Releasing the potential of VMS

Compatible with 3,704 camera models and a large number of access control systems, pointof-sale (POS) systems, and retail and video analytics, Tyco’s exacqVision VMS is one of the industry’s most flexible solutions.

The importance of incremental improvements

End-user operational requirements change, businesses expand, and new threats emerge. It is crucial that Video Management Software (VMS), which is more often than not placed at the heart of an integrated electronic security solution, is regularly updated.

With such a wide choice of featurerich VMS solutions to choose from, it is easy to be mesmerised by manufacturers claiming their platform is the best in terms of functionality and user friendliness. However, high on the list of considerations when selecting a VMS should be whether or not its manufacture has benefitted from improvements informed by changing market demands.

An upgrade of the Tyco exacqVision VMS is released every quarter. The incremental improvements incorporated within each release generate new revenue opportunities for system integrators and ensure end-user expectations are fulfilled by the delivery of additional practical advantages. V19.09, the latest upgrade of exacqVision, is a perfect example of this.

v19.09: Optimised task performance Whether your role is installing exacqVision, monitoring live video, or administrating enterprise deployments, the latest software update from Exacq provides streamlined features to accomplish exacqVision tasks.

Administrators using Enterprise Manager can now transfer license’s camera channels between NVRs easily and at no charge with a current Software Subscription Agreement (SSA). This new feature saves significant time by enabling administrators to perform transfers immediately and without having to go through a purchasing process.

The Live Camera page within exacqVision now offers keyword filtering on any defined camera attribute, enabling fast filtering across thousands of cameras. Using metadata to define camera attributes permits rapid camera filtering and allows users to create dynamic live groups, rather than relying solely on the camera name.

Filtering results quickly makes it easy for users to view all cameras in the same building or on a specific street, in cases where producing fast results matters most.

For installers integrating Illustra cameras, Illustra’s built-in profiles can now be selected from exacqVision, offering pre-built camera configurations for a wide range of scene types. Exposure profiles provide a way to automatically adjust camera settings according to how the camera is used, optimising streams for the type of scene. Streamlining this configuration process delivers convenience and reduces installation time.

New integrations with third-party technology partners in Tyco’s Connected Partner Program include license plate recognition from Vaxtor, retail analytics and cloud-based forecasting from Percolata, and alarm verification from I-View Now.

19.12: flexibility for enterprise administrators

Exacq’s VMS 19.12, due for release this December, will allow camera licenses to be bulk purchased and unused licenses stored within Enterprise Manager to deploy as needed. Additionally, camera license SSAs will not age on Enterprise Manager.

Exacq Mobile features an improvement to the way users interact with specific cameras, offering a more mobile-friendly user experience and improved performance when viewing multiple camera streams. Exacq’s ONVIF camera integration will also support the ability to talk and listen through IP cameras equipped with audio I/O.

Most developers of VMS rightfully claim their software is open platform, allowing interaction with other types of security and building management systems, and cameras from different manufacturers. Some, such as Exacq, have gone to enormous efforts to ensure installers and system integrators can, without extensive training, fully capitalise on the open capabilities of their VMS, whilst minimising installation, configuration and commissioning time and cost.

Camera Integrations

The Exacq development team have been hard at work and their efforts have resulted in 399 additional camera models able to be integrated with exacqVision.

At the time of this article’s publication, there are a total of 3,704 supported cameras and these include virtually every camera model and type currently being installed in Australia and New Zealand. These include older generation IP network cameras, as well as the very latest open platform, ultra-high definition and thermal imaging models. By proactively integrating cameras from over 60 manufacturers, Exacq has significantly reduced the time it takes to design, implement and commission a VMS solution that needs to handle images captured by a wide variety of cameras.

Calculating Bandwidth

The Exacq home page features a ‘Recorder Calculator’, which is a valuable tool that generates approximate storage and bandwidth estimations. System designers can input the specific needs of a project, such as the camera count and the required resolution, frame rates and recording hours into the calculator, which then provides estimates around required network bandwidth and server specifications.

Reducing installation time and cost

The abovementioned camera integrations and Recorder Calculator might seem obvious tools for a manufacturer to provide, but in Exacq’s case considerable effort has been made to ensure upto-date, real-life practical guidance to minimise system design time and negate the possibility of costly mistakes being made due to incorrect assumptions about bandwidth requirements.

Together with an App that can be used on any smart mobile device or laptop, which makes it easy for engineers to walk test cameras, these tools can help minimise cost by reducing pre-installation and on-site commissioning time.

In terms of integrating video surveillance with access control and intruder detection, a major advantage of having the Kantech, DSC and exacq brands within the Tyco portfolio is the ability to achieve deep and true integration between these different security systems. Although each of these product ranges have separate product management and software development teams, they work closely together to ensure full interaction and backward and forward compatibility.

Ultra user-friendly

One of the particularly user-friendly aspects of Exacq is its graphical user interface (GUI) display. Operators are likely to choose the option of using the Exacq VMS front-end display if video surveillance of a site or building is the main objective, even though it might be part of a larger integrated security solution.

The need to be able to react quickly and effectively to any incident or suspicious activity has never been more important. By providing a comprehensive, fully interactive solution that takes full advantage of the latest advances in technology, Exacq VMS equips security personnel with an extremely powerful tool to protect people, property and assets.

Exacq VMS is one of the extensive solutions ranges offered by Tyco, the security products division of Johnson Controls.

For more information visit www.exacq.com