ONVIF Newsletter July 2021

Greetings from Leo Levit,

It is my pleasure to address you in our second newsletter of 2021 in my new role as ONVIF chairman. Over the past few months, I have participated in some virtual industry events and enjoyed many conversations with the media, ONVIF member companies, and many others about current trends in video surveillance, access control, and the continued need for greater standardization and feature interoperability. To that end, and in keeping with the pace of technological developments in the industry, ONVIF is proud to release two new profiles, Profile M for metadata and events for analytics applications and Profile D for access control peripherals. The addition of these profiles to the ONVIF portfolio of profiles will help give integrators and end users greater flexibility and choice when implementing modern security and operational efficiency solutions in a best-of-breed multi-vendor system.

I look forward to the possibility of discussing these exciting developments – and many others – at an industry event in the future with many of you.

Kind regards,

Leo Levit
Chairman, ONVIF Steering Committee

News 

ONVIF Releases Profile M

ONVIF has published the final specifications of Profile M, which standardizes communication of metadata and events for analytics applications. Profile M enables metadata from conformant devices, such as cameras, to easily integrate with conformant clients, such as video management software. Metadata can be used to trigger automatic responses, and effectively store and search for video content of interest. Profile M will make it easier for system integrators and end users to have greater choice in combining solutions from different providers into one system. The profile will also help encourage growth in the number and types of analytics-capable devices or services due to the potential for wide system compatibility.

Read more about Profile M here.

ONVIF Releases Profile D

ONVIF has also released Profile D for access control peripherals, enabling the connection of these devices with an access control unit or a management software using a standardized interface. Potential Profile D devices can be locks, credential/biometric readers, PIN pads, license plate recognition cameras, door phones, sensors, and displays.

Read more about Profile D here.

ONVIF Hosted Second Virtual Developers’ Plugfest

In April, ONVIF hosted the 23rd Virtual Developers’ Plugfest, an exciting opportunity for ONVIF members to test their products against six profiles, as well as the two, then profile candidates, Profile M and Profile D. Participants in the event included 27 developers and engineers from 18 ONVIF member companies, who gathered virtually over the two-week span to participate in over 175 hours of testing.

Developers’ Plugfests are typically held twice a year for members to collaborate in testing their implementations against test tools and assessing interoperability of their products with those from other manufacturers.

ONVIF Speaking Events

Representatives from ONVIF had several opportunities this spring to speak about interoperability and upcoming ONVIF profiles at three different virtual conferences in the security industry.

ONVIF representatives Sriram Bhetanabottla and Todd Dunning participated in an IFSEC Tech Talk, kicking off the beginning of IFSEC Connect, a month-long virtual conference held in June. The pair provided an overview of ONVIF Profile M in support of analytics metadata standards for easier integration. Also, on June 1, ONVIF Chairman Leo Levit joined IFSEC Global editor James Moore and four other industry experts in a panel discussion to examine challenges, opportunities, and trends in video surveillance and security.

Levit also delivered presentations at two other virtual events in Europe: Wiley Industry Days, sponsored by GIT Security, and the Security Summit, organized by A&S Adria.

ONVIF Member Spotlight: Zenitel

What does Zenitel do? What services or products do you provide?
At Zenitel, we believe that intelligent communication is critical in all areas of business; therefore, our expertise is focused on providing intelligent communication solutions that allow you to hear, be heard, and be understood, every time. Zenitel systems interface with other security systems including video and access control for a comprehensive and interactive security solution. We specialize in providing intelligent voice communication solutions including intercom, public address, and emergency notification.

To read the full interview with Zenitel, visit the ONVIF blog.