Edge devices in the video surveillance system
The VSaaS video surveillance platform supports a wide range of deployment scenarios and equipment connection methods — from integrating individual cameras at small sites to building complex hierarchical structures across distributed networks. The system easily adapts to specific requirements and site network infrastructure due to its high flexibility and scalability. The system architecture supports both direct camera integration and integration through Edge devices that act as an intermediate layer for connecting cameras.
An Edge device is a specialized hardware and software device or embedded service deployed within the user’s local infrastructure. Equipped with specialized firmware, the device acts as a gateway between the user’s IP cameras and the video surveillance platform. It collects video streams from cameras in the local network, performs initial processing, optimizes traffic based on the available bandwidth, and transfers data to the video platform for further processing and storage.
Flexible Edge device connection and management. Edge devices allow end users to connect new equipment to the platform independently through the web interface. At the same time, the system provides flexible access management: users can involve administrators when needed to activate Cameras (Agent) or Bridge devices.
Data privacy is ensured through strict permission separation. By default, platform administrators only see the technical parameters required for configuration, while video streams remain private and are available only to the end user.
The video surveillance system supports the following types of Edge devices:
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Bridge hardware and software solution
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Camera (Agent) – IP camera with the integrated Agent service
The Bridge hardware and software solution is a specialized firmware-equipped device that aggregates video streams from local cameras and establishes a connection between cameras and the cloud video surveillance platform. Cameras connect directly to the Bridge device, which then transmits data to the video surveillance system via an internet connection. The Bridge hardware system serves as an optimal solution for distributed sites and complex network environments that require maximum local-level video surveillance autonomy, such as isolated and secure zones with limited internet access or remote, closed, and temporary facilities. Detailed information about the Bridge device and its operation is available in the Bridge documentation section.
The Camera (Agent) is an IP camera with a specialized Agent edge service integrated into the camera firmware by the device manufacturer. The Camera (Agent) functions as an independent edge device. The built-in Agent service enables the camera to transmit video, audio, and metadata directly to the video surveillance platform without additional intermediary devices. It is suitable for sites or connection scenarios with a small number of cameras. Detailed information is available in the corresponding Camera (Agent) documentation section.