Rasilient Systems, Inc. - Experts & Thought Leaders

As one of the main tourist destinations in the Caribbean, The Bahamas welcomes nearly seven million visitors every year. Unfortunately, the City of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, has seen increased crime in certain parts of the city over the last several years from pickpockets and vehicular crimes to armed robberies and kidnappings.   Policing, safety, and security Based in Nassau, the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) employs over 3,000 officers and provides policing, safety, and security services to residents and visitors. However, the RBPF was challenged to keep up with the rising tide of criminal activity. The government fully supported the RBPF’s initiative to expand the country's surveillance system as a strategic tool in the fight against crime.  Track and monitor, situational awareness The RBPF added system infrastructure and hundreds of new IP-video cameras to increase police presence" “There are known criminal hotspots across the city that people of interest frequent," said Ethan Munnings, CTIO at Proficient Business Services, Bahamas, and the lead engineer for the City of Nassau video surveillance project. “To curb incidents in those areas and to better track and monitor suspects, gain situational awareness, and to be able to help locate or identify people after leaving the scene, the RBPF added system infrastructure and hundreds of new IP-video cameras to increase police presence. One of those areas, for example, is the surroundings of the house of the Prime Minister.”  Milestone video management system In 2011, the city set up its initial Milestone video management system, overseeing around 250 cameras. Later, in 2019, Nassau officials collaborated with Proficient Business Services to integrate almost 500 additional cameras and edge devices into the system. A restructuring of the network infrastructure was required to consolidate all data feeds to the city's Real-Time Crime centre. The new crime centre, located at the police headquarters, opened in February 2021, acting as the Royal Bahamas Police Force's technological epicentre.  Innovative technology Integration  In early 2020, the Ministry of National Security of the Bahamas began expanding its existing Milestone XProtect video management system. Milestone's open platform data-driven video technology system is compatible with various hardware and software vendors. The upgrade led to redesigning of the network infrastructure and the addition of over 500 high-quality network cameras from Axis Communications. Facial recognition and video analytics ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection system was also integrated into the greatly expanded system The project involved several Milestone technology partners, including system servers from Rasilient Systems, and video analytics applications such as Licence Plate Recognition (LPR) and facial recognition from BriefCam. ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection system from SoundThinking, was also integrated into the greatly expanded system.  Artificial intelligence and deep learning Within the Milestone VMS, the cameras and servers integrate with BriefCam’s video analytics, providing facial recognition and person/object tracking. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and deep learning, integrated BriefCam technologies transform video data into valuable insights for rapid video review, search, and real-time alerting. Two types of LPR The system also offers two types of Licence Plate Recognition. The first is via the Milestone LPR add-on, and the second is through direct integration with BriefCam.  A team of 14 operators relies on Auvik for device monitoring and SolarWinds to manage the core network. The fiber network, with a 10G backbone, is based on Cisco technologies.  Traffic safety revolutionised  Video technology was pivotal in this endeavor, with fatal accidents in New Providence dropping to 33 in 2019 Beyond enhancing security, Nassau's updated city video system has proved instrumental in monitoring traffic accidents and holding drivers responsible for their behaviour. Eyewitness News from Nassau reported 69 deaths related to traffic in 2018. After witnessing an almost 30 percent surge in fatalities from 2017 to 2018, authorities committed to reducing traffic-related deaths and accidents. Video technology was pivotal in this endeavour, with fatal accidents in New Providence dropping to 33 in 2019.  Traffic surveillance “The cameras we have strategically installed on traffic lights around the city use LPR integrated with Milestone Systems, which have helped control hit-and-run accidents,” said Munnings. “There have been cases of pedestrians being hit by vehicles that didn’t stop; now the police can track those vehicles and bring those drivers to justice. The new surveillance system has also helped prevent human abductions.”  Technology and innovation For more than 12 years, the City of Nassau has been relying on and expanding the capabilities of its video surveillance system. With the help of technologies and deep integration within an open platform VMS ecosystem, the city's authorities and police have effectively addressed evolving challenges to ensure safety for both residents and tourists.   “Technology and innovation have taken off at the speed of light and this will only accelerate. Embracing the innovations that improve police work is no longer optional," said Zhivago Dames, Assistant Commis.

Wasabi Technologies (Wasabi), the globally renowned hot cloud storage company, has announced a new partnership with Rasilient Systems, the pioneer in forensic-grade video surveillance systems, to deliver industry-renowned hybrid cloud storage solutions for video surveillance deployments at the edge. Wasabi - Rasilient partnership This partnership combines the strength of Rasilient’s surveillance system optimisation with Wasabi’s unlimited scalability and disruptively low cost, so users in industries with multiple distributed locations, such as healthcare networks, education systems, and retail branches, can effectively handle the rising amount of video being captured, at previously deemed ‘unserviceable’ or ‘difficult’ remote locations. With the ever-increasing amount of data produced by video surveillance applications, moving and archiving infrequently-accessed video to an offsite, secure, and reliable storage environment is the only way to keep up with the demand of footage being generated at the edge. Unfortunately, this is nearly impossible for remote locations, due to the limited bandwidth and connectivity needed to send video files, without the risk of frame drop, video degradation and data corruption. Fast and reliable hot cloud storage Wasabi is 80% less expensive to store video recordings, in comparison to traditional cloud providers Now, with Wasabi’s affordable, fast, and reliable hot cloud storage on-demand, Rasilient customers can shorten upload windows and quickly access their video files for faster retrieval times, with a highly scalable repository for their video management software (VMS), which supports high camera counts, high definition resolutions, high frame rates, and long retention periods, all demands of modern video surveillance deployments. Wasabi is 80% less expensive to store video recordings, in comparison to traditional cloud providers and there are no fees for egress, or API requests. This lower cost allows customers to utilise video surveillance, not only for security and safety but for a variety of uses to cost-effectively monitor operations for business optimisation and process improvement, while holding on to that footage forever, so they can refer back to it whenever necessary. Collaboration to offer cloud and edge hardware The two companies have partnered up to offer cloud, edge hardware, and secure transmission in a simple, predictable RMR pricing model, as well as omitting the expensive and fluctuating costs that are traditionally associated with cloud storage solutions. “With modern systems capturing more evidence and anomalies than ever before, there is a surging demand for increased storage capacity that is scalable, dependable, and secure,” said Sean Chang, the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Rasilient Systems. He adds, “By partnering with Wasabi, we’re able to provide our customers with a hybrid cloud solution that is affordable, fast, reliable, and secure, so they are properly equipped to manage the growing volume of video captured across locations.” VMS-agnostic NFDLink communication software Rasilient Systems’ patent-pending, VMS-agnostic NFDLink communication software enables the use of commonly available broadband wired or wireless internet services, to send and receive forensic-grade video recordings directly to and from the Wasabi cloud. Wasabi’s flexible storage capacity allows organisations to leverage NFDLink, to archive infrequently accessed video to Wasabi from any VMS, while keeping frequently accessed video on-site with Rasilient edge devices. PrivateLok for zero-knowledge encryption at the edge Rasilient Systems’ PrivateLok provides zero-knowledge encryption at the edge Rasilient Systems’ PrivateLok provides zero-knowledge encryption at the edge, to add cyber security on top of Wasabi’s safe and secure environment. Only the edge user holds the key, so even if the network was somehow compromised, no one could view sensitive video data. Wasabi is deployed in fully secure and redundant data centres that are certified for SOC-2 and ISO 27001 compliance. The service is architected, in accordance with industry-renowned security models and design practices. Organisations can configure their individual video files or storage buckets to be immutable for a user-defined retention period (in increments of days, weeks, months or years). High levels of immutability Designated video files or files written to that bucket cannot be deleted or altered in any way, by anyone, throughout its storage lifetime. This level of immutability helps Rasilient customers comply with state and local government regulations. “Industries that operate in multiple locations, such as healthcare, government, education, and enterprise retail, may have a blend of software at different sites, often times not having one standard VMS across all locations.” said David Friend, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wasabi Technologies. He adds, “This scenario makes it difficult for organisations to keep up with increasing levels of video surveillance at the edge, in a secure and cost-effective manner. Rasilient has created a surveillance solution that is dependable, can be used in remote areas, and can cover multiple sites. We’re excited to partner with Rasilient, to provide their customers with a flexible, cost-effective and secure cloud storage solution that caters to the modern demands of video surveillance.”

Rasilient Systems, the pioneer in forensic-grade video surveillance systems that are purpose-built for video, will showcase its award-winning lineup of servers, storage, analytic servers, and viewing stations as well as their new private cloud platform, NFDCloud, featuring NFDLink and PrivateLok, at ISC West 2021 from July 19-21 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Las Vegas (booth #18055). “This year at ISC West, Rasilient will be focusing heavily on the solutions that bring the most value to the market,” mentions Sean Chang, CEO of Rasilient. Video surveillance system “In addition to our hardware platforms that have been reliable and resilient for our customers for 20 years now, this includes our new cloud platform, NFDCloud and NFDLink with PrivateLok. NFDCloud is a patent-pending open-platform cloud video surveillance system that is architected with cybersecurity at its core. This opens the Cloud to many companies that previously passed on the technology by offering private and hybrid options.” ISC West 2021 is also the first chance Rasilient will publicly launch their revamped branding ISC West 2021 is also the first chance Rasilient will publicly launch their revamped branding, after a long year of connecting remotely during the pandemic. “It was time our branding reflected our core values of Innovation, Quality, and Services. Rasilient’s branding of 20 years served us well, but we believe this fresh update really exemplifies that Rasilient is a brand of the future and something to pay attention to,” said Yu Hao Lin, COO of Rasilient Systems. The Rasilient booth will also include notable solutions from technology partners Herta, who will demonstrate their analytics and facial recognition solutions and Wasabi, who will showcase their ‘hot cloud storage.’

Securing Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in the transportation industry is multi-faceted for a multitude of reasons. Pressures build for transit industry players to modernise their security systems, while also mitigating the vulnerabilities, risks, and growth-restrictions associated with proprietary as well as integrated solutions. There are the usual physical security obstacles when it comes to increasingly integrated solutions and retrofitting updated technologies into legacy systems. Starting with edge devices like cameras and intelligent sensors acquiring video, analytics and beyond, these edge devices are now found in almost all public transportation like buses, trains, subways, airplanes, cruise lines, and so much more. You can even find them in the world’s last manually operated cable car systems in San Francisco. The next layer to consider is the infrastructure and networks that support these edge devices and connect them to centralized monitoring stations or a VMS. Without this layer, all efforts at the edge or stations are in vain as you lose the connection between the two. And the final layer to consider when building a comprehensive transit solution is the software, recording devices, or viewing stations themselves that capture and report the video. The challenge of mobility However, the transportation industry in particular has a very unique challenge that many others do not – mobility. As other industries become more connected and integrated, they don’t usually have to consider going in and out or bouncing between networks as edge devices physically move. Obviously in the nature of transportation, this is key. Have you ever had a bad experience with your cellular, broadband or Wi-Fi at your home or office? You are not alone. The transportation industry in particular has a very unique challenge that many others do not – mobility Can you trust these same environments to record your surveillance video to the Cloud without losing any frames, non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year? To add to the complexity – how do you not only provide a reliable and secure solution when it’s mobile, travelling at varying speeds, and can be in/out of coverage using various wireless technologies? Waiting to upload video from a transport vehicle when it comes into port, the station, or any centralised location is a reactive approach that simply will not do any longer. Transit operations require a more proactive approach today and the ability to constantly know what is going on at any given time on their mobile vehicles, and escalate that information to headquarters, authorities, or law enforcement if needed; which can only occur with real-time monitoring. This is the ultimate question when it comes to collecting, analysing, and sharing data from mobile vehicles – how to get the video from public transportation vehicles alike to headquarters in real time! Managing video data In order to answer this question, let’s get back to basics. The management and nature of video data differs greatly from conventional (IT) data. Not only is video conducted of large frames, but there are specific and important relationships among the frames and the timing between them. This relationship can easily get lost in translation if not handled properly. This is why it’s critical to consider the proper way to transmit large frames while under unstable or variable networks. The Internet and its protocols were designed more than two decades ago and purposed for conventional data. Although the Internet itself has not changed, today’s network environments run a lot faster, expand to further ranges, and support a variety of different types of data. Because the internet is more reliable and affordable than in the past some might think it can handle anything. However, it is good for data, but not for video. This combination makes it the perfect time to convert video recording to the Cloud! Video transmission protocol One of the main issues with today’s technology is the degradation of video quality when transmitting video over the Internet. ITS are in dire need for reliable transmission of real-time video recording. To address this need a radical, yet proven, video transmission protocol has recently been introduced to the market. It uses AI technology and to adapt to different environments in order to always deliver high quality, complete video frames. This protocol, when equipped with encryption and authentication, enables video to be transmitted reliably and securely over the Internet in a cloud environment. One of the main issues with today’s technology is the degradation of video quality when transmitting video over the Internet Finally, transportation industry has a video recording Cloud solution that is designed for (massive) video that can handle networks that might be experiencing high error rate. Such a protocol will not only answer the current challenges of the transportation industry, but also make the previously risky Cloud environment safe for even the most reserved environments and entities. With revolutionary transmission protocols, the time is now to consider adopting private Cloud for your transportation operations.

The cloud is here to stay. Its resilience and ability to connect the world during during the COVID-19 pandemic has proved its worth, even to the uninitiated who have now witnessed first-hand the value of connected systems. Video and access control as a service provides a flexible and fluid security and business solution to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry, where the changing threat landscape means investing in the cloud is an investment towards success. This article will look back at our articles in 2020 about the growing popularity of cloud solutions for physical security, with links to the original content. Product offering While most people agree on the definition of “cloud,” there are several points about the terminology that may require clarification. Private cloud or public cloud? VSaaS or unlimited storage for video? Beyond the basics, the terms become foggy, reflecting a variety of notions about how cloud services fit into the broader physical security marketplace. As cloud usage becomes more popular, it’s important that marketers be precise in their terminology, and that integrators and end users be diligent in understanding the specifics of available product offerings. Different meanings “The cloud has many different possible connotations, depending on the context,” says Yu Hao Lin of Rasilient Systems, one of our Expert Roundtable panelists. For example, corporate CIOs will more likely understand the cloud to be a private cloud platform. As such, the public cloud is a ubiquitous term while the private cloud is more specified. Cloud system security Security of cloud systems is an ongoing discussion in the industry, especially how cloud system cybersecurity compares to that of on-premise systems. Our Expert Panel Roundtable weighed in on this question. “While both kinds of security systems serve their purpose, it can be argued that the streamlined updates that are commonplace with cloud-based solutions may put them at more of an advantage when it comes to data security,” says panelist Eric Widlitz of Vanderbilt Industries. “Also, most reputable cloud-based solutions are running in secured data centers by companies such as Google, Microsoft or Amazon, so you also get to take advantage of all the security layers they have protecting your data.” Hybrid cloud video security solution A growing list of cloud players reinforces the importance of the cloud in the future of physical security There are several relatively new companies pushing cloud in a big way. Verkada is fast-growing company currently currently focusing to deliver an all-in-one hybrid cloud video security solution powered by edge processing inside the camera. The growing list of cloud players reinforces the importance of the cloud in the future of physical security. Combining AI and cloud video One company investing in the cloud is Eagle Eye Networks, which has raised $40 million of Series E funding from venture capital firm Accel to finance the realisation of their vision to combine AI and cloud video. The money will allow Eagle Eye to continue its steep growth curve and leverage AI on its true cloud platform to reshape video surveillance. “The investment will make video surveillance smarter and safer for end-users,” says Ken Francis, President. Eagle Eye offers an application programming interface (API) to enable the integration of best-in-breed third-party AI and analytics systems to leverage the video. Eagle Eye is also investing in its own AI development and hiring additional development and customer service personnel. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus and MobilisID Identiv introduced the Hirsch Velocity Cirrus cloud-based Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) solution and MobilisID smart mobile physical access control solution. Hirsch Velocity Cirrus is an optimal solution for both end-users and integrators, with lower upfront costs, reduced maintenance, enhanced portability, and the future-proof assurance of automatic security updates and feature sets.  MobilisID is a smart mobile physical access control solution that uses Bluetooth and capacitive technologies to allow frictionless access to a controlled environment without the need to present a credential. Advantages and disadvantages Advantages of cloud-based physical security technologies are many, when supporting staff  The advantages of cloud-based physical security technologies are many, and have wide-ranging applications for all areas of the transport sector; across stations, transport hubs and vehicles. When used to support staff and complement existing processes, such systems can prove invaluable for transport professionals in helping to create a safer working environment, promoting confidence among personnel and passengers, and assuring passengers who are fearful about the current pandemic that all possible precautions are being taken during their journey. 5G supporting cloud-based applications 5G is the first communication environment that is cloud-native. As such, such, 5G networks will support cloud-based applications in a way that 4G, 3G and 2G can’t support. For instance, sensors (e.g. in a manufacturing plant) often have small internal storage and rely on synced devices (e.g. gateways) to interact with the cloud. Soon, these sensors will be able to work more efficiently, interacting with the cloud via the ultra-low latency and the edge computing capabilities supported by 5G networks. Increasing use of IoT Unlike current IoT services that make performance trade-offs to get the best from these existing wireless technologies, 5G networks will be designed to bring the high levels of performance needed for the increasing use of IoT. It will enable a perceived fully ubiquitous connected world, with the boosted capacity offered by 5G networks transferring exponentially more data at a much quicker rate.

Cloud systems are among the fastest-growing segments of the physical security industry. The fortunes of integrators can improve when they embrace a recurring monthly revenue (RMR) model, and cloud systems are expanding the services and features manufacturers can provide, from remote diagnostics to simplified system design. But for all the success of cloud systems, there remains confusion in the market about the exact definition of “cloud”. Or does there? We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: what is “the cloud”? Is there agreement in the market about what the term means?