Video management system: Core of Genetec Omnicast
Genetec Omnicast sits at the center of modern video operations as a robust video management system. It records, streams, and indexes live feeds. As a result, operators can watch live and recorded video with minimal delay. The platform handles high-density camera arrays, and it scales to thousands of IP cameras and sensors with modular architecture. This scalability helps large campuses, transport hubs, and municipalities maintain uptime and performance.
Omnicast’s role within a unified VMS is simple to state. First, it centralizes camera streams. Next, it stores searchable video recordings for fast forensic work. Then, it exposes APIs and an SDK so integrators can extend capabilities. For teams that need to evaluate integrations, Omnicast provides hooks to connect third-party analytics or bespoke logic. For example, Visionplatform.ai integrates with existing security infrastructure to stream structured events from cameras into operations dashboards and business systems.
Real-time monitoring, recording and playback features in Omnicast focus on reliability and speed. The system supports simultaneous live viewing across distributed sites. Also, it preserves continuous recordings even during network fluctuations. With configurable retention policies and optimized storage, administrators can set tiered retention to balance cost and compliance. Administrators can also upgrade storage tiers or archive footage to cloud-based or on-prem systems depending on policy.
Scalability matters. Security teams often need a deployment that can manage tens of thousands of feeds without losing frames. Omnicast is designed to scale horizontally so operators do not lose access when a site grows. Furthermore, the platform supports device health monitoring, automated alerts for tamper and sensor faults, and tools that help technicians keep cameras online. For organizations evaluating campus security, Omnicast presents a production-ready option that can be expanded and maintained with predictable operational efficiency.
Security Center: Unified platform for surveillance and control
Genetec Security Center brings video, access control and license plate recognition into one interface. This unified security platform helps operators manage correlated events from different subsystems. It reduces context switching so investigators can join video to door logs or ANPR results in a single view. Forensic search becomes faster when all data points are accessible together, which helps close cases sooner.
The platform streamlines workflows for operators. Alerts and actions appear in a unified console where users can acknowledge, tag, and escalate incidents. Alarms in Genetec Security Center can trigger automated workflows that open a camera, present a timeline, and generate an investigation ticket. That automation reduces manual steps and shortens mean time to resolution. Also, Security Center centralizes administration and reporting so compliance teams can pull audit trails and device inventories from one source.
Centralised administration and reporting capabilities are another strength. Administrators can manage policies across sites, assign roles, and apply firmware updates through a single pane. Also, Security Center offers built-in analytics dashboards and exportable reports for uptime, events and alarms, and device health. You can subscribe to the Genetec channel to stay up-to-date with platform updates, and catch deep dives on new features via the Genetec podcast when planning upgrades or change windows.
Integration is straightforward when you want to unify existing tools. For example, teams can connect access control logs to video investigations to speed identification and verification steps. If your estate already runs industry-standard cameras, the platform helps you deploy upgrades and integrate analytics solutions without a forklift replacement. This approach lets organizations optimize both security monitoring and broader security and operational efficiency.
AI vision within minutes?
With our no-code platform you can just focus on your data, we’ll do the rest
Video surveillance: From manual monitoring to AI-driven oversight
Traditional CCTV relied on human operators to watch dozens of feeds. Today, AI-driven oversight reduces fatigue and improves consistency. AI-powered detectors scan streams and surface only actionable events. As a result, operators spend less time on routine checks, and more time on high-value tasks such as investigation and situational response. Forensic search improves because indexed metadata replaces slow manual scrubbing of hours of footage.
Automated alerts reduce operator fatigue and false positives. Systems automatically detect suspicious activity and flag it for review. This kind of event detection helps teams prioritize intervention. For transport hubs, an automated people counter can measure occupancy levels and trigger crowd management protocols. For example, airports use people-counting and crowd density analytics to manage passenger flows and meet safety thresholds; Visionplatform.ai offers tailored people-counting models that use existing cameras to deliver actionable occupancy data.
Anomaly detection and behavioural analysis provide context-aware alarms that cut response times. Ambient AI video analytics can detect loitering, perimeter breaches, and tamper events while preserving ongoing workflows. Operators receive clear guidance, thumbnails, and linked evidence so they can act quickly. The system also supports automated notifications to duty officers and maintenance teams, so both security and operational teams can respond in parallel. As adoption rises, AI video analytics will continue to reduce routine manual monitoring and help organizations spot potential threats earlier and with more accuracy (Axis Intelligence: AI video analytics guide).
Video analytics: AI capabilities within Genetec Omnicast
Genetec Omnicast expands with modular analytics that automatically detects people, vehicles, and specific objects. Object detection, tracking and classification run at the edge or on servers so teams can choose a cloud-first or on-prem approach. Visual tracking configuration can be tuned per camera to improve precision in crowded scenes, and models can be adjusted for lighting and angle. This lets operators reduce false alarms and pull focused video investigations faster.
License plate recognition integrates via AutoVu to link vehicle reads to incidents. That LPR data is invaluable for traffic enforcement, parking control, and perimeter checks. Meanwhile, ambient AI video analytics add context by combining object detections with behaviour patterns. The combined signals drive actionable alarms and support event-driven automation. For example, when a vehicle is detected entering a restricted area and the ANPR read matches a watchlist, the system can raise an alarm and summon a guard.
Third-party analytics like kiwivision video analytics and kiwivision™ video analytics may be available as add-on modules for tailored requirements. Integration with analytics solutions enables organizations to supercharge existing deployments without discarding legacy cameras. Developers can also use an SDK to build custom connectors and to stream events to external systems like building management or SCADA. Analysts benefit from faster forensic search and correlated metadata that links alarms to operator actions and investigative notes.
Performance matters. Genetec omnicast and its analytics stack are built to be scalable and to maintain uptime while processing large volumes of live and recorded video. As video data expands globally, systems that process footage in real time become essential; research shows video data volumes will grow rapidly and demand scalable analytics pipelines (MDPI: video big data analytics). That scalability supports both security monitoring and business intelligence use cases.
AI vision within minutes?
With our no-code platform you can just focus on your data, we’ll do the rest
Analytics solutions: Boosting efficiency and compliance
Analytics solutions in a Genetec deployment provide measurable gains. First, end-to-end incident response and case management unify evidence collection. Second, linked video investigations let operators compile footage, logs and annotations into a single case file. This reduces chase time and improves chain-of-custody for compliance reviews. For forensic teams, faster case assembly means fewer missed leads and better outcomes.
Data privacy, transparency and ethical AI commitments are essential. Genetec’s Trust Center documents the company’s approach to responsible AI and privacy protections. That focus is important as regulatory regimes tighten and organisations evaluate deployment strategies against EU AI Act expectations. Visionplatform.ai complements this by offering on-prem processing options that keep data local and auditable, which helps organisations meet GDPR and EU AI Act readiness goals.
Organizations also see quantifiable improvements: faster responses, fewer false alarms, and lower operational costs. Reports forecast AI video analytics adoption growing at a CAGR above 20% through 2025, driven by demand for intelligent security solutions (Axis Intelligence forecast). With automated event detection, teams can automate routine actions and optimize staffing. For busy environments, automation frees skilled staff to focus on complex investigations.
Security and operational teams benefit from combined operational insights that span cameras and OT systems. For example, streaming events via MQTT lets companies use camera events as sensors for BI and OEE dashboards. That approach allows security leaders to improve your security and operational performance while also delivering evidence for auditors. Finally, embedding cybersecurity practices into analytics deployments protects data, devices and privacy across the solution lifecycle.
Use cases: Real-world deployments in enterprise and public safety
AI video analytics with Genetec Security Center and Omnicast finds traction across airports, campuses, and city centres. At airports, analytics detect unattended bags, manage passenger flows, and integrate ANPR reads with gate operations. For passengers and staff, these capabilities reduce queues and improve safety. For specific airport scenarios, Visionplatform.ai supports people detection, fall detection, and ANPR integrations that help teams operationalize vision data across security and terminal operations; see examples such as people detection in airports and ANPR/LPR in airports for more detail.
On campuses, the platform supports access control use cases and unauthorized access detection. Video and door events link in Security Center so campus security can investigate faster. In city centres, analytics help detect perimeter breaches, loitering, and tamper attempts. These events and alarms feed into operator dashboards so first responders get timely context. Studies show AI-enabled systems reduce incident resolution times and lower false alarm rates, which translates into cost savings and better resource allocation (Axis report: 2025 state of AI in video surveillance).
Looking ahead, predictive analytics will add more value by forecasting potential threats and guiding proactive patrols. Integration with business systems will let cameras act as sensors for occupancy and flow analytics, improving retail and transport operations. For teams planning an upgrade, evaluate options that let you deploy models on existing hardware, keep data local, and automate routine escalations. For field teams, modular add-on analytics make it practical to add detection classes like weapon detection or perimeter-breach detection without ripping out infrastructure.
Many organisations also connect incident workflows to maintenance and facilities systems. That linkage enables automated notifications when cameras report tamper or when a sensor requires service. In short, AI-powered video analytics within a unified security platform help organizations detect potential threats, automate routine tasks, and improve security and operational efficiency across sites (research on integrated security systems).
FAQ
What is Genetec Omnicast and how does it differ from other VMS?
Genetec Omnicast is a video management solution that records, streams, and indexes camera feeds. It emphasizes scalability and modular integration so organisations can add analytics and other systems without replacing cameras.
Can AI video analytics run on existing cameras?
Yes. Many analytics run on external servers or edge devices and consume RTSP or ONVIF streams from existing cameras. This lets organisations deploy new detection capabilities without swapping hardware.
How does license plate recognition integrate with the platform?
License plate recognition integrates via AutoVu and links reads to video and access logs. This supports parking, traffic monitoring, and investigative workflows by joining plates to incidents.
What steps improve forensic search in large archives?
Indexing video with metadata and tagging key frames speeds forensic search. Also, using targeted object detection filters reduces the amount of footage to review.
How does the platform support privacy and ethical AI?
Genetec and vendors document responsible AI principles and provide configurations to limit data retention and access. On-prem analytics and auditable logs help meet GDPR and other compliance needs.
Can analytics solutions integrate with building systems and BI?
Yes. Analytics can publish structured events via MQTT or webhooks so operational systems and dashboards can consume camera-derived sensor data.
What is the benefit of ambient AI video analytics?
Ambient AI provides context-aware alerts by combining detections with behavioral patterns. This reduces false positives and delivers more actionable alarms to operators.
How do organisations keep systems secure from cyber threats?
They adopt strong device inventory controls, patch management, encrypted transport, and network segmentation. Regular audits and secure admin practices also protect video assets and metadata.
Are there examples of measurable improvements from AI analytics?
Yes. Reports indicate faster incident resolution and fewer false alarms, with AI adoption expected to grow rapidly through 2025. Many deployments report clear reductions in manual monitoring workload.
How do I evaluate an upgrade to AI-enabled surveillance?
Evaluate compatibility with your existing security system, determine whether processing must remain on-prem, and pilot analytics on representative cameras. Also, test detection accuracy for your site-specific use cases before full deployment.
