● Special Report
VMS
BEST OF THE BEST IN VMS There’s nothing easy about selecting the best VMS platform, with plenty of different solutions to choose from, each built around a different philosophy and with different network and operational requirements.
CCORDING to Mat Harrison of Network Optix, the key operational functionalities of the best VMS platform cover all areas of function, developer support, integration capability and ecosystem. “A modern, well-designed VMS should be simple to install and require no prerequisite software (databases, .NET, etc), it should require no training to use at an advanced level (instantly usable), it should have a minimal set of required components
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(desktop, mobile, server, cloud), it should be a snap to maintain, upgrade, and expand, and it should be useful at any scale - from 1 to 100,000 cameras,” Harrison says. “The system should automatically discover compatible hardware (e.g. IP cameras, I/O devices), should have open, free development tools to enable integration with any 3rd party solution and should have an open, free integrations ecosystem that lists integrated hardware and software solutions that integrators and end-users can use to add value to their VMS.” When it comes to enterprise VMS, where recording, management and maintenance of the VMS are all vital, would Harrison agree things like centralised systems management, scalability, system health alerts, third party systems integration and a customisable user interface are increasingly important qualities? “The ability to receive alerts, connect quickly
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