As one of the fastest-growing cities in Indiana with a population of more than 100,000, the city of Fishers was struggling with rapidly increasing video data storage needs for its video security system. Milestone Systems and cloud technology partners provided Fishers with a cost-effective and scalable hybrid cloud solution that not only saves on in-house hardware and related maintenance costs, but also simplifies system use to align with the city’s cloud-first initiative.

With plans to have over 250 cameras installed across the city by the end of 2024, among the most pressing issues was the rapid growth of the city’s video data storage requirements. This was due to the increasing number of new camera installations as well as evolving long-term data storage requirements from local and state agencies. On-premises storage and related maintenance costs were becoming increasingly expensive. City officials also needed faster access to video data when required, as well as long-term, automated data archival plans.

Fishers officials partnered with Tiger Surveillance to integrate the city’s existing open platform, Milestone Systems, XProtect video management software (VMS), with Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud services. This collaboration enabled a hybrid VMS cloud solution, combining on-premises and cloud-based storage. The result is a system that can handle the sizable increase in video data use and storage while substantially reducing costs for the city.

The new strategy immediately delivered increased system scalability with the hybrid cloud VMS system, easily accommodating the anticipated increase in cameras and video uses. Compared to the in-house storage costs, the new system provides substantial cost savings by reducing annual hardware acquisition costs, and installation and maintenance expenses. And with cloud-based storage, city video data is secure via multi-regional, long-term data protection in AWS with no additional effort by staff.

Open platform video technologies coupled with cloud services offer a compelling solution, and when cloud-first local governments like Fishers integrate in-house video security infrastructure with cloud-based solutions, cost savings, and efficiencies can be significant.

Traditional on-premises solutions require organizations to bear ongoing expenses for storage hardware, maintenance, and upgrades. In contrast, cloud storage eliminates these costs, allowing businesses to pay only for the storage they need. The scalability of cloud storage enables organizations to effortlessly increase or decrease capacity as security requirements change, further optimizing costs.

“The reality of what I call chasing the retail market for storage is not tenable, and you’re still putting all your eggs in one basket,” said Tracy Gaynor, director of information technology, city of Fishers, IN.

“We needed to get out of the hardware buying game. The hybrid approach allows us to meet the organization’s needs without breaking the budget.”

The new hybrid video solution is used to manage video data from fixed-position cameras located both inside and outside city buildings. This new system oversees general surveillance video, while the city’s license plate recognition system and devices used specifically for criminal justice purposes (such as police body cams, in-car cameras, and interview room recordings) continue to be managed by their own proprietary networks.

The AWS cloud computing platform provides various services, such as video storage, for enterprise-level organizations to use instead of owning physical servers. The tiered AWS video data storage system is a cost-effective way to store and manage video data, with each tier providing different levels of performance and durability.

The tiered AWS video data storage system can be customized for the end user’s needs by adjusting the amount of data stored in each tier. For example, if the end user needs to access the data frequently, they can store it in a general purpose tier. If the end user needs the video data less often, they can store it in an infrequent access tier. And if the end user rarely accesses the data, they can keep it in an archive tier.

“A couple of years ago, with our on-premises solution, we got to the point where we needed to budget roughly $100,000 a year for hardware and storage expansion and all the other related annual costs involved in maintaining and growing our storage systems,” Gaynor said. “Now that we’re working with cloud storage, our monthly bill from AWS is less than 10 percent of the annualized cost for a storage unit.”

Additionally, with the implementation of the hybrid-cloud storage system, the city’s annual operating budget became predictable, and

there was no need for sudden large-scale investments. “And if it increases a little bit each year, it’s tenable, and predictable,” Gaynor said.

City of Fishers officials utilized Tiger Surveillance Bridge to integrate the city’s existing open platform, Milestone Systems’ XProtect VMS, with AWS cloud services. This enabled the city to efficiently store large amounts of video data in the cloud while leveraging the cost savings for all the city’s AWS cloud services. The solution has proven scalable, cost-effective, and robust. It has improved the city’s video system capabilities and reduced costs, enabling the city to concentrate on maintaining the safety and security of the community.

The integration involved the application of the Tiger Surveillance Bridge software platform plug-in within the Milestone VMS, allowing for seamless integration with AWS and creating a fluid connection between the on-premises surveillance system and the cloud storage. This integration allows the city to maintain 10 days of recorded video on-site before moving the data to AWS for archiving. The implementation of a tiered data storage plan ensures that the city has real-time video access while facilitating long-term archival storage in AWS.

“With Milestone’s XProtect video management software and its seamless integration with Tiger Surveillance Bridge, we’ve been able to dramatically decrease our capital expense and move toward a predictable operating model,” said Sean Totten, chief security officer, city of Fishers. “This is the innovation and cost-effectiveness that’s crucial in today’s climate. The Tiger Surveillance Bridge software enables auto-tiering in AWS, and we simply determine our cutoff point, and anything past this age goes to archive. This significantly decreases capital expenses and allows us to grow and only pay for what we need.”

In the digital age, investing in data-driven video technology and cloud solutions is not just a strategic choice but a necessity for growing cities. By embracing these advanced technologies, cities can unlock the full potential of their video data, enhance their security measures, and achieve city-wide savings that go beyond security. The successful transition of the city of Fishers to a hybrid cloud VMS system is a demonstration of the city’s innovative approach to problem solving.

“Milestone Systems and its partnerships with Tiger Surveillance Bridge and AWS have been revolutionary for us,” Gaynor said. “Together, they’ve enabled us to deploy a scalable and cost-effective solution for our growing video needs. It’s this kind of innovative thinking and technology we need to ensure the safety and security of our city without breaking the budget.”