The cloud on the horizon How to make the transition to cloud technology simple and easy
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CLOUD COMPUTING HAS TRANSFORMED ENTIRE INDUSTRIES. There are few organisations today with business models or products and services that aren’t influenced by the cloud. Now, the technologies available today allow us to
Yet, for many, the cloud and the terminology surrounding
rethink the way we design business systems, and video
it can be difficult to understand. Especially because the
management systems (VMS) in particular. Both on-premise
common understanding of ‘the cloud’ and its opportunities
and cloud-based VMS systems offer different benefits, and
is constantly evolving.
an organisation should consider what best meets its own needs. This white paper will help you make that choice.
To help you figure out the cloud and how it fits into your video management strategy, Milestone has created
According to Gartner, the cloud computing market is
this white paper. It will help you better understand the
expected to grow by 17% in 2020 to total $266.4 billion
opportunities for cloud computing (and its use cases), the
worldwide, up from $227.8 billion in 2019. As Gartner
benefits of using cloud computing, the security of the cloud,
reports, cloud adoption has become mainstream with many
how Milestone is embracing cloud computing, and the
next-generation solutions only accessible to businesses that
benefits of this move to end-users and resellers.
use the cloud. That’s why up to a third of total IT spend is on cloud investments - preparing many businesses for a cloud-first future. For example, the majority of smart city infrastructure will use the cloud to communicate, transfer, and analyse data to improve operations and public safety.
The cloud on the horizon
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WHAT IS THE CLOUD? Cloud computing, also known as the cloud, is the use of computing resources such as servers, databases, data storage, data analysis, networking, software applications, and automation/machine learning, over the Internet. This provides the ability to innovate and iterate more
It signals a big shift from the traditional way that business
quickly with less risk (due to scalable costs), scale
leaders think about IT resources, from the large upfront
operations more cost-effectively and flexibly, and benefit
investment needed for on-premise solutions to the
from economies of scale.
ongoing and flexible regular costs associated with different cloud solutions.
The types of cloud computing There are three types of cloud that organisations can use, public (available to anyone to purchase), private (IT
Public available to anyone to purchase
services are delivered over a private infrastructure for one organisation), and hybrid (a mix of the two). The vast majority of organisations use public cloud services like AWS (Amazon Web Services). In a recent survey, the number of respondents adopting the public cloud is 91%, while those using a private cloud is 72%. Some 69% of these
Private IT services are delivered over a private infrastructure for one organisation
respondents use at least one private and one public cloud solution, taking a hybrid approach. For the purposes of this white paper, we will focus on the public cloud, as it provides the global infrastructure, system performance, product innovation and scalability necessary to run a VMS effectively.
Hybrid a mix of the two
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WHY MOVE TO THE CLOUD? You may be wondering why your organisation should invest in cloud computing in the first place, especially if on-premise solutions have served you well for decades. Simply put, today’s cloud computing services are only the
shifting to cloud-only business models (30% of technology
beginning of what’s in store for business leaders. Forward-
providers’ new software investments were cloud-only in
thinking technology like automation, advanced data
2019). By failing to invest in the cloud, your organisation is
analysis, and artificial intelligence (AI) are underpinned by
writing itself out of many incoming innovations.
the cloud. This is why cloud computing is a top priority for many By 2022, Gartner predicts that the market size and growth
business leaders. More than a third of organisations see
of the cloud services industry will be three times the growth
cloud investments as a top-three investing priority.
of overall IT services. Some software vendors are already
Benefits are leading adoption The benefits of moving to the cloud are also encouraging
of computing resources can be provisioned in minutes,
more leaders to experiment with cloud technology. Cloud
taking the pressure off of capacity planning.
computing is scalable to each business’ needs, making it more cost-effective and responsive to up and downturns
The cloud computing services offered by Amazon run on a
in the market. Organisations only have to pay for the
worldwide network of secure data centres that are regularly
resources that they use. There is also a faster time-to-
upgraded. This gives greater performance compared to
market for mission-critical services and applications, and the
a single corporate data centre, as well as continuity and
ability to scale to new markets and locations. Vast amounts
reliability benefits. The cloud on the horizon
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THE CLOUD AND VIDEO MANAGEMENT Using the cloud for VMS usually removes much of the friction associated with cost, maintenance, and the hardware dependencies involved in setting up and maintaining an on-premise system. The cloud can provide the same, full-feature compatibility
Again, that’s not to say that the cloud will – or should –
as an on-premise VMS, with instant access to the power and
replace on-premise VMS completely. As has been made
storage necessary to run a system.
clear already, each approach has its benefits: what works for one organisation may not work for another.
A cloud-based VMS can also be dynamically scaled to meet an organisation’s needs, removing worries about capacity
Even then, it’s expected that cloud and on-premise solutions
planning, storage hardware, software maintenance or the
will overlap in various forms of converged and hybrid
‘heavy lifting’ often involved in installing an on-premise VMS.
set-ups that will serve to protect the investment made in
Lower total cost of ownership is also possible through the
on-premise video management technology and allow for
lower upfront capital costs moving to the cloud typically
optimum functionality and load distribution - while adding
provides, as well as the greater efficiency and utilisation it
elements of cloud capabilities.
can deliver.
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SECURITY AND THE CLOUD The major service providers invest significant sums in securing their data centres, both digitally and physically. This is because many have built their entire business on the same cloud platform. It makes security a top priority for cloud providers, any
that run AWS services. Its data centres are sited in different
breach will impact the core operations of the provider
locations around the world, while data is stored across
as well as any customers hosted on its cloud. This is why
different servers, with different power supplies, providing
the likes of Amazon invest billions in security research,
so-called ‘redundancy’ and allowing users to access their
innovation, and protection.
data at any time in the knowledge that it is safe and secure. What’s more, cloud providers’ systems and processes are
Cloud providers such as AWS are responsible for securing
often audited by third-parties as a way to instil confidence
the global infrastructure that underpins your cloud service,
and ensure compliance with a variety of global security
including the hardware, software, networking, and facilities
standards and regulations.
Cloud versus on-premise security
Up-to-date capabilities
Beyond this, the cloud offers higher security compared
The cloud’s infrastructure also makes security architecture
to on-premise networks that may have become overly complex as they have grown, and which typically incorporate aging IT infrastructure - creating vulnerabilities in the system. These networks tend to accumulate many different security technologies (more than 20 on average) that do not integrate or share a common management system. Making it difficult for an in-house IT team to maintain. Worse still, the various technologies may impede
changes much easier to implement. Whereas with an onpremise system, changing vendors or tool types is often difficult and expensive due to complexity, with the cloud, such capabilities are done ‘as a service’. This means that customers can easily trial new capabilities in their cloud environments to assess the suitability and effectiveness of each tool. Helping them to build effective and efficient security processes that are up-to-date with the latest
one another on threat detection and enforcement.
advancements and threats.
In comparison, cloud providers use the same security
Physical security
capabilities throughout their infrastructure, making it
Cloud data centres are highly physically secure. Certified
much harder for potential hackers to find and exploit
data centres have 24-hour monitoring, fingerprint locks,
vulnerabilities. Coupled with consistent patching and
and guards. Such data centres are more secure than
monitoring, this makes the solutions extremely well
almost all on-site data centres. Plus, because redundancy
protected and - if an intruder does manage to get in - data
is built in, business continuity is ensured regardless
is nearly always stored in an encrypted format that must
of physical threats like fire, earthquakes or other
be unscrambled to be of use. Essentially, the cloud gives
emergencies.
organisations of any size enterprise-grade security that may not have been affordable to them otherwise.
Covered by the cloud provider A final security benefit comes in costs and maintenance. When securing your data in the cloud, there are no costs to maintaining the facilities or hardware. This is done by the cloud provider. So, all you have to invest in is software-based security tools to monitor and protect the flow of information in and out of your cloud resources. The cloud on the horizon
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CLOUD BENEFITS TO END-USERS The benefits derived from using the cloud makes it particularly ideal for large and multi-site enterprises, as well as public organisations and those investing in smart city solutions. For end-users shifting to using a VMS in the cloud, there are several benefits to the move:
Investment shifts
Scalability
The cloud offers a reduced upfront investment (CAPEX
End-users will also benefit from greater scalability as new
- capital expenditure) as organisations don’t have to
resources can be provisioned within minutes if needed.
pay for server and storage hardware. Instead, ongoing
If demand suddenly spikes, with a cloud solution you
costs (usually monthly or annual) allow organisations
can quickly upscale to meet this new demand and then
to procure the hardware needed to operate but as an
downscale to regular levels when appropriate. In contrast,
operating expense (OPEX). This allows for variable costs
with an on-premise solution, you have to set a maximum
that scale with usage. Not having a CAPEX investment
workload level in advance and, once this ceiling is met,
can also improve cash-flow as there are more financial
it can take days if not weeks to provision the increased
resources available to invest in other areas. OPEX costs
resources. If these greater demands are no longer
are also more predictable and can be planned for. Plus,
required, the upgraded on-premise resources often have
with a CAPEX infrastructure investment (like with on-
to be retained.
premises solutions) you will often have to buy for your organisation’s maximum workload, instead of scaling to demand.
Global scalability is also easier. Multi-site installations, for example, can be rolled out in any of the cloud provider’s covered regions (for AWS this is North America, South America, Europe, China, Asia Pacific, South Africa, and the Middle East). Finally, devices and sites can be temporarily added to the service when needed and then taken down with minimal effort.
Cost-efficiencies
Increased hardware reliability and security
Users only have to pay for the computing power, storage
As discussed previously, moving to the cloud enables
and other resources used. This offers greater utilisation of
end-users to benefit from a cloud provider’s significant
resources and cost-efficiencies. Some operations such as
investment in security. The major providers have multiple
server maintenance and physical security are carried out
data centres across the globe and data can be mirrored
by the cloud provider, which provides further cost-savings
in more than one location, allowing for business and
for the end-user.
information continuity in the event of a local catastrophe.
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Benefits to system integrators
Growing your business Instead of doing most of the heavy lifting in installing
For system integrators, several benefits enhance
and maintaining a customer’s XProtect solution, you can
the use of Milestone products like XProtect, and
focus on value-added services like consulting. Instead of
that continues the natural development of the
ordering, buying, and unboxing, racking and stacking the
VMS on-site:
solution, when deployed over the cloud, installation can take mere minutes.
A competitive edge and differentiator Supporting the use of the cloud in video management will help set your business apart from the competition. Helping you to cater to customers across the entire cloud adoption spectrum, from those looking solely at on-premise solutions to others who wish to embrace the cloud.
Addressing new market segments Support installation via the cloud will help system installers meet the need of a growing segment of customers who are increasingly leveraging cloud services in video management. It taps into the growing trend of bringing the cloud to on-premise applications like video surveillance. Furthermore, it can offer a global scale, with providers like AWS operating out of regions worldwide, from North America to Asia, Europe to the Middle East.
Reduced friction Simplified dimensioning, ordering, and installation of server hardware creates a more seamless customer journey and reduces risk. Whereas before, it could take weeks or even months to specify, buy, and install the right hardware and software, installing XProtect via the cloud is possible within 20 minutes.
Reducing on-site service visits Trivial support cases can be addressed remotely, reducing the number of on-site visits you have to make and decreasing associated time, resource, and financial costs.
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MILESTONE ON THE CLOUD: XPROTECT ON AWS Deploying Milestone XProtect on AWS provides the best of both worlds to existing customers, prospects, and installers. XProtect on AWS offers a new way of designing XProtect systems. It reduces on-premise hardware and leverages AWS’ Infrastructure and Platform as a Service to remove the friction involved in setting up and maintaining on-site VMS systems. The result is a highly flexible VMS solution with elastic compute, storage, and networking, that can be scaled in minutes to adjust to the distributed needs of any business. XProtect on AWS provides a user-experience identical to that of on-premise, allowing organisations to benefit from cloud
Milestone will offer two products within the AWS Marketplace: XProtect Essential+: This is Milestone’s free fullyfeatured XProtect product for up to 8 cameras/devices. The product is staged with virtual cameras, pre-recorded Stable FPS streams, and web/mobile access to provide an instant out-of-box experience.
XProtect VMS - BYOL: This is Milestone’s XProtect with the same full feature compatibility as XProtect on-premise. It can be activated to run any XProtect product and requires a paid license sold through Milestone’s existing channels.
computing and deploy a solution with minimum friction and maintenance requirements.
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THE BENEFITS OF XPROTECT ON AWS With XProtect on AWS, customers will benefit from dynamic
installed without redeploying the entire system. XProtect’s
scaling of compute, storage, and networking, so they no
deployment can also be complemented with AWS’ other
longer have to worry about capacity planning, storage
services, enabling customers to design systems that fully fit
hardware, or software maintenance. The solution can
their needs.
be rolled out in any AWS Region, including within AWS GovCloud (US) regions for government facilities and highly
Using XProtect on AWS, customers will only have to pay for
regulated organisations. Cross-regional deployments and
the resources that they use, optimising their cost structure
multi-site installations are also possible, catering to global
by turning OPEX into CAPAX.
organisations’ video management needs. Remote or temporary sites can be easily added to your VMS system in just a few clicks, and XProtect upgrades can be
Licensing
Training courses
Availability
Milestone will follow a BYOL (Bring
For those interested in learning how
Milestone’s first product in AWS
Your Own License) model. Using any
to run XProtect on AWS, Milestone
Marketplace will be the XProtect
XProtect license sold by Milestone’s
will offer a training and eLearning
2020 R2 release available from June
current distribution channel further
program to all channel partners and
9, 2020, in all AWS availability zones
simplifies the migration to the cloud
end-customers free of charge. The
worldwide.
and ensures that no customer is left
following courses will be available.
behind in this new transition to the
Visit our website to book your place.
cloud. a) Exploring Milestone Cloud Solutions b) Communicating AWS value c) Designing XProtect on AWS d) Deploying XProtect on AWS
The cloud on the horizon
Ready to start exploring? Whether you are an end-user interested in XProtect on AWS, or a system installer keen to see how offering XProtect on AWS can provide new business opportunities, find out more by visiting here.
For more information visit: www.milestonesys.com