SURVEILLANCE
Smart Surveillance The Role of VSaaS in the Smart Cities of the Future by Logan Bell, Head of Product for Cloudview Smart cities are defined by the European Commission as cities where “traditional networks and services are made more efficient with the use of digital solutions.” These solutions are intended to be of benefit to residents, visitors and businesses, helping to upgrade facilities and make the cities safer and more sustainable. The use of information and communications technology, or ICT, with a view to boosting city operations is expected to be good news for the video surveillance as a service (VSaaS) sector, as more cities utilise the technology for a 30 | August 2021 | IN SECURITY
range of purposes. In this article, we take a closer look at the role VSaaS providers will play in smart cities. What is Video Surveillance as a Service? Video surveillance as a service refers to cloud-based video surveillance services, which are managed by VSaaS providers. Put simply, these services allow end users to remotely store and manage video surveillance footage, with data being kept in the cloud. This then eliminates the need to store surveillance data on-site. The removal of physical storage
is advantageous for several reasons. Firstly, it reduces storage costs for users and removes the need to keep and maintain hard drives on-site. Secondly, it helps to keep data more secure, because it is being kept in the cloud and cannot be erased via physical damage to storage devices, or data corruption. Cloud video surveillance services also allow users to benefit from the best software solutions, without high levels of initial investment. Instead, the provider charges for access to their services, powered by their technology. This means lower initial outgoings and reduced staffing costs,
