The security industry stands at a crossroads in video management. While cloud technology offers transformative potential, many organizations remain uncertain about their migration path.
The good news? Today’s open platform video management solutions are breaking down traditional barriers, providing unprecedented flexibility for organizations to connect to the cloud on their own terms.
Flexibility: The Key to Video Management Success
The biggest misconception in video security today is that moving to the cloud means completely abandoning on-premises infrastructure for a full software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution. The reality is far more nuanced.
In the real world, organizations want deployment options that match their specific environment. Every organization faces unique considerations from network infrastructure and financial constraints to regulatory requirements — all affecting their ideal cloud strategy. What works for a multi-site hospital system won’t necessarily work for a school district or retail chain.
Modern open platform video management software (VMS) supports multiple cloud configurations, allowing organizations to evolve their systems incrementally rather than requiring wholesale changes. This flexibility delivers immediate practical benefits while preserving existing investments.
I’ve seen this play out repeatedly with public sector clients who need centralized management across distributed locations. A large prison system with multiple facilities might maintain recording servers on-premises at locations with bandwidth limitations while moving management servers to the cloud.
This configuration provides centralized oversight and allows authorized personnel to access critical video information from anywhere, significantly improving situational awareness during emergencies. High-ranking officials can monitor situation developments across multiple facilities during a critical incident, all without complex VPN configurations or specialized client software.
The beauty of this approach is that customers can use cloud capabilities where bandwidth allows and limit cloud dependency where it doesn’t, while still maintaining centralized management of the entire system.
In other environments, organizations might choose to keep everything on-premises initially but move older video to cloud storage after 14 days. This approach minimizes local storage requirements while maintaining instant access to recent events and cost-effective long-term archiving for less frequently accessed footage.
The industry still views cloud adoption as an all-or-nothing proposition, but successful migrations happen incrementally, with organizations charting paths that address their specific needs rather than forcing adaptation to predetermined solutions.
Deployment Options for Real-World Needs
Organizations today can select from three primary approaches to video management deployment, each offering distinct advantages for different operational environments.
Traditional on-premises solutions remain valuable for organizations with specialized security requirements, adequate infrastructure, or facilities in regions with limited connectivity. These deployments offer maximum control over hardware and data but require organizations to manage all aspects of system maintenance and compliance.
Hybrid deployments create a middle path, allowing organizations to maintain critical infrastructure locally while leveraging cloud capabilities for specific functions. This approach might involve keeping recording servers on-premises while utilizing cloud resources for storage, analytics, or disaster recovery. I’ve found this model particularly effective for public sector entities who need to balance security requirements with resource optimization.
Complete cloud implementations eliminate on-premises infrastructure entirely, with video management systems operating fully within cloud environments. This approach reduces hardware costs and maintenance requirements while providing maximum scalability — perfect for organizations looking to minimize physical infrastructure or support rapid expansion across multiple locations.
The real power of open platform VMS is that it enables all three approaches and facilitates smooth transitions between them as needs evolve. An organization might start with a traditional deployment, gradually shift to hybrid as their comfort with cloud technology increases and eventually move to a fully cloud-based approach as bandwidth capabilities improve and operational requirements change.
Extracting Maximum Value from Video Management
As bandwidth concerns diminish and IT departments become more involved in security decisions, we’re seeing cloud-connected video systems deliver benefits far beyond traditional security applications — transforming video from a purely protective tool into a valuable business asset.
Remote accessibility represents one of the most immediate advantages. Security teams can monitor systems, adjust settings, and respond to incidents from anywhere, dramatically reducing response times during emergencies. During critical incidents, authorized personnel can access video data and receive alerts on their devices regardless of location, enabling faster decision-making when seconds matter most.
Cloud integration also opens doors to advanced analytics that transform video data into actionable insights. When connected to cloud platforms, video management systems can leverage powerful computing resources without requiring extensive on-site infrastructure.
Retailers can analyze customer behavior patterns, manufacturers can optimize production processes, and healthcare facilities can improve patient monitoring — all through the same system that provides their core security functions.
An open platform approach to video management technology is setting the stage for a new generation of digital evidence management (DEM), bringing a substantial leap forward in flexibility, scalability, usability, and the freedom for users to choose their own DEM path.
This approach allows organizations to maintain control over their workflows and storage decisions, gaining both immediate cost benefits and long-term strategic advantages by making evidence management an integrated part of their broader IT infrastructure rather than an isolated silo.
For system integrators, success in this evolving landscape means recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every organization requires a customized approach based on their specific environment, existing investments, and long-term objectives.
By leveraging open platform video management solutions, you can provide clients with systems that meet today’s needs while establishing a foundation for tomorrow’s requirements, creating greater value for end users while building lasting customer relationships based on flexibility and choice.
Matt Fishback is global technology partner manager and Americas team lead at Milestone Systems.
