As the security industry continues to evolve and new technologies emerge, it’s becoming increasingly important for security professionals to keep up with the latest advancements. One area that has seen significant innovation in recent years is video management solutions (VMS). And when it comes to VMS, there is one company that stands out above the rest: Vicon Industries and their Valerus VMS.
One area that has seen significant innovation in recent years is video management solutions (VMS) — and when it comes to VMS, there are few companies with more heritage than Vicon Security, creators of the Valerus video management system.
A History of Innovation
Vicon Industries has been an industry leader for over 55 years, providing cutting-edge security solutions to tens of thousands of customers around the world.
Vicon has seen the security industry go from analogue to digital, from physical to electronic, and from reactive to proactive. Throughout these changes, Vicon has been at the forefront of innovation, developing new products and services that have helped to shape the industry, from the first matrix switches that connected early analogue cameras to one another and made them easier to browse, to some of the first PTZ cameras that have since become an industry staple.
They have been able to adapt to new technologies and new threats, and their experience has given them a deep understanding of what it takes to build effective security systems — and video management solutions are at the core of that.
Vicon took its first steps into the world of VMS development in 2010 with ViconNet, a proprietary software platform for the management of analogue cameras that remains supported to this day.
In 2016, Vicon launched its premier VMS solution for IP cameras: Valerus. The project was ambitious, but with such vast experience in the industry and key lessons learnt from the development of ViconNet, Vicon was quickly able to develop a strong foundation. Valerus has been developed entirely in India at their dedicated development center, showcasing their commitment to leveraging global talent and innovation.
The Power of Valerus
Today, Valerus is a powerful VMS that provides end-to-end security solutions for a wide range of applications. With Valerus, security professionals can control not just their video feeds, but access control, automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR), vape detection, and more – all in one centralised platform.
These features allow them to quickly and efficiently manage their security systems from a single pane of glass, ensuring the safety of their facilities and personnel without changing windows or systems, or undergoing any additional training. The system even allows for multi-site management, making it easy for security professionals to monitor and manage systems across multiple locations. With Valerus, security teams can centrally manage all their facilities, streamlining their security operations, and reducing costs.
One of the key advantages of Valerus is its flexibility – and nowhere is this more true than in the alarm management suite. This robust, customisable platform can be tailored to suit the end user’s needs, helping them to quickly identify and respond to security incidents via real-time alerts and notifications. Users can even define procedures for each type of alert, helping the operator keep on top of what they need to do and when – from logging their findings on an audit trail to initiating site-wide or localised lockdowns.
Valerus even goes above and beyond the call of duty with an in-built system health dashboard: providing proactive notifications to system administrators before a complete system failure, notifying them about potential system issues within seconds, making it an invaluable asset for addressing issues before they become problematic and costly.
The Power of A.I.
Throughout its development, Valerus has always boasted a wealth of advanced video analytics capabilities, from object-based recording to motion sensing, line crossing, and loitering/crowd detection. Combined with the VAX access control system and the robust alarm management suite, this has made automated security procedures a breeze and allowed operators to analyse video footage in real-time, detecting potential threats and alerting personnel before an incident occurs.
This year, Vicon has bolstered that analytics package with one crucial addition: artificial intelligence.
With Vicon’s AI-enhanced Roughneck camera range, users can utilise edge analytics to automatically classify individuals, vehicles, and animals, and set rules for each – such as recording at a higher resolution when a person comes into the frame to save on storage, or sending an alert to the operator when a vehicle enters out of hours.
An AI-enhanced museum search within Valerus is also saving users valuable time. Now, investigations are as simple as selecting the area of interest, telling Valerus what you’re looking for (people, vehicles, animals, etc.) and letting it find the crucial moment in time in seconds.
To help reduce the total cost of ownership, all of this object classification happens within the camera itself: saving bandwidth, saving storage, and the total cost of ownership.
Peace of Mind
In a world where technology seems to be evolving at an unfathomable rate, Vicon is keen on granting its customers stability and consistency wherever possible.
By investing in an end-to-end system with VMS, cameras, and access control provided by Vicon, customers can take peace of mind in the knowledge that everything is designed to work together in harmony – and if it doesn’t, there’s only one number to call!
For customers with an existing system, or users who want to create their own bespoke solution, Vicon proudly offers compatibility across a number of open platforms like Onvif to ensure their hardware plays nice with others.
Cybersecurity is one of the biggest concerns for end-users of any IP security system. With the increasing frequency of cyber-attacks, it’s essential that security systems be secure and up-to-date. Valerus offers a perpetual licensing model, so customers don’t need to worry about their security system shutting down just because a card payment didn’t go through!
In addition, Vicon provides firmware updates and bug fixes to Valerus users at no additional cost, ensuring that security systems are always up-to-date, security vulnerabilities are quickly identified and addressed, and the risk of cyber-attacks is minimized.
Best in class VMS
Thanks to these features and more, Valerus has been successfully implemented in a wide variety of environments, from airports and universities to prisons, factories, and more. In each case, Valerus has provided security professionals with the tools they need to effectively manage their security systems, ensuring the safety of their facilities and personnel.
With its advanced features, flexibility, and commitment to innovation, Valerus is a game-changer in the VMS space. Whether you’re securing a small office or a large industrial facility, Valerus provides the tools you need to effectively manage your security systems. And with its advanced video analytics and A.I. capabilities, Valerus is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of the security industry.
The Excellence of Valerus
Centralize your security – Monitor, search, and respond to LPR, access control, and video events.
Streamline Installation – Expedite installation and setup with auto-discovery and configuration tools.
Simplify day-to-day maintenance – Track, troubleshoot, and identify potential system issues with our global dashboard.
Virtual matrix display control – Control how video is displayed across multiple monitors or a video wall.
Manage Alarms – Customize alerts so the right person gets the right info at the right time.
Archive video to a cloud drive – Get secure, scheduled, automatic archiving to the cloud.
Expedite forensic searches – Expedite investigations with a suite of powerful search tools.
Secure your system – Protect your system with advanced cybersecurity settings and notifications.
Protect your data – Protect your data in the case of hardware failure with redundancy and failover options.
Monitor on-the-go – Access Valerus anytime, anywhere, and stream mobile video directly to VMS.
Statement:
“Video management systems are important for physical security purposes, but an ever-increasing threat from cyber-crime has made cybersecurity a crucial consideration when choosing a VMS..
To ensure that video data is protected from cyber threats, modern VMS require essential cybersecurity measures. Digital access control through the implementation of strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and role-based access is essential, but in reality this is just the beginning of a rigorous approach to cybersecurity.
It is crucial to regularly update and patch software to address security vulnerabilities and stay up-to-date with the latest security features.
This approach can be strengthened by logging and auditing are necessary to monitor system access and detect any unauthorized access attempts. By tracking who accessed the system and when they did so, organizations can identify any suspicious activity and take appropriate action to mitigate the risk. Data backup and disaster recovery plans can also help minimize the impact of any security incidents and ensure business continuity.
Platforms like Vicon’s Valerus VMS have many of these features built-in, and benefit from 24/7 proactive support from Vicon’s technical staff, making it easy for organisations to cover their bases without having to dedicate additional time and resources.”
