Administrator guide. Camera (Agent)

This Administrator guide documentation section describes VMS administrator actions when working with Cameras (Agent): configuring user access rights, managing devices, and monitoring events.

The VMS Administrator cabinet is a centralized tool for managing the video surveillance system, where the Camera (Agent) edge device is an integrated part of the overall system. Before the end user can add a Camera (Agent) to the platform, the administrator must prepare the environment.

Required administrator permissions

To manage the lifecycle of the Camera (Agent) edge device on the video surveillance platform, the VMS administrator access level must include:

• Devices > Camera. General

• Permissions to manage Camera (Agent) archive recording settings:

  • Devices > Camera. Configure HD archive recording

  • Devices > Camera. Configure SD archive recording

• Permissions to manage ONVIF settings for the Camera (Agent) on the Services tab of the camera card:

  • Camera. Manage PTZ

  • Camera. Receive events

• To manage Camera (Agent) firmware, the Firmware access level and all permissions included in this level are required:

  • View firmware list

  • View firmware details

  • Upload firmware

  • Edit firmware

  • Delete firmware

The administrator cannot view the video stream from the Camera (Agent). Video is available only to the end user who has access to this camera. Permission control ensures that the VMS administrator can view only the device technical parameters.

End user permissions

To add a Camera (Agent) to the video surveillance system, the end user must have the required access rights. The administrator grants this access level in the video surveillance system Administrator cabinet > Administration > Users section in the selected user profile.

The required access level includes:

Devices:

• Camera. General

• Camera. Archive – allows the user to configure camera archive recording settings. If this permission is not granted, the settings are available in view-only mode.

Permissions to manage ONVIF settings for the Camera (Agent) on the Services tab of the camera card:

• Camera. Manage PTZ

• Camera. Receive events

For more information, see the Users documentation for administrators.

Manage Camera (Agent) device

The VMS Administrator cabinet > Edge devices > Agent section provides the administrator with the following tools to manage Cameras (Agent) on the platform:

• Monitor resources: the administrator can view summary information about the number of Cameras (Agent) added to the platform and detailed technical information about each device.

• Activate a camera for the user (add the camera on the platform): available only after the camera user provides the camera MAC address or serial number to the administrator.

• Configure archive recording settings. On the Archive tab in the camera management profile, the administrator can configure separate recording settings for streams with different resolutions (HD/SD) for the Camera (Agent) to the cloud. This setting is available based on the new permissions assigned to the administrator: Camera. Configure HD archive recording and Camera. Configure SD archive recording.

• View services. The Services tab in the camera management profile is designed to monitor the functional status of the Camera (Agent) device. The information on this tab is available to the administrator in read-only mode. It displays the status of device position control mechanisms (PTZ), as well as current information about activation and settings of events processed by the camera built-in analytics.

• Deactivate a user camera.

For more information, see the Camera (Agent) documentation for administrators.

Remote over-the-air (OTA) updates for Camera (Agent)

The platform supports remote over-the-air (OTA) updates for Camera (Agent). OTA (Over-the-Air) technology enables device updates without requiring physical access to the hardware. The feature is available for both administrators and end users.

• Administrators have full control over the firmware repository and can initiate updates for selected Camera (Agent) devices. We have implemented a phased rollout mechanism with support for A/B testing of firmware updates, making the update process safer and more reliable. Instead of releasing a new firmware version to all devices at once, administrators can gradually enable access to the update for selected users only. This enables pilot testing in real-world operating environments, minimizing risks and ensuring system stability before a full-scale rollout.

  • New firmware versions can be uploaded through the System section > Clients and Licensing > Installation files section. For more details, refer to the administrator documentation page: Installation files.

  • Updating a specific Camera (Agent) is initiated from the Edge devices > Agent > Selected Camera (Agent) > General information > the Updates section. For more details, refer to the administrator documentation page: Camera (Agent).

• Web application users can manage the update process independently from the Camera (Agent) profile under the General information tab. To update the device, users simply need to select the Update button. For more details, see the web user documentation Camera (Agent).

Monitor user devices

Resource monitoring: the Users section provides the administrator with summary information about the number of devices assigned to each user profile on the platform. For more information, see the Users documentation for administrators.

View logs

The Logging section in the Administrator cabinet provides information about registered events from Camera (Agent) devices. For more information, see the Logging documentation for administrators.