, as well as decrease costs in several areas of the design/build process. Many projects include costly field hours spent conducting product acceptance testing, a crucial step to ensuring components will work together as part of the overall system. ONVIF-conformant products can dramatically streamline this process since the devices have been precertified to work together, resulting in much faster results. In some projects, this line item can be dramatically reduced or eliminated.

A single, standard interface would also greatly reduce training time for technicians. In an industry already begging for qualified, network-proficient technicians, the need to be trained on one network interface instead of the constant fine tuning to make products work together would be a tremendous benefit to integration firms. Technicians would no longer be expected to learn the specific installation details and interoperability challenges of many combinations of products, but rather focus on employing the best practices of the ONVIF standard.

Ensuring Future Compatibility

There are also many benefits to be had for end users looking to expand, fix or upgrade their current security systems. Instead of culling together an IP-based physical security system from a single manufacturer, the end user can update and upgrade their IP-based security system by selecting best-of-breed products from a range of product suppliers.

This can also present significant cost savings to an end user looking to deploy new video system components on a national or global scale. While there would likely still be benefits to a global system using identical components in all locations, now a conformant system can be built around existing ONVIF components. For example, one location could keep its 15 existing, conformant p/t/z cameras because those devices would already be certified to work with a new VMS being deployed to centrally manage locations around the globe.

Additionally, when it comes to replacing a broken device, such as an IP camera, end users are no longer locked into replacing it with an identical match. They can branch out and use a camera with higher image resolution, different capabilities or a more cost-effective solution. The overriding benefit is being able to select the solution that best fits the client’s security needs and budget.

Because of these benefits, the market has begun to see the ONVIF name incorporated into specifications, rather than a specific brand being listed as part of the request for proposal (RFP) process. Currently, many end users or consultants might specify that all devices in a security system need to be able to integrate with a particular brand of management software. But not all software has integrated with, for example, all camera manufacturers. Now, that RFP can say the interface between the management software and devices should be ONVIF conformant, providing everybody with greater freedom of choice.

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