Milestone Consultancy projects are a hallmark of true open platform IP video software, according to the Danish firm.
As the firm puts it: many security companies claim to offer open platform IP video solutions, but very few actually deliver what the security industry and end users really need.
Milestone Systems has a Consultancy Department working full time with integration projects using a Application Programming Interface and a Software Development Kit.
Milestone Systems has offered consultancy expertise for most of the past decade, and this service has grown the firm reports in recent years. The primary purpose of the Consultancy Department is to provide integrations to third party systems and applications, with an eye to deliver more value to the end users. In addition, the constant input from customers gives useful input to feed product developments.
Whenever possible, the integrated solutions are built on top of the Milestone Software Development Kit (SDK), which uses Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for integrating other software or systems data with the XProtect open platform IP video management software.
According to Milestone, with the realization of IP-based surveillance’s inevitability, many other companies have jumped on the bandwagon to offer some of its many benefits. Customers are learning, however, that certain criteria must be met, to deliver a true open platform IP video solution that is non-proprietary: external APIs with a documented SDK and consultancy expertise, as well as training to support it.
The Milestone Consultancy Department has been involved in projects that have created some of the following integrations:
*Access control systems like Paxton, Gunnebo, Honeywell and others working together with Milestone IP video;
*Analytics software like Agent VI, Bosch, Dacolian, and an extended LPR solution where a License Plate blacklist can be redistributed automatically;
*Cash Register provider integrations for XProtect Transact like Wincor-Nixdorf and IBM, NordStore, InStore 2000, CheckPoint’s CheckView solution, and more;
*XProtect Retail customizable solutions that integrate third party ERP systems with Milestone surveillance for retail customers like IKEA
*Remote integrations to the Milestone Smart Client for more access to and control of the surveillance from other systems;
*Camera drivers for specific projects and Manufacturer Alliance Partners who represent leading equipment producers worldwide.
"My experience with the Milestone SDK has been very positive. The solution is flexible and extremely easy to use. We are able to use our preferred development environments and operate on platforms that some other vendors do not support. In addition, remote support was top notch and our requests for enhancements to SDK components were turned around quickly," says Frank Yeh, Senior Security Architect at IBM Global Technology Services.
“As the Milestone software is very robust and mature, and with a continuous influx of ever larger installation projects, there is an increasing need for specific adaptations,” says Paolo Blem, Manager of the Milestone Consultancy team. “We also provide training in the use of our SDK, to ensure the highest quality functionality and integrations with our video platform.”
About Milestone
Founded in 1998, Milestone Systems is developer of IP video management software. Milestone XProtect has more than 45,000 customer installations. With headquarters in Denmark and eight international offices, Milestone software is sold through authorised partners in 90 countries.
