***** ********** ***** ******* "***** ****** ***** to *** ********** ***** ******** *****".
********* ** ******, ***** ***** ** their ********** *********, **** ** *** and *************, ************* *** ******* ******** and "***** ****** ** **** **** have ***** **** **** ******." **** are ****** ** ******* ** ***** surveillance, ***** ***** *** ****** ** the ****.

** ********* * ****** ******* (******,****) *** *** ********, *** ** this ******, ** ******* ******'* **** strengths *** ******* ********** *********:
- **** *** ******** ***** ********* ***********
- ****** ************* ************
- ********** *** ******* *******
- ****** ****** ************ *******
- *****/***** ************ ***********
- *****-***** *********** *******
- ******** *** ******** *******
- *******
- ********** ** *******
Executive *******
******'* *** ********* ******* ** *** testing, **** **** *********** **** ******* and ****** ********, *** ** ******** or ********** ******. *******, ****** ******* and ********* *** **** *********, *** yearly ************ **** ** **** ** more **** **** ********** *** ********* licenses. ****, ****** ** ******* **** common *** ******** **** ******* ********, video ********* *** **** ***** **********. Atypical *** * *****-***** ***, *** mobile *** ** ******* ** ******* live ***** **** * ****** ******, not ******** ***** ********.
***** ********* ********* **** ** ***** conditions *** *** *** ******* **** at ***** ** **** ****** **** partially ********** ** *** ***** ** view.
****** **** ** **** ********** ** end ***** **** **** ****** ******* hardware *** ******* ****** ***** **********, and **** ** *** ******* ** their *******. *** ******* *** ***** cloud ********** *** ** **-******* ******/*******, Meraki ** **** ** ****** **** significant **** *********** ** **. ******* to*******, *** *********** *************, ****** **** *** ******* *** cloud *** ******* ***** *******, ** if * ****** ** ******* ** stolen, *** ******** ***** ** *** camera ** ****.
VMS *********
****** *** ******* ******** ********* ****** from ***** *** ** ******-***** ***** analytics, ******** ************ *** ****** ****** as *** ********* ** *** ********:
- ****** ******
- ****** ********* ** ***** ********
- ****** ****** *********
- ****** *** *********
- ******** *** ****** ********
- *-****** **************
- ******** ******* **** ******
- ******* ******* *********
VMS **********
****** *** ******* *********** ******** **** are ******* ** ******** ******** ** conventional *****:
- ****** ********* ** *****
- ****** ********* **** ********* **********
- ******* ****** ***
- ** *********** ****** ******
- **** **** ******* *******
- ** *****-***** ****** ** ***** ************
- ******* ***** ************ ******* ********
- *-* ******* ******* ** ***** *******
Overview *****
*** ********* *-****** ***** ********* *** Meraki *** ****** *** *******, ************ strengths *** **********:

People ********* ********* **** ** ***** ********
******'* *** ********** ** ******* ***** people ********* ********* ********* ** *** camera, *** ** ****** *****. ** ideal ******** **********, ****** ********* ********* well, **** ** ***** ****** ******, and ** ***** ********* *** ** lighting *******, *******, ***. ****** ****** a "**** ******" ******* ***** ******** any ****** ******** ** ******** *****:

People ********* ******** ** ***** *** **********
*** **** ********* **** ******** ** Meraki's ****** ********* ******* ** ******, or ****** ********* *** *** ******** (but ******* *** ********** ** ***** present) *** ********* ********** ******.
** **** *******, ****** ****** ** detect * ****** ******* ******* *** parking ***, ***** **** *** ******* visible, *** ******* ******** ** ***** of *** ******:

** **** *******, *** ****** ******** and **** **** ********* ** *** person **** *** ***** **** *** covered:

****** **** **** **** ***** ** these ***********, ****** *** ****** ********* is * "****" *******, *** ***** analytic ****** **** ** ******* *** trained **** ********** ********.
Limited ****** ***
******'* ****** *** ****** ******-****** **** viewing, ******** *** ********* *********, ******** cameras, ***. ** **** *** ***** video ********, *********** *******, ** ****** snapshots.

****** **** **** *** ****** *** will ** ********* ******* ** ******** its ************* *** ***** *****, *******, they ***** **** **** ********* ****** the ****** *** ** ** **** for ******* ************* *** ****** ************.
Flexible **** **** *******
********* * ******** *** ***-***** *****, Meraki's ***** **** ****** *** ***** performed ****, *** ******** *** ********* bandwidth ***** ** *** ****** ** cameras ****** *** ******* ******:

2-Factor ************** (***) ******* *****
******'* *** *** ***** ** *** up *** ****** *** *** ***-***** authenticator *******. ****** **** ****** *** user ******* ************* *** ******** ****** configuration *** ***** *******. ****** *** does *** ****** *** *** **** all ***** ** ****** *******, ** can ******* ******* ****** *** ******* malicious ***** **** ********** ** ****** the ****** (**** *-****** ************** ******).

Dynamic ******* *********
******* ***** ******* ** ******* *** cameras, **** **********, ******* *** ********* type (********** ** ******) *** *******, the ****** ********* *********** ******* *** estimated **** ** *********:

****** **** **** ***** ****** ****** recording ***** @***** ********** ****** ****** 7 **** ** ******** *****, *** also ***** **** *** ******* ** pushing **** ***** ** ***** ********, and **** ***** ****** ***** ********* which ******* *** ***** ******* ****** detection ***** * ****.
****** *******, ** **** ***** ****** recording ** * *** ********** ******** over * ***** ** *****.
System ****** *********
* ****** ******* ******** **** ****** network ********** ******, *** ****** ********* displays ****** ********** ******, *** ****** feedback *** ******* **** *** ** online *********, **** *** **** **** offline ************:

Limited **** ***** ********* ** ******** ** ***
****** ******* *** *******, ****** ****** local ******* ** **** *****. ** the ********* ******** ***** ******** ************:
- ***** **** ****** ******* ** **** camera (********* ********** *********)
- ***** *** ******* **** ** **** to ******** ******* **** ******* ** local *******
- ******** ***** ****** ** ******* ****** be ****** *******
- ********** ***** ****** ** ***** *** be ****** ********
**** ********* ******** ** *** ******, the *** ******** * ***** ********* (instead ** * ***** ****):

High ******* **** ***** *******/***** ****** ***
**** ********* ** *** **** *******, Meraki ****** *** ****** *********** **** a ******* ** *-* *******.
*******, ******* ***** ***** ******* ** a *-* ****** *****, ********** ** video ******* ** ********** ********:

**** ** *-** ****** **** ***** streams **** ******* *** *******.
No *********** ****** ******
****** ****** * ****** ******, *** for ********* *****. **** ***** ****** is **** ** ******** ** ******* devices, *******, **** ******* ** ********, watermarking, ** ******** ** *** ***** once ** ** ********. ************, ******* Meraki **** *** **** * ***** file ******, ***** ** ** *****-****** playback **** *** ***** ** ********.
****, ********* ***** ** ** .*** is * *-**** ******* ** ********* from *** ****** ** *** ***** and **** *********** *** ***** **** the ***** ** * ***** **. There ** ** ******-****-****** ******** ******.
**** ********** *** ********* ******* * video ******** ****** **** * ********** player. ******* ************ ** ********* **** an ****** **** ***** * *********** video ******.
No *** / ******* / ***** ******* *******
****** **** ********** **** ********** **** *** ***** * ***, fisheye, ** ***** ********. ****** **** they *** ******** ** ******* *** and ******* ****** ****** ***** ** customer *******, *** ***** *** ******* a ********.
No *****-***** ****** ******* ** ***** ************
****** **** ********** *****, ****** **** not ******* *** *** ***** ****** control ** ***** ************. **** ***** they *** **** ** *****-***** *** integration ** ***** ******* *** ** not **** *** ****** ************ **** could ****.
No ***** / *** ***** ****** *******
****** **** *** ******* ***** ** direct ****** ******* *** *** ***-***** cameras.
DHCP ******* ****
****** ******* ** *** ************* ** *********. ****** *********** ***** **** **** MAC ************ ** **** ******* **** IP ******* ** ********.
Web ****** **** *********
****** ******* ** *** **** ** accessible *** ****** ********* ***** ** most *********** ** ******* *** **** for ************* *** ****** ************** (********* passwords, ** *******, ***). ***** **** have * *** ****** **** ******** at *****://, ** ******* in * ******* *** ********** ** the "******" ******* ******* ** ** endless **** ******* ****.

****** **** ***** ** *** *** are **** *** ****** *** ***** streaming. **** **** *** ******* *** individual ******** ****** *** ************, *** all ****** ************** ******* *** ****** connections.
Software ****** **********
****** ************* ******* *** *** ********, adding ******** ************* ***** *-* ***** and ********* ***** ******* *** *** fixes ******. ******* ******** ******* **** follow **** ********, *** *** ** scheduled ** ***** ************ ********:

*******
****** ***** * **** *******, ****** and *******, **** ** ***** **********. MSRP ****** *** ****** *****, ****** distribution ******* *** ~**% ***** **** MSRP:
- **** - ****** ***** **** ******* Dome: $***-$*,***
- **** - ****** ***** ********* **** Camera: $*,***
- **** - ****** **** ********* **** Camera: $*,***
- **** - ******* ***** ********* **** Camera: $*,***
- **** - ******* **** ********* **** Camera: $*,***
***** ***** ****** ***** ***** ******* storage, **** ****** ***** *****.
****** *** ****** ************ ********* ** required, *** ******** **** ****** *** $300 *** * ****, $*** *** 3 *****, $*** *** * *****, and ** ** $*,*** *** * 10-year ********. **** **** ~$*** *** camera *** *-**** ************* **** ***.
***** ****** *** **** *** ***** cameras *** ************* ****** **** **** traditional ****** *************, ***** ***-$*** ******* are *********. ************, *** ****** ************ costs ** **** ** **** **** many ********** *** ********* ********. ***** costs **** ** *** **** **** account ******** *****.
Compared ** *******
**-****** ************* ******* *******'************* ** *********** * ***** ** Meraki's, ** **** **** ***** **** analytic *******, **** ******* ******* ** primary ***** *********, ******* ****** ****-**-*** web-based *****. **** ******* *** *********, Verkada **** ***** * ******** ***** range ** ******* (**** *******, *** dome, ***), *** ******'* ********* ******** better *** *** ***** **** *** limitations.
******* ************ ******* ** **** ********* (~30% **** **** ** * ****** basis), *** ** ***** ** * growing ******* *****, ***** ****** ** nearly **-***** ***, *** *** *** backing ** *****, ** ** *****.
Comments (18)
Bas Poiesz
Nice comprehensive article Sean!
Any thoughts on how Cisco should be viewed when taking cyberissues into account?
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Simon Lambert
This could hardly be better timed :) Thanks, guys.
I'm gobsmacked. Doesn't this revelation mean that one of the main possible advantages of cloud storage is not met? Off-site mirror. This is often cited by our clients (and numerous VaaS services) as a strong reason for rejecting 'traditional' on-site NVRs. I may be such an old git that I'm overlooking something here...
I must admit, I was hoping to see tests on image quality, IR patterns at night, WDR effectiveness, etc. Put simply, do these cameras perform well against other big names? At this price they should be absolutely marvellous ;) Any plans for tests such as these soon?
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Simon Lambert
The more I learn about Meraki, the more I'm both gobsmacked and flabbergasted.
I've got some UK prices this week (which I won't divulge as that would betray the confidentiality with which they were given) for hardware, camera licence (English spelling!) and cloud recording licence (because losing the recording if you lose the camera seems like madness).
The hardware is eye-wateringly expensive compared with (probably) better alternatives from long-trusted manufacturers. The yearly camera running costs are jaw-droppingly high when compared with the one-time licences that come with 'traditional' cameras. If the annual camera licence is X, then the cloud storage for 90 days is 2.5X, giving recurring costs of 3.5X every year if you want each camera to not become a brick(!), which seems outrageous compared with the many alternative services that are available, and that are not 'closed' systems.
A bit harsh? I'm hoping to get my hands on a real example, and I'll be happy to stand up and revise my thoughts if I am mistaken here.
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Fletcher Williams
Does it offer the option to only record on motion? I don't see that in the screenshot where it calculates the retention period.
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Fletcher Williams
Thank you Sean and George.
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Undisclosed Integrator #2
Has anyone come across special education pricing ? I'm told by a trusted IT manager at a district school board in Canada that Cisco is offering a per camera price of $1500 on a five year subscription- 30 days storage per camera.
This price INCLUDES the camera/less installation
That is hard to beat if true.
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