Today’s security directors and systems owners are more sophisticated than ever. They understand that a security system isn’t just a capital expense but a long-term technology investment that must adapt to emerging threats, integrate with enterprise systems, and be able to scale without a complete rip and replace. 

This evolving mindset has elevated the role of the physical security consultant from product specifier to risk mitigator and business strategist. With technologies such as edge analytics, cloud-native architectures and AI evolving faster each day, consultants who thrive are those who leverage powerful tools like open interoperability standards to position themselves as strategic advisors rather than simple vendor representatives.

ONVIF is a global standards organization that ensures IP-based security products from different manufacturers can work together. By specifying ONVIF-conformant products, consultants can mix and match cameras, video management systems, access control devices, and analytics solutions from any vendor with confidence that they will integrate reliably. This allows consultants to recommend the best product for each component of a system rather than being locked into a single manufacturer’s product line.

Open standards such as those from ONVIF are helping to fundamentally change this dynamic. When systems designers can mix best-of-breed products from any manufacturer, this translates directly into system designs that can be future-proof and deliver better performance and lower total cost of ownership. 

Protecting Your Professional Reputation

For consultants, project risk isn’t just about whether cameras connect to the VMS. It can be about a consultant’s reputation when a vendor discontinues a product line, when integration issues delay go-live dates, or when a client is unable to expand their system three years later without starting over. ONVIF conformance provides documented, standardized integration paths that can help to dramatically reduce these risks.

Consider the Request For Proposal (RFP) process. By specifying that a product be conformant to a specific ONVIF profile as a baseline requirement, consultants can create clear technical standards that simplify vendor comparisons and reduce evaluation time. Pre-qualified products mean less time troubleshooting integrations and more time delivering strategic value to clients.

Perhaps most importantly, advocating for open standards can position consultants as the advisor who prioritizes long-term client value over short-term vendor relationships. This enables consultants to avoid offering proprietary solutions that serve a manufacturer’s interests, and instead design systems that are capable of incorporating new technology as it becomes necessary for the application.

The Competitive Edge

Technology convergence in the areas of video, analytics, cloud architecture, access control and IoT systems, is transforming the traditional consultant toolkit. Those who understand how to leverage interoperability standards across these domains will be well placed to lead the next generation of integrated security solutions. ONVIF is actively developing standards for these emerging technologies, giving forward-thinking consultants the framework to specify tomorrow’s solutions with confidence that these technologies will easily integrate together.

In a market where single-vendor solutions are often recommended for simplicity, consultants who champion open standards can stand apart. Designing systems using open standards that protect both physical assets and technology investments is a combination that can help to build lasting client relationships and referrals.