How The New AXIS Companion Software Improves Surveillance For Small Business Owner?

To help installers provide simple, reliable, and affordable video surveillance solutions for small business owners, Axis developed AXIS Companion. And while this system has changed the lives and security approaches of many business owners already, there’s new software that significantly enhances the product services.

Göran Haraldsson, responsible for small business solutions at Axis says about the new software, the new features it brings, and how especially small business owners can benefit from it.

Software development

But first, let's retrace the steps that led to AXIS Companion: How did the development of this software start?

“It was seven years ago when Axis launched the first version of what we know today as AXIS Companion. The key idea behind it was to develop something that would address a smaller system market and smaller businesses.”

“At the time, the market was focused on analog surveillance systems and network video solutions couldn’t really keep up with these systems, as they were too complex and costly for small businesses,” recalls Göran.

Smart solution

Removing the need for centralized servers was key to making the solution more cost-effective 

“There was also a need in the market for a solution that could compete in terms of pricing and, therefore, we developed a solution that focused on the ‘smart’ abilities of the cameras.”

“The solution was AXIS Companion, with the possibility to store video footage in the camera itself instead of on external servers. Removing the need for centralized servers was key to making the solution more cost-effective as servers and their maintenance were quite expensive and complex,” explains Göran.

Simplicity and ease of use

AXIS Companion focused on simplicity. One of the features adding to easy usage was remote access, making it possible to use a smartphone, tablet, or laptop to access and control the system from anywhere in the world. No complex network configuration was needed.

Intuitive solution

It was designed as an out-of-the-box, intuitive solution with a simple set-up that covered all the basic surveillance needs a small business might have. This included high video quality that detects intruders and incidents in daylight as well as during the night, real-time monitoring to prevent and reduce theft, and the ability to control the devices at any time and from any location.

While the AXIS Companion system with all its features is in fact an ideal solution for small business owners, it can also be installed on various types of premises.

Benefits and features

“Like any new technology, there was still room to improve AXIS Companion. We wanted to take the numerous functionalities to the next level by combining the embedded intelligence of Axis network cameras with the advantages that new cloud technologies bring.”

“Our next big step started with the idea to create a new cloud back-end for the system and move some of the system logic to the cloud.”

Performance and security optimization

The new software has been focused on optimized performance and security, as well as introducing a number of new services. The three examples of the services are as follows:

Real-time alert notification

The first example is an alert notification that can be sent to any cellphone device. Not only do business owners get a notification of an incident on their premises in real-time, but these settings can be even more specific by creating a schedule that determines during what time the sensors can be triggered and who is authorized to receive the notifications.

Multi-user feature

The second example is the multi-user feature, which – as the name states – allows numerous people to use the surveillance system.

This way both installers and business owners can use the system and all they need is the email address of the person they want to add to the account. It can even be specified if the person has configuration rights or is just in viewing mode.

Remote device management 

On the web portal users can overview all the sites they have access to and can monitor the status of every device

The third example is particularly interesting from an installer's perspective. The new AXIS Companion software allows installers to remotely manage clients’ devices on different sites.

On the web portal users can overview all the sites they have access to and can monitor the status of every device.

Due to the capability to remotely control the system, installers can undertake simple maintenance steps right away, such as restarting systems or upgrading them. Even these supposedly simple tasks would usually cost time and money as they would require workers on-site.

Cloud-connected software

“I’m convinced that the new AXIS Companion will make the life of many small business owners as well as installers easier”, says Göran.

“It’s our objective to provide security that’s easy to use as well as affordable. With the new cloud-connected software we’ll be able to add further services in the future. This was just the beginning.”