Axis Guardian - Cloud VMS And Alarm Monitoring - Released

Published Jun 19, 2018 13:10 PM

Axis has struggled to deliver a cloud-based managed service video platform. Video service providers have utilized AVHS for over a decade, and have gained minimum traction as IPVM warned 7 years ago. Primarily because of its overly complex business model, where Axis provided the camera hardware and backend software, but not the hosting, storage or client interface.

Now, Axis has introduced an end to end cloud-based VMS called Axis Guardian, aiming to succeed where AVHS did not.

In this note, we review this new offering from Axis based on:

  • Solution Overview
  • Pricing
  • Central Monitoring / Video Verification Focus
  • Perimeter Defender / Guard Suite Recommendations
  • Networking Test Tools
  • Camera Support
  • Non-Camera Device Support
  • Outlook

Solution ********

******** ** * ****** *****-***** ***** management ******* ********* ******** ** ***** and ***** ************ *********.

**** ********* ******** ** * ******-**** solution, with ** **-**** ******* ** ***** hardware ********. ******* *** ******** ********* to *** ******-****** ******** ******* ***** their ***********-***** *************. ***** ********* ** ********* ** onboard ** ****, ********* ***, ***** NAS, ***/** *********** ** *** ******** servers.

**** **** ***** ******* *** ***** access *********** *** ***** *******, ** doors *** ** ********** *** ***** answered *** ********.

***** *** * ********* ***-****** ********** to *** ******:

  1. *** **** ********* - ******** ********* ** traditional *** *** ******
  2. ********** ******** - ******* ********* ** Alerts / ***** ***** *************

***** ********** **** **** ******* ******* device ********** *** ****** **********. ***/******* ****** app **** **** ** *********.

**** ************* ********* ***** **** ** white ***** ******* *** *** *** and ****** ************, ******* ** ****.

Central ***** ********** / ***** ************ *****

**** ***** ** **** ******** ******* alarm ************ ********** ********* *** ***** dealers.

** ******, ******** ** ********** ********** ***,**********, ****** ************* ********** *******, *** **** **** plan ** *** ******* *** ****.

**** ** * ********* ******** **** most ** ***** *********** ***** ************ competitors *** ********** *** **** **** could ******* **** **** **** *******.

************* *** ****, *** ***** ************ market ** ********* ** ********* *****-********* industry, *** ***** ******* ***** **** it ********* ******* ******* ****** ******* versus ***-**** ******* ******** ************.

Perimeter ******** *** ******* ******* / ***** *****

**** ** ************ *** *** ** their********* ***************** **** **** ************* *** ******* **********, *** *** Axis ***** ***** *** ****** **********.

*********** ***** ****** ********* ** ********* for ********** ******-***** ***** *********, *** alarm ************ *** ******* ********** ****** be ********* ** ***** ***** *********.

Networking **** *****

**** **** ** ********* ***-****** ********** tools ** **** *********** ********* *** suitable *** ********'* ******* *** ******** connection *** *** ****** ***** ************.

*** ************* *** ********** ** ***** tools **** ** ******** ** ********** traditional ***** ******* **** *********** *** number ** ******* **** *** ** supported ** *** ********* ******** ******* infrastructure.

Camera ******* ******* ** ***** (** *****)

******** **** *** ** ********** *** full ***** ** **** ******* **** launched. ******* **** * ********** ****** than ***** ********* ******* ** *****-****** cameras *** *** *********. **** ********* they **** **** ** ********** ** the ********* ****** **** ***** *** service *** **** ** ***** *** a ****** ** ****.

*** ******** ********* **** **** *** support *** ***** *******, ******* ***** or *** ****** ****** *******. **** will *********** ** * *********** ******* for **** ********* *** *** *** willing ** **** *** *** ** their *******, ** **** *****, ******* have **** ******* ** ***** *** find *** ***** ******* *** *** on *** ********* ****.

*** ******* **** ** ******* ********* by ******** **** *******:

  • ****** *** ******* ***** **** *******
  • ****** *** ******* *** *******
  • ****** *** ******* ********* **** *******
  • ******* *** *******
  • ******* ******* *******
  • ******* ********
  • ****** ***********/***** *********
  • ********* *********

** ********* **********, ******** **** **** support **** **** *********:

  • ********* ********
  • ***** *****
  • ****** *******
  • ***** ****** ********* *

Non-Camera ******* *********

** *** ********* ******* **** *********, Guardian **** **** ******* *** ********* Recorder, *********, *** **** ***********. **** stated **** ***** ******* **** ** remotely ******* ******* *** ******** *********.

**** **** **** **** *** ********* can ******** ** ***** ** *** Central ********** ******* *** ********* *** use *** ******** *** ****** *** 2-way ***** *** ********* *** **** for *****.

*******

**** *****, **** ***** *** **** MSRP ** ********* ******* *** ********, citing **** *********** **** ******* **** not *** **** *****. **** ** positioning ******** (*** ***** *** *** cameras) ** ** ******** **** *** alarm ********* ***** ********** *****.

******** **** ** **** ** * package *****:

  • **** ******* ********* **** *******
  • ***** ******* ******** (****** ***** ** the ****** ** ***** *********)
  • ***** ********** *******

**** ** ******* *********'* *********************'* ************ ***** ***** ****** **** ******* with **** ******* ****, *** ***** Storage ******* ***** **** *********. ********** does *** ***** ***** ******* ********** pricing. ******** **** *** ****** *** extra **** *** ***** ******* ***********.

*******

*** **** **** *** **** **, no ****** ************ ** ******* ******** dominates *** ********, *** **** ** a ***** **** ******* *** ****. Guardian ** ** ***-**-*** ******** *** eliminates *** ********** *** ******** ***** of ****.

*** *** **** *** **** **, no ******* *** **** ****** ********** at ****** ****** **** **** - it ** * ***** **** ***** offering. ******* ********** ***** ******* *** have ** ******** *** ********** ** selling *** ********** ******** ** * different ******** **** **** ** *** competition, ** **** *** ***** *** price ******.

Comments (15)
FP
Faisal Pandit
Jun 20, 2018
Johnson Controls

Consider mention of Smartvue. They were the first in this space and have been providing cloud VMS commercially since 1999. Now part of Johnson Controls. Disclosure that I work for JCI.

(3)
Avatar
Sean Patton
Jun 20, 2018

Thank you for the input Martin.

Note: We have 2 recent posts covering SmartVue as well:

Smartvue VSaaS / Cloud Video Profile

JCI / Tyco Security Acquires Smartvue

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Jun 20, 2018

Consider mentioning it why? It's an article on Axis? 

(1)
(1)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Jul 04, 2018

Cloudvue.com was created in 2007.
Smartvue.com was created in 2000.
Are you providing cloud VMS since 1999? Or your company was founded in 1999?
Azure was announced in 2010 and s12.cloudvue.com is hosting by Azure. Could you provide what cloud service was smartvue using before Azure?

FP
Faisal Pandit
Jul 05, 2018
Johnson Controls

We have been providing cloud VMS since 1999. Smartvue was originally founded under the name Security Data Networks. Our first cloud video surveillance service was launched under the name of Microsentinel and we charged $19.95 a month for the service. Here is a mention of the product and our service in the Washington Post dated January 1999: https://wapo.st/2tX1PDP. We used to host the service ourselves, but to achieve the scalability and security our customers required, we moved to the Microsoft Azure network. With that said we also offer the services on Amazon, Google, and for resellers to privately host. Disclosing that I am with Smartvue - which is now Johnson Controls. 

U
Undisclosed
Jun 21, 2018

So Axis^^^^Canon has a video cloud thing.  Not the same as Milestone^^^^^^^^^Canon's video cloud thing.  And only kinda sorta competing with their customers.  But only sold to central station players.  So most of us would never see it.  Only slightly less weird than if you told us Axis has bought the assets of SAAB and is coming out with an all-white front wheel drive car (supported by OnVIF of course.)

 

Did you test it?  Did you trace it's network traffic?  Does it have it's act together when it talks to the cloud?

(3)
Avatar
Sean Patton
Jun 21, 2018

This was just an announcement, we have not tested it.

(1)
Avatar
Sean Patton
Jun 21, 2018

We certainly plan to test it but it was just announced 48 hours ago. Expect a test report in the next few months.

U
Undisclosed #2
Jul 03, 2018

"Axis plans to sell Guardian through alarm verification monitoring companies and their dealers."...  this has always been a concept that Axis does not understand and hence why AVHS did not reach its potential... a true SaaS services has no need and no margin for a middle man.

(1)
Avatar
Sean Patton
Jul 03, 2018

Are you suggesting they sell direct to end users? I just want to clarify your comment.

U
Undisclosed #3
Jul 03, 2018

Perhaps I read too fast...

Who is Axis's cloud provider?

AWS?

Microsoft?

IBM?

Oracle?

Google?

Alibaba?

Thanks!

Avatar
Sean Patton
Jul 03, 2018

Axis is using Amazon (AWS).

JH
John Honovich
Jul 20, 2018
IPVM

The Guardian datasheet says "Average bitrate (measured over 24 hours) must not exceed 450 kbps, peaks allowed"

Is that per camera, per site? Why is it set at 450kps?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #5
Apr 08, 2020

Has Axis released pricing on Guardian?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #6
Apr 14, 2020

Yes, pricing is available to Axis dealers. There are a number of video central station businesses in the US who support Axis Guardian as one of their offerings, with varying degrees of monthly charges for Video Guarding, an alternative to traditional alarm systems.