Overview of genetec omnicast™ video surveillance
Genetec Omnicast started as a modular, on-premises VMS designed to unify camera feeds and operational controls. In short, omnicast™ is an ip video product that forms the video layer of the wider security center platform. The solution acts as a core part of our genetec security and works across small sites and large campuses. It supports IP cameras from many vendors, standard codecs and the latest cameras and analytics to give a clear picture of events for operators and investigators. For an overview of the available editions and how they scale, see the official Security Center Omnicast Editions page here.
Omnicast is offered in three editions: Standard, Pro and Enterprise. Each edition provides tailored capacity and support, so organizations can choose a video management solution that fits their risk profile and budget. The Standard edition fits single-site deployments. The Pro edition supports growing multi-site needs. The Enterprise edition is built to easily scales to thousands of camera streams across distributed locations, including city-wide surveillance environments as needed. This breadth makes it the right choice for many sectors, from transportation hubs to higher education and municipal projects.
Because the system is on-premises, it keeps footage local and helps teams safeguard sensitive data and comply with regulatory demands. The on-premises design also reduces reliance on cloud storage for routine retention, while still supporting hybrid deployments later. Genetec emphasizes cybersecurity and privacy features across the stack. For example, the product documentation highlights how the architecture protects recorded video and operator access with secure zones and certificate management source. In practice, this translates to a platform that helps organizations protect data, enable audit trails and maintain chain of custody for investigation.
Core capabilities of omnicast™ video management system
The omnicast video management system combines flexible recording, efficient storage and smart distribution of streams. For large deployments, smart bandwidth management and dynamic streaming reduce network load while keeping important video at full quality. The system can route streams by event or priority and record multiple transport profiles simultaneously. As a result, operations use bandwidth more effectively and lower storage costs. This capability has been cited as a major benefit in several customer reviews source.
Centralised recording and archiving ensure that recorded video is searchable and available when needed. Omnicast supports tiered storage strategies, allowing hot, warm and cold storage configurations that optimise retention. High-performance archivers and efficient codecs reduce long-term hardware spending. The architecture supports edge recording on encoders and appliance recorders, and it can integrate with third-party storage to expand capacity on demand. The platform’s open architecture enables seamless load balancing and storage lifecycle management.
Advanced video analytics extend the VMS beyond passive recording. Features include forensic search, motion detection and automated alerts that speed investigation and response. These analytics reduce time spent finding critical events in large archives. For more on how video analytics and forensic tools help teams find evidence, consult a technical resource that explores search workflows source. Together, these built-in features help teams make informed decisions faster during an incident.
Scalability is a core design principle. The product is intended to operate across single sites and multi-site, global deployments. This flexibility lets organisations start small and evolve their footprint. The system can also integrate with access control and intrusion consoles to build a unified security approach that links alarms and footage in one workflow. In fact, Security Center Omnicast is often chosen where unified security and long-term manageability are priorities source.
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Intuitive interface for better situational awareness
The user experience focuses on a single interface that helps operators react to critical events fast. A unified client delivers live view, playback and evidence export from one place, reducing confusion during incidents. This intuitive design streamlines routine tasks, so operators can monitor and respond without toggling between tools. The interface supports custom layouts and workspaces that match operator roles and tasks. It also offers camera groups and dashboards that summarise activity across zones.
Interactive maps and camera groupings enable teams to locate and react to events visually. Operators can click a map icon and load the relevant camera stream in seconds. This workflow helps maintain situational awareness in complex environments such as airports and transport hubs. For forensic use cases in aviation contexts, see our piece on forensic search in airports forensic search in airports. In addition, the platform supports alarm escalation, so an incoming alert can trigger a dedicated layout or automated recording profile for a set of cameras. These rapid response workflows help teams prioritise and manage threats.
Emergency hierarchy handling supports multi-level response procedures. When an event escalates, supervisors can predefine actions that include locking cameras, sending notifications or invoking intercoms. The system logs every action to preserve audit trails for later review. Operators can also export evidence in tamper-evident formats that maintain chain of custody for legal proceedings. The dashboard and notification system help to surface operational insights and ensure teams make informed decisions under pressure. For a practical example of how object and people detection can improve operator response, our platform integrates AI analytics that stream structured events directly into the VMS.
flexible management solutions and video management solution integration
Omnicast delivers management solutions that connect video to the broader security estate. It can unify video with access control, intrusion panels and communications. This level of integration helps security teams react holistically rather than in silos. For example, when access control shows a forced door, the VMS can pull up nearby camera footage automatically. These coordinated actions help to respond to incidents faster and with better context.
Modular automation workflows allow teams to streamline investigations by linking alarms to recorded video and operator tasks. Automation can route video clips to investigators or trigger longer retention for specific incidents. Open APIs also let organisations integrate third-party tools and IoT sensors. If you need object detection that matches site-specific rules, a private analytics platform can integrate without sending data offsite. Visionplatform.ai supplies on-prem AI that integrates with many VMS systems to detect people, vehicles and ANPR events while keeping data in your control. This approach helps organisations align with regulatory needs and retain ownership of models and footage.
Centralised reporting and comprehensive audit functions provide visibility across the whole security environment. Managers can review activity across sites, check operator actions, and assess system health from one place. These reports help with compliance and with improving operational processes. If you want to add specialised detection like people counting or PPE checks in airport settings, our integrations let you feed events into dashboards and business systems; for example, see people counting in airports people counting in airports. Overall, open architecture and APIs make it straightforward to integrate and evolve your security tools over time.
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deployment, redundancy and security features to monitor cctv
Deployment options include single-server installs, clustered high-availability systems and geographically redundant architectures. High-availability server clustering supports failover so recording continues during hardware faults. Geographical redundancy replicates critical streams to remote sites, giving resilience for distributed enterprises. Redundancy planning reduces the risk of data loss and ensures continuous monitoring of CCTV across sites. This strategy is common for transportation and critical infrastructure customers who demand near-100% uptime.
Cybersecurity forms a major part of the product roadmap. The platform implements encryption, secure zones, certificate management and role-based access control to protect streams and recordings. These security features help teams safeguard footage and meet regulatory controls. For a practical demonstration of how frequent updates keep the platform current, Genetec releases feature updates regularly, improving capabilities roughly every two weeks according to industry reporting source. This cadence helps operators respond to emerging threats while maintaining compliance.
The system also monitors device health across the estate. Camera loss, storage fill levels and network errors create alerts that operators can act upon immediately. Integrated audit trails track configuration changes so administrators can review who altered settings and when. For perimeter or intrusion detection, the VMS can pair with detection analytics and send verified alarms to operators; for more on intrusion scenarios, see our intrusion detection in airports resource intrusion detection in airports. Together, these security practices safeguard data and help teams maintain continuity of operations.
work smarter with video: how to adapt your portfolio
To work smarter with video, plan a portfolio that can evolve. Start with modular licensing and add analytics as needs grow. Modular licensing lets organisations pay only for what they need today, then expand to capture more value later. Hybrid deployments are also an option. They combine on-premises recording with selected cloud storage or cloud-based analytics to extend capacity without exposing primary data stores.
Hybrid approaches support cloud storage for long-term retention while keeping critical live streams on local recorders. This mix balances cost and sovereignty. For analytics growth, add-on analytics can supercharge detection and reduce false alarms. For example, adding ANPR/LPR or thermal detection for airports can significantly improve situational awareness; see our ANPR resource for airports ANPR in airports. If you prefer to keep analytics on your hardware, on-prem AI options can secure sensitive data and keep models auditable for EU AI Act readiness.
Best practices for ongoing operations include maintenance, training and a regular update cycle. Train operators on workflows such as evidence export and alarm handling so teams can respond to critical events effectively. Maintain firmware and software updates to preserve cybersecurity. Use structured event streams to feed other business systems beyond security. Visionplatform.ai focuses on turning cameras into operational sensors that publish events via MQTT. This design helps unlock operational insights and lets security data power business intelligence, SCADA and dashboards. By planning for change, organisations can adapt their security portfolios while protecting investment and improving incident response.
FAQ
What is omnicast and how does it fit into the Genetec ecosystem?
Omnicast is a scalable IP video management product that forms the video layer of the Genetec Security Center platform. It integrates video, access control and other security functions into a single interface to help teams monitor and respond.
Which editions of Omnicast are available?
Omnicast ships in Standard, Pro and Enterprise editions to suit small sites and large distributed deployments. Each edition offers different capacities, features and management tools.
Can Omnicast work with third-party cameras and hardware?
Yes. The system supports wide ranges of IP cameras, encoders and storage hardware through open architecture and standard codecs. This flexibility helps teams reuse existing equipment while adding new devices.
How does Omnicast manage bandwidth for many cameras?
The VMS uses smart bandwidth management and dynamic streaming to reduce network load. It routes streams based on priority and can record multiple stream profiles to save bandwidth and storage.
Is Omnicast suitable for city-wide surveillance?
Omnicast can scale to city-wide surveillance deployments by supporting distributed recording, geographic redundancy and centralized management. Large municipalities use clustered deployments for resilience.
How does Omnicast help maintain chain of custody?
The system secures recorded video with tamper-evident export, detailed audit logs and role-based access. These controls help preserve evidence for legal and regulatory needs.
Does Omnicast support integrations with AI analytics?
Yes. The platform exposes APIs and supports integrations so AI analytics can feed events directly into workflows. On-prem analytics options allow organisations to keep data local while improving detection accuracy.
What redundancy options exist for deployments?
Deployers can use high-availability clustering, failover servers and geographic redundancy to protect against hardware failure and site loss. These options maintain recording and monitoring during outages.
How does Omnicast address cybersecurity?
The platform includes encryption, certificate management and secure zones to protect streams and recordings. Regular updates and monitoring help organisations address emerging threats and regulatory expectations.
Where can I learn more about specialised analytics for airports?
For airport-specific solutions, you can explore resources on people detection, ANPR and forensic search tailored to aviation use cases. These pages explain how detection models and operational integrations support security and operations.
