The cloud has emerged as a more scalable and open option for businesses of all sizes, the security industry is no exception. Read on to discover how the cloud can make premises security of small and medium-sized businesses more cost-effective, efficient, flexible, scalable, and ultimately more effective with convergence and automation.
More and more businesses today are leveraging the cloud to improve business operations and management. In retail, for example, progressive retailers have been implementing cloud commerce solutions for their order management, inventory management, financial consolidation and customer relationship management (CRM).
Similarly, the physical security industry is embracing cloud in a big way. Cloud-based security systems – which bring together security, networking, storage, analytics and management – are increasing in popularity due to their impressive safety and operational benefits.
So what exactly are the benefits of a security solution that’s managed in the cloud? In this blog, we examine five reasons why cloud should be front of mind for small and medium-sized businesses for their premises security solution.
Security information at your fingertips: always
A cloud-based security solution enables businesses to access and manage all of their security devices anytime, anywhere, and on any internet-enabled device. And when businesses have multiple premises to manage, the cloud provides an easily accessible and secure collection point for information from all secured buildings. Managers can check live video and stored data from each location, even when they are travelling, as long as there is an internet connection.
Reduced upfront investment and easy setup
All businesses want platforms or services that offer simplicity, with as few assets to manage as possible, and a setup that’s ultra-simple. This is precisely where the cloud delivers. Through a cloud hosting infrastructure, there is no need for a local server or software to be deployed; to get started, all you need is a username and password, and you can easily connect devices like video cameras to the internet for preview and playback. This is particularly useful for organisations with smaller/fewer sites and fewer cameras, as it helps to reduce the cost of hardware investment and ongoing management.
Scalability and flexibility
Scalability is one of the main reasons to migrate to the cloud. Whether traffic or workload demands increase suddenly or grow gradually over time, companies choose a cloud solution because it’s scalable, allowing businesses to increase storage and performance appropriately and cost-effectively.
This is very much the case for cloud-based security solutions. When businesses grow, the cloud enables their security system infrastructure to scale with it. Companies can add new devices, services, functionality and enhanced analytics and data storage in stages, to suit their growth and development.
Remote system maintenance 24/7
Cloud-based platforms can help to make managed security services far more responsive. Security service providers and alarm receiving centers (ARC) can constantly monitor the health of an end-user’s security system and resolve any problems remotely, delivering a sophisticated service without the added expense of an on-site visit. All that’s required is consent from end users when the system is deployed. For businesses, this offers peace of mind that their security system is up and running 24/7. Any issues such as device failure or communication loss can be addressed rapidly and efficiently.
Technology that’s always up to date
Technology is always changing. So for on-premise systems, regular maintenance must be carried out on-site or through remote desktop. This can be a burden to IT services, especially if there are multiple sites. A cloud-based solution, however, requires no on-site manual updates, as customers will stream the latest version of the software that is fully and centrally maintained by the service provider. This saves a significant amount of time, while reducing the potential of security lapses and the associated risks.
A convergent, cloud-based security service solution from Hikvision
Hikvision’s cloud-based security service solution, Hik-ProConnect, is designed for small and medium-sized businesses and residential applications. It uses industry-leading standards and protocols for maximum security and reliability, making it ideal for today’s security market.
Incorporated with all these cloud-hosting benefits, Hik-ProConnect allows users to converge multiple devices into one management platform with a single login. This goes above and beyond conventional security systems made up of disparate elements. Integration of devices provides users with different types of events to suit their requirements, away from manual approaches to the use of automation. Examples of device linkage include merging intercom calls and intrusion or access events with video verification. Whether being used to manage a single simple site or multiple complex locations, Hik-ProConnect ensures users enjoy an up-to-date and smooth running security system.
