Allied Telesis introduces automated security camera management with ONVIF Profile Q

Allied Telesis will facilitate the centralised management of large and medium-sized surveillance networks by integrating ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) specifications with their Autonomous Management Framework (AMF) technology. Competition among manufacturers of network components and solutions has been extending into the growing surveillance market for some time.

But to date, Allied Telesis is the only manufacturer of Ethernet switches that integrates the Profile Q protocol. This set of specifications for IP-based video systems and related management software aims at seamless interoperability and is likely to become an open industry standard. The integration into Allied Telesis network components is good news particularly for system integrators and service providers who want to support their customers’ camera and IoT networks with automated control, management, and maintenance.

High level of automation

There is much less need to hire additional personnel to run, control, and maintain the network environment

“Automated, self-healing networks are crucial to the reliability and efficiency of any industry today,” says Graham Walker, VP Marketing at Allied Telesis. “No matter if you look at manufacturing, critical infrastructures, the health sector, retail or public governance – technologies are becoming more complex, especially in large, decentralised networks. Meanwhile, there is a significant lack of skilled operators and technicians. That’s why we are investing in solutions to simplify and automate everyday tasks, so our customers can benefit from lower cost, lower risk, easier networking.”

Autonomous Management Framework (AMF) enables a high level of automation across many aspects of network operation, from asset management, customised configuration, detection, and troubleshooting to disaster recovery. As a result, there is much less need to hire additional personnel to run, control, and maintain the network environment.

Commercial surveillance applications

Within a surveillance network, organisations don’t have to call a service technician each time one of the IP-camera fails: If an automatic reboot doesn’t help, any employee can replace the device, just by getting it in position and pressing the “On” button. After that, the AMF management platform takes care of the connection, configuration, and integration into the network.

Reports and references by Allied Telesis’ partners and their customers from industries such as Automotive, Electronics, ITC, or Power Grids state that the use of AMF helps them to dramatically reduce the operation and administration costs of their sizable networks. The pilot projects currently underway with manufacturers of IP-cameras and surveillance service providers are expected to demonstrate an impressive range of benefits for commercial surveillance applications.