When I hear talk about the virtues of “Software Only” video systems, I kinda think, huh? Since when is a camera made of software? I think what is really being talked about are the virtues of a multi-vendor solution as opposed to a single vendor solution.
Multivendor network video systems are a great direction and the wave of the future because they deliver more value to the customer. They give customers more options to put together solutions which better fit their needs and better prices
Today’s IP video solutions which promote “software only” are really saying, buy your choice of cameras (mix and match for your needs) and your choice of recording hardware (PC’s made by Dell, HP, etc..), and buy your software from us. That’s a huge leap forward from the analog video surveillance market which has really only had competition on the camera front and locked in customers to buying recording hardware from the same suppliers as the software.
What seems to be taking some time however is the increased cost of the IP cameras is worth the benefits of a multivendor recording solution. It would be great if there were some open standards DVR’s out there, but alas, they don’t seem to exist. If and when this happens, I can see a lot of value being created for customers as very cost effective DVR’s can be sold as part of a multivendor solution. Imagine being able to buy whatever DVR suits your needs and cost requirements and being able to link that DVR with the advanced software platforms out there today, such as Milestone, OnSSI and of course, Envysion Video.
Having worked in telecom and enterprise networks for 15 years I strongly believe multivendor networks are often the right thing for the customer. There are so many things a network needs to deliver that to deliver the “best of breed”, multiple vendors often have to be used. Of course, there’s the healthy pricing competition that comes along with having more than one vendor bid a solution, and continue to bid upgrades and growth of that system going forward. As a customer and builder of network solutions, it’s no fun to be locked into a single vendor’s solution. Price is a huge concern here when the vendor knows how much it will cost the customer to switch vendors.