Video Surveillance Architecture 101

By IPVM Team, Published on Feb 18, 2020

Video surveillance can be designed and deployed in a number of ways. This 101 examines the most common options and architectures used in 2020.

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Architectures are based on 5 fundamental decisions:

  • Encoding - Where is the video encoded? Camera? Encoder? Recorder?
  • Storage - Where is the video stored? Camera? Recorder? SAN? NAS? Cloud?
  • Analytics - Where is the video analyzed? Camera? Recorder? Server? Cloud?
  • Management - Where is the video managed? Camera? Recorder? VMS? Cloud?
  • Monitor - Where is the video monitored? PC / workstation? PVM? Video wall? Phone?

Inside this report, we explain the tradeoffs of these 5 fundamental decisions, overview a number of the most common combinations and what future trends are most promising.

*** ***** ***** ********* the ******* *** **** area/decision:

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********

*** ************ ***** ** encoded (****, **** ** arguably *** *********** **** but ** *** **** this, *** ****** *** be ******* * *** guide).

************ ***** ** ***** to ** *******, *.*., the ****** ****** ****** will **** ** ** digitized **** **** ** can ** *********, ******** and *********** ******* *********.

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*** ********* ** *** 3 ******* ********* ***:

  • ******:******** ** *** ****** increases ***** ******** ** analog *******. ****, ******** in * ****** ********* the ***-**** ******* ************ distance ** *** ***** signal. *******, ******** ** the ****** ******** ********* and ******* ******** ******* there ** *********** * full ******** *******.
  • *******:****** *** *** ** any ****** ****** **** a *** ** ********. Encoders **** ****** *** the **** ** ********** encoding ******** ***** **** multiple *******. ******** ******* a ******** ******** *** video *******.
  • ********:******** * ******-*** *** encoding *** *********. *** cameras **** ** ******** cabled, ** **** ***, to *** ******** *** encoding, ***** *** ******** costs ** ************. **** is **** ****** ** be ********* ** ***** systems.

*******

************ ***** **** ** stored ** ***** ** review **** ******. ******* video ******* *** ***** as ***** *****, ***** they *** ** ******** and ****** **** ** client ******** ********. ******* can ** ******* ** cameras, *********, *******-*****, ** in *** *****.

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*** ********* ** *** 4 ******* ********* ***:

  • ******:******* ***** ** * camera *** ********* *** need *** * ******** recorder. *******, ********* ******* is ******* ***** ** the ******* **** ********* (e.g. *******, ***, *****). The **** *** **** is ****** **** ***** a ********. ************, ** a ****** ** ******* or ******, **** ** recorded ***** ** ******.
  • ********:******* ***** ** * recorder *** ****** *** cost ** ******* ****** multiple *******, ***** ******* the **** *** **** compared ** ****** *******. Also, **** *** *** options *** ******* ********** by ***** ****. *******, isolating ******* ** ***-*********** recorders ** *********** *** risks *********** ***** ****.
  • ***:******* ***** ** * NAS ** * ***-**** option ** *******-******** ******* for ***** ***** *******. Storage ***** *** ********** are ***** **** ******** or ***-***** *******.
  • ***:******* ***** ** * SAN ****** ***** ***** expansion *** ******** ******** design *************. ****** ********* hardware *** ******* **** typically ************* ******** ***** when ******** ** ****** more ******* ** *** primary ********.
  • *****:******* ***** ** *** Cloud ********* (** **********) the **** *** ******** storage. *******, ******** ****** use ********* *** ***** recording *** ** **** during ** ******** ******. There *** **** ********* limitations ** *** ****** of ******* **** *** upload ***** ** *** cloud, ***** ** ******** bandwidth. **** *** ***** is ******** ** *** cloud, ** *** ********* be ****** ******** ******* connecting ** *** ***** cameras/gateway.

*********

************ ***** *** ** analyzed ** ******** ** determine ** ** ******** motion, * ******, *******, recognizes * ****, ***** a ******* *****, ***.

******** *********** ** ********** with *** ***** ****** and *** ** **** to ******* ******** *****, trigger ******, ** ** saved ** ******** ********** when ********* *** *****.

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*** ********* ** *** 4 ******* ********* ***:

  • ******:******-***** ********* *** ** more ******** ******* **** can ** ********* ** low ***********, ****-******* *****, before ********. *******, ******** processors ******** *** ******** analytics **** ********* **** limited ** ********* ******* and/or *********** ************ (*.*. LPR/ANPR).
  • ********:********* ***** ** * recorder ********* ****** *** a **** ******** ********* than * ****** ****** could *****, ***** ** used *** *** ******* connected ** *** ********. Also *** ********* *** immediately ********** **** *** viewing ********. *******, ******** manufacturers ** *** **** to ****-******* *** ******** to **** *** ********'* price ***, *** ***** the ********* *** *******.
  • ******:********* ********* ********** *** built ** **** ********* analytics ********** **** *********, and ********* ******* ******-**** components. *******, ******-***** ********* add *********** **** *** can ** ***** *** power-intensive.
  • *****: ********* ***** ** the ***** ****** ********* the ******** *********** ** recorders ** *******, *** provide **** ******** *********. However, ***** **********, ************ public ***** ******* (******, Google), *** ** **** expensive. *****-***** ********* ******** typically **** ******* $**-$** per ****** *** *****. Moreover, ******** ****** *** will ******** *** *** limit *** ****** ** cameras **** *** ** analyzed.

**********

************ ****** ********** ******* only ******** ***** *** view ***** *** ** is ****** *** *** correct ****** ** ****. It *** **** ******* camera ************* *** ****** health.

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*** ********* ** *** 4 ******* ********* ***:

  • ******:******-***** ********** ******** **** system ***** ******* ********** any ******* ** ********. Additionally, ****** ************* ********* provide * **** ******** configuration **** *** ******** settings. ***** *** **** savings ** *** ********** a ********/***, *** **** is ******** ******* ** very ***** ******* *** to ********* **********.
  • ********:**** ****** ********* ********** complexity ** ********** ******** cameras ******* * ****** box, ********* **** * lower **** **** ***. Recorders *** **** **** feature *********** ******** ** VMS. *****-******** ******* ********* require **** ****** ** be ******* ** * standalone ****** ** ***** a *** ****** ** connect ** **** ********.
  • ***:**** ****** * ****** point ** ********** ****** multiple *******/*********, ***** **** a **** ********** ** directory ******. **** ***** also ***** ********** **********, supporting ****** ******* ** the **** ********** ****** fails. **** ***** **** an ********* **** ******** to ********** *********.
  • *****:**** ********* ****** ******* global ********** ** * standard *******, ***** **** offering ****** ****** ** cameras *** ******* ******* proxy/direct *** **********. ***** some ***** ***** **** service **** ** ************ cost, ***** ********** ** typically ********** **** ***** subscription ****. ** **** many ***** ******* **** limited ******** ******** ** traditional *****.

*******

************ ***** ** ****** by **** **** ***** (e.g. ******** ******, *************, facilities ********) *** **** monitoring *** ********* *** incidents. ************ ***** ** typically ********* ** ******** that *** ** *** on * ** ** phone, ******* ********** ******** decoders *** **** ** used.

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*** ********* ** *** 4 ******* ********* ***:

  • **/***********:*** **** ****** ****** for ******* *****, * software ** ***-***** *********** authenticates ***** *** ******* video. ** ******** ***** may ******** ************* ** the ****** ** ******* viewed *********, ** **** applications ********* *** ******** accelerated ********.
  • ***** ****:******** ******* *** **** to *********** **** ******* across * ** ******** panels. ********-***** ***** ***** are **** ********* *** required *********** ***** ** install. *** ******-***** ***** walls *** **** ********* but ***** ******* ********* GPU ******* *** ********** setup.
  • *****:******** ***** ******** **** PC ** ***** ****, phone ******* ********* ******* 1-4 **** ************ **** views, *** ***** ********* search *************. **** ***** clients ** *** ***** analytic ********* *** **** limited ***** ****** ********.
  • ****** **** ********:********* ** ********* ******** by *** ******* ****** (e.g. **** *********, *** terminals), ***** ***** ********* of ***-******** ***** **** an **** ** *********. Typically ***** *** ******** decoders ** ***** ***, and ******* *-* *******.

Common ************ *************

*** * **** ****** surveillance ************* ** **** are ***, **********, *** Closed-Cloud.

*****/****** ******** (***) ******* typically *** ***-**** ** cameras **** ********-***** *******. Recorders **** ** ***** systems *** **** ********* low-cost *** *** **** for **********, *** ** not ***** *********. ***/************ are **** *** ******* live *** ******** *****:

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********** ******* ********* **** higher ****** (***+) ** IP ******* **** ******-***** storage *** *** * VMS *** **********. *********** server-based ********* *** **** common **** ****** ** cloud-based ********* *** ********** to ******* ** ***, video *****, ****** *** public **** ********:

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****** ***** ******* ******** include **** ******** ** the ** ******* ** the ****, ********* **-*** days ** *******. ** analytics *** ********** *** provided ** *** *****. Monitoring ** ********* ******** by * ***-***** ******* client *** ****** ***:

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Comments (10)

Avatar

Ian Ginsberg

02/19/20 01:48pm

*** **** ******** ** a ****** ******** *** per-link ******* ************ ******** of *** ***** ******?

Mark Adams

In reply to Ian Ginsberg | 02/19/20 10:13pm

** *** ****** ** the ******, ***'** ******** a ******* *****. ** send **** ** *** NVR, ***'** ***** ********, which *** * ******* range **** ** *** were ******* ** ****** video ****** *** ****.

Avatar

Ian Ginsberg

In reply to Mark Adams | 02/26/20 02:58pm

** *** ********** ***** made ** ******* ****** and *******. * *** thinking ******* ****, ********** (encoded) ** *** **********. So **** ***** **** since. ***** ***.

Peter Collins

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Ian Ginsberg | 02/27/20 06:36pm

*** "*** ****" ******** is *******. ******* ******* can ** *********** ( ie ******** *****) , so *** ** **** large ********* - ** around *** *****. ******** amplifiers ********* **** *** distortion ** ****** ** repeaters ** ******* ****** signal *********** ****** *** signal ** ** ****.

arlin pedrick

02/29/20 09:53pm

****** *** ************ ** different ** ******* *** in ********* **** ********** power ****** *** ************ network *******?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to arlin pedrick | 02/29/20 11:16pm

*****, **** ******** / thought. ***, ** ***** situations (************ ******* *******), storage ** ***** ***** inside ** *** ****** or **** ******* ********* at *** ****. ********** power ****** ******** **** form ** ******* ****** / ***, ***** ** did *** ***** ** this *** *** ** certainly **** ** **** systems - *******,*** ****** ***** *** Surveillance *****

Amr Zaki

IPVMU Certified | 03/02/20 07:07pm

******** ** * ** a *** ********- ** the ******** ******** / preference ** ** **** an *** + *********** NAS ** *** *** storage ** ******* ** hard ****** ** *** NVR ** ***** ***** losses ?

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Amr Zaki | 03/23/20 06:49pm

**** ******-*** **** **** accept ******** ****** *** capable ** ******* **** in ****. * *** would ** *********** ****** you **** ******* ******* capacity ****** **** *** NVR *** *******. * NAS ***** **** ** used ***** *** **** a ******/***** ** ******* an *********** *** ******* sufficient ******* ** ******.

Andrew Hurley

IPVMU Certified | 03/23/20 05:07pm

** ******* ***** *** to *** ***** ************ and *** ********, **** informative ******* *** *********** to *** *** ********* architectures, *** *** **** are ***** ** * fundamental *********. ***** ** see *** ************* ** it ******** ** * companies *****, ******, ***********, nature *** ***** ** work, ***.

Avatar

Pablo Bertucelli

04/08/20 08:33pm

** *** *********, **** the ************* ***** ******* cameras *** ********* *** not **** ********, *** can **** ** * redundant ********* ********. ******* (IP) *** **** ***** SD ***** *********, *** when *** ********** ** NVR ** ****, **** record ** *** ***** cards. **** *** ***** are ********, *** ****** updates *** *** ** sending, ** ******** **** the ******* *****, *** stored *******. **** ** called *** (********* ******* Replenishment) *** **ยด* **** useful *** ******** ***** cameras *** **/*** ** Wifi **** ******* ***** may **** ********* ******* drops.

* **** **** *** also **** ******* ****** NVRs ** ********, *** central ***. *** *** save ** **** ********* (sometimes **** *** ***** quality ********* ** *** central ****) *** ** there ** * ** link ******* ****, *** remote *** **** **** when ** **** ** back.

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