While many evaluate video surveillance platforms on features and capabilities, the fundamental determinant of whether a system will scale and adapt is its architecture. OpenEye, a subsidiary of Alarm.com, has developed an intelligent cloud-managed video platform designed to address the gaps left by both traditional on-premises solutions and by cloud-native upstarts.
The company pivoted in the mid-2010s to focus on its own cloud-based video management system, a transition further accelerated after its acquisition by Alarm.com in 2019.
"We have a mature, security-focused offering that aims to simplify scale, management, and intelligence in video surveillance," said Angelo Salvatore, OpenEye Vice President of Business Development for APAC.
Technical breakdown: Federated architecture and hybrid storage
Traditional video management systems (VMS) and network video recorders (NVR) have historically required recording infrastructure on each site. These systems perform all critical functions locally, from video storage to user management and analytics.
While effective on a small scale, this approach quickly breaks down as organizations attempt to standardize security across dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of facilities. Remote management becomes complex, with each box effectively an isolated silo.
Angelo Salvatore, Vice President of Business Development for APAC, OpenEye
This complexity affects both dealers managing multiple client sites and customers overseeing their own multi-location operations.
OpenEye proposes a different architecture: decoupling intelligence from storage. In their system, the "brains"—user permissions, alerts, analytics, health monitoring, and system updates—reside in the cloud, while video recordings remain local on the customer's premise.
This software architecture is "federated": multiple independent systems work together as a single unit while retaining control over their own data or processes.
For OpenEye this means that a single change or policy propagates instantly to every site, with no need to deploy or update software locally.
"One update in the platform system will affect every connected device out there, without additional infrastructure or licensing," explained Salvatore.
With a cloud solution, all connected devices, users, and locations can be managed easily from one platform. Also, automatic updates provide immediate access to the newest features.
This helps reduce any additional burden on IT by enabling these recursive tasks to be done from anywhere. Additionally, the ability to manage multiple locations can help businesses scale their video security more effectively for easier deployments.
Comparison with industry players
The video surveillance market is divided between on-premises solutions—from complex video management systems (VMS) with SQL databases, remote gateways, and distributed servers, to simpler all-in-one network video recorders (NVR) with local recording and increasingly, analytics—and cloud-native systems that move video data entirely to the cloud, often requiring proprietary hardware.
OpenEye claims a differentiated position in that middle ground. Video recordings remain local on-premise, with non-identifiable metadata uploaded to the cloud only for system management. Video clips can also be stored in centralized cloud clip storage that makes it easier to share, manage and distribute video evidence when needed.
Crucially, all OpenEye AI and analytics are processed on-site, meaning data is not processed in the cloud and does not require permanent internet connectivity to operate—another key differentiator from many cloud-native competitors.
This approach allows OpenEye to meet strict privacy and compliance regulations (including ISO 27001, SOC 2, NDAA, GDPR) while ensuring management happens centrally.
OpenEye also offers a full range of standalone cloud cameras with full AI capability to compete directly in this market. These cameras feature onboard storage, cloud-based management, and upload to the cloud only on alert triggers or events. Notably, they remain open — able to be reused on any VMS via RTSP.
"Unlike some cloud-first competitors, the OpenEye connectivity requirements are modest; our appliances operate with virtually any internet connection — wired, 4G, satellite — and require only outbound traffic on standard ports," added Salvatore.
"In the US, we've been very successful with multi-site retail, QSR, petroleum, and convenience," Salvatore explained. The ability to centrally manage hundreds or thousands of geographically distributed sites from "one pane of glass" means complexity remains constant, even as deployments scale.
Importantly, the OpenEye retrofit model appeals to organizations with substantial investments in existing network or camera infrastructure.
"You could literally walk into a brownfield site, uplift their software or recorder, put our recorder in, and take that over — without them removing any of their existing camera or network infrastructure," Salvatore said.
Business intelligence applications (from queue management to loss prevention) become available through simple cloud updates, without reengineering each location.
"Even five-year-old cameras can be empowered with modern AI features, like searching for an individual in a grey shirt across multiple locations over 30 days, or using business intelligence tools to optimize retail operations," said Salvatore. This centralization, he says, delivers real-time insights at scale without complexity.
Ultimately, this architecture is the key and it enables future technologies like speedy investigations, AI and business intelligence at scale across all sites and customers, delivering timely and accurate information as technology development accelerates — something siloed systems would struggle to deliver.