Growth spurt predicted for surveillance storage market

By Canadian Security  August 16, 2007  

The advantages of digital technology in analyzing and providing real time feedback will likely fuel the IP video surveillance storage systems market, according to a recent report from market analysts Frost & Sullivan.

In addition to growing security concerns, the possibility of integration with the IT infrastructure provides the necessary business case for security managers to shift from analogue to IP surveillance according to the report  entitled North American IP Video Surveillance Storage Markets. The report  reveals that the market earned revenues of $1.26 billion in 2006 and estimates this to reach $2.95 billion in 2013.

“The falling prices of hard disk drives (HDDs) as well as increasing demand from government and gaming sectors as they replace analogue systems with IP surveillance drives this market,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst George C Paul.

“Further, the advent of Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) used for transferring data between hard disk and computer makes IP video surveillance storage systems relatively less complex.”

However, the cost of replacing an existing analogue system with an IP surveillance system includes the replacement of cameras, network, servers, recorders and monitoring stations, which represents a major cost for end users. Additionally, applications such as casino gaming tables, can only operate with continuous video monitoring. Therefore, to prevent revenue loss, casinos require “hot swapping” wherein the analogue surveillance system is replaced in stages by the IP system. Both systems run in parallel until the IP surveillance is ready to take over.

“The challenge for the IP video surveillance storage market is to develop solutions targeting particular applications, with the right balance of flexibility, security and cost,” notes Paul. “For instance, intermediate technologies such as encoders can be used to convert analogue to digital before setting up IP storage systems so that when the transition from analog to digital takes place, the cost does not seem prohibitive.”

Nonetheless, active public and private security concerns in recent times propel heavy investments in the IP video surveillance storage market.

Continuing demand from casinos, airports, banks, and hospitals also bodes well for the IP video surveillance storage market.