What VMSes Support Multicasting?
I'd like to make a list.
Just to start, my understanding is that:
Genetec and Milestone Corporate do.
Avigilon, Exacq and other Milestone versions do not.
I also believe that the way multicasting is implemented varies across VMSes (e.g., some multicast from camera to client, others unicast from camera to server and then multicast out to client).
Ok, please share what you know.
Background: Multicasting Surveillance Tutorial
AxxonNext
I am not sure I see the value of multicasting on larger sites where there is typicaly a need for central management of users, so logging onto a server opposed to directly to the camera makes sense. Ensuring integrity of video is questionable with multicasting, additionally any bad network design can be severly punished. It seems that some VMS's will use the camera multicasting because they dont have any transcoding ability to retransmit the video in a more bandwidth efficient form from the server to client.
Netavis supports the multicast but I never tried it.
John
Since you are making a list...
Digifort does support multicasting, but only from server to clients, basically server will use unicast connection to the cameras and can deliver the received images to the clients either by unicast or multicast
Hi John,
Genetec support multicasting from camera to client as well as from the server to client. As you mentioned, when comparing different solutions that support multicast, it is important to know whether that capability extends from the camera to the client, or from the server to the client.
Also multicast is supported in all versions of the product and can work in a mix mode with multicast and unicast in the same system or on the same server.
Francis Lachance, Genetec.

IPVMU Certified | 02/06/14 04:55pm
I know that DVTEL Latitude supports multicasting. I believe it does unicast from camera to server and then multicast out to the clients. I have not used it though, so I'm not certain about that.
Aimetis Symphony supports multicasting.
IndigoVision supports Multicast for both recording and live viewing. With devices capable of multiple streams, each stream can be independently set to either TCP/IP Unicast, RDP Unicast or Multicast. IV recommends TCP/IP Unicast for recording and, in applications with many users, Multicast for live viewing.
There are no differences. Both Omnicast and Security Center supports the same capabilities in terms of multicast.
Avigilon does support multicasting and used for redundant recording to multiple servers.
Multicast supported VMSes:
Pelco Endura - recording and to the client from the edge
Geutebruck - recording and to the client from the edge, or proxy
Indigo - recording and to the client from the edge
OnSSI - supported in ES only
Milestone - supported in Expert and Corporate
Genetec - supported from edge and proxy
Dallmeier - live viewing from edge and proxy
Synectics - supported from the edge but not certain if only for live viewing or if there are options to MC record too
Not a complete list but a start!
All manufacturers listed will support Unicast recording but some offer the flexibility of recording via multicast too. My personal preference is multicasting from the edge, as it allows the network to do the work it is capable of doing and eliminates the single point of failure of a server being the host for all streams. Of course most enterprise VMSes today offer failover redundancies to avoid single point of failure downtime, however MC of live video to the client is the most reliable means to maintain as close to 100% uptime of live video. I say as close to 100% uptime because the camera itself and the network has the potential for failure too. Sorry for the deviation from the MC list.
Hi,
I suppose only Genetec and NICE supports Multicasting in more meaningful way. i.e., these VMSes take advantage of multi-cast of cameras and supply the multicast stream from camera to client directly upon the request from multiple clients which means fewer loads on network and no load on servers. Servers remain free to just record and serve playback. For live viewing clients are supplied streams directly from camera but of course authorized by directory servers
Other than this multicast by servers is supported by most of the VMSes like Milestone, Genetec etc
Mohd, that is exactly how IndigoVision does it. Their IP cameras and encoders are typically set up to stream TCP/IP Unicast for recording and Multicast for live viewing. That method is also used for third-party devices, although in our limited testing of third party cameras so far, neither Axis nor Ganz cameras were capable of delivering simultaneous 30fps streams at 720p+ resolution.
Axis claims their cameras can as long as both streams are set up the same but unless I missed something, their ONVIF streams can't do that. I tried using exactly the same settings and was only able to get their cameras to deliver 22-24fps per stream.
Dear Carl, Thanks for the update. I didnt know about IndigoVision as never used this product before.
To clarify, while many have pointed out that Milestone Corporate and Expert are the only versions that support multicasting, nobody has specifically noted that Milestone also only does multicasting from the server side. Cameras stream unicast to the server.
The servers Multicast tab is checked to engage the function (checked by default), and specific cameras are then enrolled to be multicast from the server with a similar checkbox on the camera's Record tab (not checked by default).
Is that because Milestone doesn't support UDP from the camera at all? If it does support unicast UDP it why would it give a hoot?
MY best guess at why some VMSes only support multicast as proxy from their software on a server is it is easier to write the code into their own software for multicast support from the clients. Alternatively, supporting multicast direct from 3rd party cameras will require some additional work on the drivers for those cameras, and each manufacturer may have their own specific nuances therefore for the time being it is simply easier to standardize the IGMP joins from the clients to their own software as a proxy.
My 2 cents and may not be 100% accurate.
Aimetis Symphony supports multicasting from camera to client in all versions (Standard/Pro/Enterprise).
In 99% of our installations, the cameras are not accessible from a client workstation. All cameras are on a private Fiber or copper environment, and 100% shielded from any tampering with ACL and MAC table security, and the switches are monitored by tools like ManageEngineUtils, looking for missing or potential rogue MAC appearances (not likely given the ACL/MAC security) It is my .02 on the subject that having cameras accessible by workstations increases the security footprint.... We all read and know about BAD firmware... Having all cameras secured greatly reduces that threat.

What is meant by this? please carify Geovision support multicasting through a webcam.
I'm suprised this wasn't mentioned yet. But Bosch their BVMS software supports Multicasting.
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