What’s the difference between a VMS and VSaaS?

Choosing between a VMS and VSaaS depends on your organization’s requirements and objectives. Learn how each differ and the key characteristics that make both great options.

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What is a VMS? When is a VMS a good option?

VMS stands for video management system. Typically, VMS software is installed and hosted on on-premises servers. This allows organizations to have more control over how they set up, deploy, manage, and maintain their video surveillance application and infrastructure.

For this reason, organizations that choose a VMS usually take a more hands-on approach to video system management and maintenance. For instance, they’ll have their own plans and strategies in place to manage cybersecurity, handle major updates, oversee infrastructure lifecycles, and more. All of this can be dictated by site or industry requirements or company policies.

A VMS solution comes with robust feature sets and various built-in analytics that help streamline different video tasks. It’s often associated with high levels of scalability and reliability. And since some open-architecture VMS solutions have been around a long time, they provide support for a large number of third-party hardware, systems, and IIoT sensors. More so, VMS software offers organizations the added flexibility to develop some interesting custom integrations and applications using a Software Development Kit (SDK).

In a VMS deployment, teams will need to have a software client installed on their desktop or laptop, and they may also have access to mobile and web-based applications. Video recordings are generally stored on local servers, but there may be some flexibility to use the cloud for added storage and redundancy. Additionally, budgets are usually forecasted and allocated in lump sums. These CapEx investments help maintain and expand the video infrastructure and deployment.

Video management systems installed on-premises use existing local networks to manage, monitor, and record from IP-based security cameras.

Who can benefit from a VMS deployment? Organizations that:

• Want full control over video deployment, management, and maintenance
• Need to retain and oversee all on-premises infrastructure for specific reasons
• Want to keep all video on local, company-owned servers and networks
• Have a limited bandwidth and preference for a closed network
• Want an SDK for more complex customizations and integrations
• Have budget structures where physical security remains a capital expenditure
• Appreciate or need support for an extensive list of devices, sensors, and systems

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What is VSaaS? When is VSaaS a good option?

VSaaS stands for video surveillance as a service. This video solution has been engineered and optimized from the ground up to harness the power of the cloud, and is offered as a subscription-based service by the technology vendor. Having a monthly or annual subscription plan allows for a more predictable cost structure. Organizations can use OpEx budgets to fund VSaaS installations and expansions.

Since a VSaaS solution is hosted and managed in a public cloud environment, there’s little to no on-site infrastructure needed. This can help partners get your video systems up and running with greater ease and agility.

Having a VSaaS solution also means there’s less maintenance involved. Channel partners can access health monitoring metrics and ensure the system is optimized and running well. And, all system updates and fixes are automatically pushed from the cloud by the vendor. This makes sure you always have the latest innovations, cybersecurity updates, and features at hand.

Your teams can access a VSaaS application using mobile or web apps. This makes it easy to give various types of individuals access to the video surveillance system, no matter their location.

VSaaS solutions can also come with enterprise-grade feature sets, including various analytics-powered capabilities. They can offer a versatile application programming interface (API) to help facilitate system integrations. Though you’ll need solid bandwidth throughput and internet connectivity for a VSaaS solution, adding cloud-managed appliances can further enhance reliability and redundancy when it’s needed.

 

A cloud solution brings together direct-to-cloud cameras from different sites where they are connected and processed in the cloud solution for live video surveillance and automated remote management.

Who can benefit from a VSaaS deployment? Organizations that:

• Are searching for more deployment flexibility and agility
• Have a cloud-first policy
• Need for flexible storage options or to back up recordings off-site
• Seek low to no hardware footprint across their deployment
• Want the convenience of instant updates and access to the latest innovations
• Don’t want to maintain hardware or don’t have the resources to do it
• Have budgets where operational capital can fund security investments

SECURITY CENTER SAAS

 

How do VMS and VSaaS offerings compare?

Both a VMS and VSaaS solution are engineered to help organizations manage video surveillance cameras and strengthen physical security. Using either solution, operators can easily handle different video-related tasks such as monitoring live camera feeds, retrieving video archives, managing camera configurations, and much more.

Today’s VSaaS solutions have also advanced considerably over the last decade. This means that both VSaaS and VMS offerings can provide enterprise-level scalability and reliability, as well as extensive feature sets that make managing and maintaining video easier.

One thing to know is that VMS and VSaaS features are typically optimized for on-premises infrastructure, or a public cloud environment, respectively. This helps organizations address specific needs and requirements across various locations. Some of these capabilities include built-in tools that help strengthen cybersecurity and privacy best practices, as well as video and audio analytics.

In both VMS and VSaaS deployments, there’s an opportunity to manage many different sites from one centralized command center. There’s also the possibility to connect video with other critical physical security and business systems to gain a unified view of your environment. By having a unified video solution, organizations can enhance day to day operations and give operators access to insights they can act on as soon as something happens.

So, what’s the true difference between VMS and VSaaS? Why should you choose one over the other? It all comes down to some key considerations:

Your unique requirements

Do you have the space and resources to install and maintain physical servers across your various sites? How does bandwidth and connectivity measure up across your different locations?

Your company policies

Is your organization moving towards a cloud-first or hybrid-cloud policy? Do your current policies and operations dictate keeping all video on corporate servers and networks? Are you looking for ways to strengthen data governance and compliance with evolving regulations?

Your budget structure

Do you have the flexibility to use both CAPEX and OPEX budgets toward physical security investments? Would a subscription-based service alleviate budget constraints and allow you to evolve your security?

Your current and long-term goals

Do you want to reduce hardware costs in the next 5 years or find new ways to enhance your cybersecurity strategy? Do you want an SDK to accommodate specific customizations and business applications?

Your available resources

Does your IT team have the capacity to keep managing and maintaining a growing video surveillance deployment? Are you ready to start outsourcing some of these tasks using cloud services?  

 

VMS and VSaaS comparison table
VMS	VSaaS
Purchase a one-time perpetual software license	Sign up for monthly or annual subscriptions and cancel at any time
Use of CapEx budgets to purchase, install, and maintain your solution	Predictable costs using OpEx budgets to keep your solution operational
Maintain full control over how you manage and maintain your system	Get new sites up or transition existing locations to the cloud with ease
Handle upgrades and system improvements on your own terms	Outsource updates and maintenance and reduce hardware footprint to lower costs
Ensure performance and recording in locations without or with limited bandwidth	Scale cloud storage up or down as needed and enhance archive redundancy
Broad list of supported third-party integrations	Upgrades, on-demand training, and support included in the subscription fee
Compliance with policies where video must stay on local servers and networks	Easy access to system via web and mobile apps with an internet connection

 

Can a VMS and VSaaS work together in a hybrid-cloud deployment?

The short answer is yes; a VMS and VSaaS can work together within a hybrid-cloud deployment. And in your video surveillance decision, this will be one of the most important aspects to prioritize. Why? Because this gives you the ultimate deployment flexibility.

Having the option to implement an on-premises VMS solution at one site, and a VSaaS solution at another site, and then manage it all under one centralized solution is optimal. Other organizations may want to add cloud cameras to certain areas or locations and connect them back to a centralized on-premises VMS in their security operations center (SOC). The opposite holds true as well. You can connect existing non-cloud cameras to a centralized VSaaS solution, using cloud-managed appliances to facilitate the connection to your SOC.

The true benefit of a hybrid-cloud deployment is that nothing is off limits. With this level of adaptability, you can take advantage of new cloud-ready technology at any time. You can also  hone in on specific requirements and organizational needs to deploy the right video surveillance solution at each location.

Direct-to-cloud devices, edge appliances, and on-premises systems come together seamlessly in a hybrid deployment, alongside automated and remote updates and management.

A hybrid-cloud strategy is built to last. If your organization isn’t ready to transition to the cloud yet, you’ll have the opportunity to do so later on. You can be fully invested in a VMS deployment today, but slowly convert existing sites or add new sites using VSaaS when you’re ready, at your own pace. You can also add cloud-managed appliances at certain locations for additional edge processing and analytics while simplifying hardware maintenance for your team.

A hybrid-cloud deployment gives you the best of both worlds, making use of both VMS and VSaaS solutions when and where you need them.

Why unification matters for your physical security solution

One last important consideration? Prioritize physical security unification as part of your video surveillance decision. After all, you may start by upgrading your VMS or transitioning to VSaaS today. But in a few years, you could be thinking about upgrading your access control or connecting your intercom and intrusion systems with your video surveillance solution.

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Choosing a physical security platform that lets you manage all these systems in one solution will help simplify future expansion plans. And with everything available in one view, your operators will become faster and more efficient in handling their tasks. This will lead to bigger savings and stronger corporate security. It will also give various team members an opportunity to capitalize on data-driven insights to improve business operations.