For physical security, the cloud question is no longer if, but how

“Cloud is no longer just about storing video data or enabling remote configuration,” says Patrik Pettersson, a strategic advisor at Axis Communications. “It’s about stronger collaboration between manufacturers, system integrators, and end users. Many organizations desire managed services that proactively manage their systems. SaaS foundations from manufacturers will be critical to making that happen.”

Secure-by-design devices are key to this shift, with modern network devices now incorporating secure software, secure hardware, and zero-trust principles. Cloud-enabled fleet management platforms are another important driver, with capabilities including real-time monitoring, automated remote patching and updates, and superior control for system owners. 

Many organizations, Pettersson says, are opting for a hybrid cloud model for their physical security environment. These architectures often include on-premises systems that help organizations comply with data regulations, edge analytics for real-time detection and classification, and cloud orchestration for updates and enhanced intelligence across the system. 

“Not all solutions are cookie-cutter,” Pettersson notes. “Any given customer may have high-risk environments that cannot possibly be connected to the public cloud. I would venture to say that extremely few security applications are 100% cloud. In fact, even the most ‘cloud-ready’ solutions sold today typically store data on-premises, with orchestration and usage via cloud interfaces. So, the primary deployment even in a ‘cloud solution’ today, is actually hybrid.” 

Building and maintaining a hybrid cloud environment for physical security devices requires deep technical expertise, including familiarity with planning, deploying, and supporting such systems, Pettersson says. He notes that single-vendor solutions are often simpler but more limited in features, whereas multivendor solutions are typically more complex but may be a better fit for an organization’s exact use case. Many organizations, he says, turn to skilled system integrators for help with architecting, operating, and maintaining their hybrid cloud environments. 

Organizations that embrace a hybrid environment, Pettersson says, often reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of their physical security environment, achieve visibility and standardization across all their physical security devices, and enable the sort of scalability needed for growth and innovation. Ultimately, he says, the hybrid cloud leads to a stronger cybersecurity posture, with less operational strain. 

“The hybrid cloud creates a shared responsibility for the system that includes the manufacturer more than ever,” Pettersson says. “We see a giant shift — moving from reactive maintenance agreements that address issues when something breaks to system integrators informing the customer after they have already fixed the issue.” 

The value of a hybrid approach is that it gives organizations the flexibility to decide where cloud and on-premises capabilities can deliver the most value.

That distinction is especially important in physical security, where requirements can vary significantly across devices, locations, and use cases. Some environments may benefit from cloud-based management and system-wide intelligence. Others require local storage, edge processing, or greater isolation. Those needs can also change as an organization grows, regulations evolve, and new capabilities become available.

Organizations can approach cloud adoption as an ongoing infrastructure decision. The right hybrid environment is one that allows security, data, and workloads to reside where they make the most sense today without limiting where they can go tomorrow.