The two approaches present companies with a series of trade-offs
By Guy Mizrahi, President, Megasystems Security
When selecting a security cameras system, businesses face a fundamental design decision: Should they select a Network Video Recorder (NVR) (an on-premise system) or a cloud solution? Each option has strengths and weaknesses. Let’s take a close look at each, so you can determine which best fits your business.
An NVR is a network recording system that connects to cameras over a local or a remote network. The customer owns and maintains all of the system elements and runs them somewhere in their facilities. With cloud, the vendor deploys the infrastructure, which is housed at an offsite location. Footage is carried from the customer site over the Internet to the supplier’s cloud data center.
Why Choose an NVR?
With an NVR, a company gains control. They own the equipment, decides how to deploy it, and maximizes its ability. Each company is different, and this option gracefully accommodates that trait. A retailer may want a very sophisticated, custom built surveillance system to ensure that its property is well protected. Also, the monitoring system can be designed so it meshes with existing computer infrastructure. With cloud, you get a generic solution, one often built on commodity elements and meeting basic security needs. More often than not, you adapt to the cloud vendor’s configuration rather than vice versa
With an NVR, an organization also does not have to worry about Internet reliability. Your equipment is all that runs on the network, so it is easier to ensure that it remains available all the time. Many companies share cloud services, which depend on Internet links that become overloaded on occasion.
NVR costs are fixed and established at the time of the purchase. A customers pays a set price no matter how much or how little they use the system. With cloud, costs can fluctuate based on usage. If you store a lot of data in the cloud and encounter scenarios where you more data storage or add more cameras, your monthly bill may rise.
Why Select Cloud?
Cloud offloads maintenance functions from your IT team. The vendor takes care of the solution from implementation through its lifecycle. They manage all of the system upgrades, patches, fixes, and problems. Rather than allocate staff to keep the surveillance systems running, you can use them for more strategic technology projects.
Cloud offers more resiliency than NVRs All the cameras go through the NVR, which then becomes a single point of failure. Cloud has multiple access and egress points.
Scalability is another potential benefit. Each NVR has a maximum number of cameras it supports. Once you reach that number, you either buy a higher performing system or more NVRs. With cloud, corporations expand their system as fast and as much as needed, usually by entering a few simple commands.
Overcome Intimidation
Each business is unique, and so are its security camera’s needs. These systems have many different designs, features, price points, and deployment options. Selecting the best one for your organization can be an intimidating process.
Megasystems Security is available to help. We are a small, dedicated, family-owned business that has been serving Houston-area businesses for more than two decades. We sell both NVR and cloud surveillance solutions. We will get to know you and guide you to the right security system solution.
About the Author
Guy Mizrahi is a seasoned business and consumer electronics professional with more than two decades of technical and managerial experience. He held various executive positions at top electronics store chains. In 2010, Guy founded Megasystems Security and built the firm into a leading Houston area supplier of high end business and consumer electronics and security solutions.
