The IP Camera Lock-In Trend: Meraki and Verkada
Open systems and interoperability have become core features of video surveillance systems, as virtually all professional IP cameras integrate with various 3rd parties for recording, analysis, and management. In addition to IP camera manufacturers working hard to get 3rd parties to integrate, ONVIF has become the de facto standard with more than 11,000 devices now officially ONVIF conformant.
However, 2 Silicon Valley companies are countering that trend.
With Meraki and Verkada, you can use their IP cameras however you want and for as long as you want, as long as you keep paying them a monthly fee. Otherwise, the IP cameras that one has bought from them become bricks.
However, the companies argue to IPVM that there are compelling benefits from this model.
In this report, we examine the pros and cons of being locked into an IP camera/video surveillance service.
How ****** *** ******* *****
**** *** **** ****** ** ******* cameras, *** **** ***/******** ***** ********** cloud ******* ** **** *** ****** video. ** *** **** *** *** for **** ** ***** ****** *** this, *** ******* *** ** ****** be ****** *** ***** ********.
How ************ ** ******* ************** ****
**** *** **** ************ ** *******, typically *** *** ****** **** ***** the ****** ************'* *** ***** ********** offering ** ***** * ***** *****. Often, *** ****** ************'* *** ***** management ****** ******** ** ***** ** deeper ***********, *******, *** ****** *************** but *** *****/**** *** ****** ***** companies ***** ********** ***** *** ** camera's *** *** ** *****. ** cameras *** ***** **** **** *** party ***** ********** *** **** ******** features, *************** ** ** ****** *** a ******* ** ******* **** ********* manufacturers ** * ****** ********** ********.
Contrast ** ******** ** ****** *****
***** ******** ** ******* **** ** their ****************, **** **** ** ** more ******* ** *** ****** ** Verkada ********. *** *******, ** *** buys * *****, ****, ****, ***. IP ******, *** *** ********* **** monitor ** *** ***** *** ****/*******. However, **** ** *** **** *** pay ***** ********* ***** ** ** ongoing *****, **** ********** ** ********* still ******** ****. ****, *** ******* tend ** ** ******* *** ******* as ** ** ******** ***********.
Pros ** *** ****** *** ******* ********
******* ********* ** **** *** ******** **** see *** ***** ********:
*********, *** ******** ** ** ***-**-*** system & **** *** **** **** 3rd ***** *****. ** ******* **** point ****** ** *** ***** **** of *** *******, *** ********** ******* our ***** ******** ****** ****** **** pattern ** **** ** ********** *** following *****:
- ***-**-*** ********** *** *** ** *** box ********
- ******* ******** ********** (*** ********* ** other ********)
- ****** ******* ***********
- ******** & ******** **** *** ***** to **** ********
- ******** ******** & ******** *******
- ** **** *** *** ******** & integrators ** ****** ***** ******** *******
- ************* ** **** ******* ********
**** ** *** ****** ******** **** rely ** ***** **** & ***** control ** *** ****** *******:
- ****** / ******* *********
- ****** ************* **** ***** *******
- ***** *********** *** / ******* *** Apple ** ***********
- ***** ****-********
****** ********* *** ******** *** ********* for ***** ****** ******:
*** ***** ****** ** ******* **** developed ** **** **** *** ****** cloud ** ******* * ************ ******** that ** **** **** ** *******, configure, *** ******. **** ** ******** with ** ********, *******, ** ******** beyond *** ****** ****** *** ** the ***-**-*** *********** ** *** ** camera **** *** ****** *****. **** means ** ** *** ******* *** party ***** ******* ********* **** ** ONVIF, ** ******* ******** ***** ******* such ** ****. ******* ** ** provide * **** ******* *** ** standards ***** **** (***** **** *** MQTT) *** ********* ** ********* ***** MV ****** ******* **** ***** ******** systems, *** ******* ****** *******, ****, 3rd ***** *********, *** ******** *******. Some ******* ************* *** ** ***** here: *****://******.******.
**/*****/**-*****- *************/ ********* **** **** ** **** ******** 3rd ***** *** ******* ******* ********* such ** ***** ******* *********, *** resulting ********** ** ***** **** ********, more ********* ** *******, *** ******* the ***** ******** ********* **** * single ****** ******. ********* **** ********* that *** ********** ** *** ***** system ******* ** **** ***-****** ******* e.g. ****** ******* & ****. **** are ******* ** ****** ******* **** only **** **** *** ****** ************** IF ** ******* **** *** *********** with ***** *******. ***** ** **** feedback, **** ** ***** ** **** focused *** *********** *********.
Mixed ******** ******
***** ***** *** ********* ******** ** using *** **** ******** *** ** cameras *** ***, ********* ************ ***** surveillance ********* ***** ****, **** **, they **** ******* ** '***-**-*** ********', pitching *** ******** (**** ******* ** Meraki *** *******) *** **** **** allow *** **** *** ****** ** use *** ***** *******. ** ****, even *** ****** *** *******, **** is *** ******** *********. **** ***** readily ***** *********** ** **** *****.
Cons ** *** ****** *** ******* ********
**** ** **** ****** ******** *******:
- ****** *** ***** *******: *** **** does ****** *** ******* *** ***** their ******* ** **** ** *** party *******, *** *** ***** ******* also ****** **** ** ***** ******. This ****** ****** ** **** * few ****** **** ***** ********* **** unless **** **** ** *** * separate *******, *** *** *** **** cameras *** *** *** *** ****** Meraki ** ******* ****.
- ********* *** ** ******** ******** **** these ********* ** *** *******: ******* the ******* *** ******, *** **** has ** *** ** *** ** those ***************, ******* ******** *** ***** cameras.
- ******** **** *** *******: ** ****** or ******* **** ******** **** ***** service, ****** ** ***** ** ***********, accessibility ** *** ********, *** ****'* only ******** ** ** ***** ***** cameras **** *** *** *** **** if **** **** ** *** * different ****** ** *******.
- ******* ** *** *************** ** ***** providers: **** *** **** *** *****, these ********* *** ** *** *** develop ** *** **** **** ** competitors. ** **** ** ***, *** user ****** ****** ** ******* ******** unless **** ***** *** ******* ****.
- ******* **** *** ******* ***** *** of ********: ******* ** * ******* and ******** **** * **** **** of *******. ***** ** ******* ***** to ** *** ** ********, ** is ****** ************* * **** ****.
Business ******** ** ****** *** *******
*** **** ******** ******* ** **** essentially ******* ***** ********* *** ******* payments **** ********* *** **** ***** to **** (** *** ****** ***** the ******* **** ******). **** ********* profits *** *** *******'* *********. *** a ******** ** ******, **** ***** have ** *** *** *** ********* versus **** ****** *** ******* ******* for *** ******* *******. ** ****** and ******* ***** ** **** ****** (like ***** ** ****), *** ******** could **** ***** ****** *** ****** connect ** ******* ******* ** ******.
Business ******** ** ****** *** *******
** ********* *** ***** ** **** prior ** ******, ** *** ***** them ** ****** *********** **** **** them *** ****** ** ***** *** party *******. *** ******** **** ** that ****** *** ******* *** **** sales *** ********* **** ** *** want ** ** ****** **.
Vote / ****
*******
** ******* ****** *** ******* **** try ** **** ** ******** ** not ***** *** ***** ******* ***** the ******** ******** *** ****. ** do *** **** ** **** **** ever ***** ** **** ****** *** we ** ***** **** **** **** receive ***** ******** **** ************ ************ buyers *** ********* *** ***** ** having ** **** ****** *** ****** to ** ****** **.