As video management systems (VMS) continue to evolve, they remain a cornerstone in the design and implementation of security infrastructures for businesses across various sectors. For security integrators, VMS platforms provide a powerful tool for managing video data, but their role is expanding rapidly in response to technological innovations, industry demands and regulatory changes.

SDM gathered insights from industry-leading manufacturers — Axis Communications, Genetec, Honeywell Building Automation and Milestone Systems — to explore how VMS solutions are adapting to meet the changing needs of the security landscape. Our discussion delves into the integration of physical and digital security systems, the increasing importance of data privacy and compliance, the customization of VMS for specialized industries, and the evolving user experience that drives ease of use and efficiency.

With a forward-looking focus, our expert panel provides valuable insights into how these developments are reshaping the VMS landscape and how security integrators can leverage these advancements to deliver smarter, more comprehensive security solutions for their clients.

MEET THE PANEL

VMS in Hybrid Security Systems

SDM: As hybrid security solutions (combining physical and digital systems) gain popularity, how can VMS platforms enhance operational efficiency and reduce complexity for security integrators?

Rahul Yadav, Milestone Systems: One of the primary benefits of hybrid VMS systems is that they are designed to be easy to install, configure and manage. This means security integrators don’t have to spend a lot of time on setup, which is crucial. Hybrid systems also offer flexibility in terms of where services are deployed, whether on-premises or in the cloud. Another significant advantage is scalability. Hybrid VMS systems can have the possibility for elastic compute and storage capabilities, especially when using cloud resources.

Additionally, hybrid systems enable remote management of traditional on-prem VMS setups, providing the ability to remotely monitor and manage systems effectively. Hybrid VMS systems offer flexibility by combining enterprise-level on-premises features with cloud options, simplifying management for integrators across diverse industries and applications.

Chirayo Shah, Honeywell Building Automation: Hybrid solutions with both physical and digital systems are here to stay. Due to the nature of the volume and intensity of data that comes through from video feeds, with an increase in 4K and higher resolution cameras deployed, it’s going to become more challenging to move that amount of data from on-premise to a remote location. Take for example, if you were to look at your home environment. Say you had four to five cameras in and around your house, and you opened a web application on your phone to view all the video feeds together, there might be delays, lags or issues viewing because it’s a lot of data to move up and back to your phone.

An option is creating a hybrid scenario, where onsite cameras are rolling up their video feeds into one NVR onsite, where data gets aggregated and can be analyzed in near real time. That NVR is able to look at data at the local site and there is no round trip required, which optimizes your ability to look at data in near real time and analyze what is going on in your buildings now.

Having remote access capabilities is important for property managers. For example, if a customer had a high priority alarm triggered, they could access their security system to see what is happening from wherever they happen to be. From there, they could see two employees walked in, and while the first employee was still keying in the password to enter the building, the other started to walk around the building to get to their tasks and that triggered a bunch of sensors. In this example, the manager was able to review in real time, mark that alarm as acknowledged or a non-event and they were able to do that because they had deployed a hybrid security system.

Charles Nguyen, Genetec: In hybrid security systems, VMS platforms can significantly enhance operational efficiency and reduce complexity for security integrators by unifying physical and digital systems within an open ecosystem. This flexibility allows organizations to implement solutions based on their specific needs, whether on-premise or in the cloud, ensuring faster deployment, smoother system upgrades, and centralized management.

Integrators can scale systems more quickly, streamline processes, and strengthen cybersecurity, while cloud-based solutions offer continuous updates and system hardening support, reducing the maintenance burden. This results in better customer engagement, as integrators can deliver more responsive, secure, and tailored solutions. Ultimately, this drives increased revenue through deeper client relationships and long-term trust.

Vincent Campisano, Axis Communications: While integration between physical and digital systems is an extremely broad topic, we’re increasingly seeing areas where VMS platforms can provide added value when integrated correctly with other systems. VMS solutions, and IP video more broadly, which have traditionally been utilized for evidence capture and incident review, are now being used for proactive purposes, not only with security but also with operational efficiency. Integrations with other systems like point of sale (POS) or building automation allow integrators, who are familiar with a VMS in its conventional sense, to expand their total addressable market — simultaneously increasing revenue as well as adding overall value to their customers.

The Role of VMS in Data Privacy & Compliance

SDM: With increasing regulations around data privacy, how can VMS platforms help security integrators ensure compliance while still delivering advanced video analytics?

Nguyen: The evolving regulatory environment, including GDPR, CCPA, and similar data privacy laws, is significantly impacting video surveillance deployments. Compliance requires strict data protection, user consent, and limited retention periods for video data. To address these challenges, integrators can work with manufacturers who have privacy features built directly into their solutions. For example, Genetec Omnicast VMS supports privacy-by-design principles, offering tools like automatic video redaction, role-based access controls, and encryption to protect data throughout its lifecycle.

Manufacturers can also help integrators with compliance by offering customizable retention policies, audit trails, and data anonymization features. Customers can meet regulatory requirements while maintaining operational efficiency through advanced video analytics.

Campisano: Integrators should consider utilizing VMS solutions that have multiple levels of protection, not just to comply with privacy regulations, but to reduce risk and liability to the end user. First, it’s extremely important to understand the cyber protections a system offers. This may be compliance standards (like Federal Information Processing Standards or FIPS), layered cyber protection (like the inclusion of a Trusted Platform Module, TPM), or the ability to monitor and regulate cyber policies and encryption across devices.

While this is relatively standard across major VMS solutions, a secondary and equally important piece to consider is the ethical use of AI from the user perspective. Although various geographic locations will fall under different regulatory standards, systems integrators ought to look at what protections are offered technologically from a manufacturer before deploying a system. This may include how objects are classified and what characteristics are used in forensic similar appearance searches; or this may be a layer of moderation applied to analytic searches that could be used for nefarious purposes or to specifically target protected classes of individuals. Systems that employ high levels of protection and privacy standards will not only protect the integrator but allow end users to leverage technological advancements while maintaining peace-of-mind.

Shah: Data privacy and compliance is always important and top of mind for Honeywell. There are specific laws and regulations depending on which country you are located in. While security patches and versioning can be applied in a timely manner by cloud providers, the systems nevertheless remain vulnerable to network attack since their access points are public. Cloud systems can make high-profile targets for exploitation by bad actors. Additionally, cloud resources are most often shared resources. End users should carefully review access and retention policies with their cloud provider.

The best security systems are a combination of physical, digital and rational security. While Honeywell focuses on providing the best in physical and digital security within our solutions, protecting sensitive and/or personal information must also be within the responsibility of organizational policy.

Yadav: Data privacy is a major concern, especially with increasing regulations like GDPR and the upcoming EU AI Act. One of the key advantages of our on-prem VMS setup is that customer data remains under their control, unlike some public cloud solutions where data might be accessible to the cloud provider. Even in a hybrid setup, the customer retains full ownership of their video data, providing a higher level of security and privacy. Milestone’s on-prem VMS has been GDPR compliant, and our commitment to privacy continues. Through our Hospital Assist product, we also offer privacy features such as privacy blurring, which allows users to mask sensitive information like personal identifiers within video footage. This is essential for compliance, as it ensures that personal data is protected when sharing video evidence. Additionally, our system supports customizable retention policies to meet the varying regulatory requirements in different regions.

Beyond GDPR, we are committed to responsible technology, and with the EU AI Act on the horizon, we are already working to ensure our platform adheres to its provisions. Our focus on responsible technology ensures that we are developing solutions that prioritize user privacy while allowing integrators to leverage advanced analytics.

VMS Customization for Niche Applications

SDM: In what ways can VMS platforms be customized for niche markets (e.g., healthcare, retail, education), and what specific features should integrators look for when serving these sectors?

Campisano: There are both open and closed architecture VMS solutions on the market today, offering integrators and end users different opportunities. Open systems make integration with other types of systems and software a much easier lift overall by simplifying the process for integrators. Manufacturers of both open and closed solutions often offer development services that can be used for customized integrations; however, open solutions give integrators the option to leverage their own, or third-party, developers to achieve a specific solution.

Integrators should look for open-source software that supports a diverse portfolio of hardware products from reputable manufacturers with the ability to assist with customized development. Consider this vertical breakdown:

Healthcare — VMS solutions should be able to seamlessly integrate with nurse call systems, communication systems, and patient monitoring equipment. This integration could involve hardware, software, or a combination of both.

Retail — A VMS or camera generated data can be linked to solutions that provide information for operational efficiency and business intelligence. Today, retail customers are asking for point-of-sale integration, to allow specific transactions to be searched within a VMS and have associated video.

Education — Education customers have unique and complex challenges. Key integrations include air quality monitoring solutions, and if metal detectors are deployed, video and alarms generated by those systems can also be integrated into a centralized VMS software.

Nguyen: VMS platforms, such as those offered by Genetec, can be highly customized for niche markets like healthcare, retail, and education, allowing organizations to address their unique security challenges effectively. Each of these sectors has distinct requirements: healthcare facilities must protect patient privacy and ensure compliance with regulations like HIPAA. Retail environments need to mitigate theft and enhance customer safety. Educational institutions strive to create secure learning environments while managing access control. A flexible VMS can accommodate these specific needs by offering tailored features and integrations that enhance functionality and usability.

In healthcare, VMS solutions facilitate real-time monitoring of patient and staff movements, ensuring compliance with privacy regulations while enhancing safety. Video surveillance is crucial for protecting both patients and staff, allowing for the monitoring of patient behavior to prevent incidents such as falls and unauthorized access to restricted areas. Features such as video analytics can identify unusual behavior or crowding, alerting staff to potential issues before they escalate. Also, customizable dashboards allow healthcare administrators to access critical information quickly and respond to incidents effectively, reinforcing both safety and operational efficiency.

In the retail sector, VMS platforms can incorporate advanced video analytics and integration with point-of-sale (POS) systems to help retailers identify theft patterns and optimize staff allocation during peak hours. Features like facial recognition can enhance loss prevention strategies by identifying known shoplifters, while integration with inventory management systems ensures better tracking of merchandise. Custom reporting tools also enable retailers to analyze customer behavior, helping them to create a more secure shopping environment while driving sales through targeted marketing efforts.

For educational institutions, VMS solutions can offer customizable access control features that provide secure entry to buildings and sensitive areas, such as laboratories. Integration with emergency notification systems (intercoms, speakers, alarms) allows for rapid communication during incidents, ensuring the safety of students and staff. Also, educational VMS can facilitate the use of mobile applications that allow authorized personnel to monitor facilities remotely and receive alerts, thereby improving response times and fostering a sense of security within the school community.

By focusing on these specific features, integrators can deliver tailored VMS solutions that enhance security and operational efficiency across these niche markets.

Yadav: Milestone’s open platform is designed to enable our technology partners to create vertical-specific applications. We already have Hospital Assist for the healthcare vertical, and our partners are using our MIP SDK to build tailored solutions for sectors like healthcare, retail and education. For example, features like people counting are relevant across both retail and healthcare environments. We believe the best approach is to allow our partners to build solutions that address the specific needs of each vertical, such as HIPAA compliance in healthcare. Our open platform empowers partners to develop innovative technologies, offering customers flexibility without reliance on a single manufacturer.

Shah: The Honeywell approach is to create customized and specific analytics for niche markets. For example, your VMS platform is going to be the same if you deploy it in a school versus in a shopping mall, but there might be a specific gun detection algorithm that you apply in the school that’s different than a retail theft algorithm that you may have to apply in a retail or shopping center. The core principles of the VMS remain the same in terms of storing the video feeds, looking at the video feeds, creating the tiles of different types of cameras and video feeds across different regions.

Those core functionalities don’t change, but what we absolutely would do is provide you different applications, analytics and algorithms that you can apply specific to the industry where you are deploying these solutions. Customizing those analytics and algorithms is a good way to get more from your VMS systems and be more vertical specific to create more value out of the box for customers.

The Future of VMS User Experience (UX) Design

SDM: How are advancements in user experience (UX) design influencing the development of VMS platforms, and what should integrators prioritize to improve ease of use for their customers?

Shah: If you look at a VMS platform, it’s going to be very similar across manufacturers. For example, you have left hand side menu, and you’d have a main pane where you’d have different tiles that you can drop in different cameras or VMS feeds. That’s a typical security monitoring system.

Moving forward, the new user experience became smarter in terms of putting things together. For example, Honeywell has a patented technology where if I pull a video feed for a specific camera and I want to start tracking a specific person moving from one part of the building to another part of the building, the system would automatically supply you the next set of tiles and feeds so you can see that person transitioning from one space to another.

You won’t have to worry about which cameras you need to switch the feeds to, as it does it for you, and with the help of AI you will see more and more of this. You will be able to proactively serve up feeds on situations that you need to look at based on your location or based on the type of applications you’re managing.

So how we can provide more proactive UI for high value alarms and high value areas? For example, if you want to be able to say, “Find me the camera feed to my CEO’s area,” your system should be able to launch that. Or if an incident has occurred, say a theft in one of your retail stores, you should be able to say, “Find me the video feed for 7:55 a.m. for the back door at the Rosemond, Ill., retail store location,” and it would pop the video feed for you.

That’s the next generation of UI, but it’s not really UI, it’s really turning over the experience part of the UI to customers to get data for them to do their jobs more effectively using simple language.

Nguyen: Advancements in user experience (UX) design are fundamentally reshaping the development of VMS platforms, with a strong emphasis on intuitive interfaces and seamless interaction. The recently launched Genetec Security Center SaaS solution exemplifies this commitment to UX, with a design centered around the needs and workflows of users.

By prioritizing a user-friendly experience, Genetec has created a platform that simplifies navigation, reduces training time, and enhances overall operational efficiency for security professionals. This approach acknowledges that effective security management relies not only on robust functionality but also on how easily users can access and use those capabilities.

Integrators should focus on several key elements to enhance the user experience of VMS platforms. First, customization options allow users to tailor the interface to their specific needs, enabling them to prioritize the most relevant features and data for their workflows. Also, integrating advanced analytics and visualization tools can provide users with actionable insights, streamlining decision-making processes. Moreover, mobile compatibility is essential, as it allows security personnel to monitor systems remotely, fostering responsiveness and situational awareness in real time.

Finally, continuous feedback loops from end users are critical for ongoing UX improvements. By gathering insights from customers who interact with the VMS daily, integrators can identify pain points and areas for enhancement, ensuring that the platform evolves alongside user needs. The focus on UX in our Security Center SaaS solution highlights the importance of designing systems that not only deliver powerful security capabilities but also enhance user satisfaction and operational efficiency. This leads to more effective security management and stronger customer relationships.

Campisano: Ideally, VMS software should be intuitive and easy to use from both an end-user and installer perspective. This is why many modern VMS solutions offer multiple interfaces and viewing options, while replicating digital tools that many people are already familiar with. While not a new advancement, some VMS systems offer a tab-based format that mimics a web browser alongside a “tree view” of sites, servers, and devices that is navigated similarly to file explorer. These two examples show how software navigation skills that many people already possess can be leveraged when designing a VMS.

Offering multiple ways to view the software also allows end users to choose what works best for them. While features and functionality may change across platforms, many solutions offer a “thick” or desktop client, a mobile app, or browser-based access through a web client. This combination of UX and choice of how to access provide flexibility and ultimately a greater end user experience. Looking ahead, it’s highly likely that AI access and design tools will become more prevalent.

Integrators should prioritize design and overall usability when proposing a solution to customers. The ultimate goal is to ensure a positive and valuable end user experience while simultaneously solving their safety, security, and operational efficiency challenges. A clunky software solution creates barriers for both efficient deployments and use. In the event of an emergency, a simple, user-friendly, software can make all the difference.

Yadav: We believe that the future of video management design will shift from a functional design to a more human-centric approach delivering human experiences. We need to focus on simplicity and user experience. The goal is to minimize administration and operational frictions. With advancements in AI especially generative AI, we’ll see simpler user interfaces with much of the complexity happening behind the scenes. Simplicity always wins, and the more intuitive the interface, the better the adoption.