As video systems evolve and age, mechanical failures become a reality, and security teams face growing concerns around patch management and data integrity. At the same time, hybrid and cloud storage solutions are reshaping expectations. Across industries—from retail and education to critical infrastructure—installers, integrators, and end-users ask: how can video storage remain reliable, secure, and future-ready?
Benchmark spoke with IDIS, a South Korean company known for its dependable digital video recording hardware, and Verkada, a US-based provider of cloud-first, integrated security platforms. Their approaches to these challenges diverge significantly.
How Do NVRs and Cloud Systems Ensure Reliability?
For IDIS, reliability starts at the factory. Brian Lee, Managing Director at IDIS Europe, explains that NVRs are produced in the company’s Smart Factory in South Korea, where automation and optimised processes ensure consistent quality. “Small batch production allows us to focus on quality, driving defect rates down close to zero. This is why our NVRs come with a seven-year warranty.”
Built-in resilience supports this foundation: RAID configurations protect data, Smart Failover maintains recordings during outages, and enterprise failover services keep monitoring continuous even if hardware fails. In addition, IDIS DirectIP technology delivers seamless plug-and-play connectivity across devices, reducing installation complexity while ensuring reliability in the field.
Lee adds that IDIS’ Smart Factory approach, which computerises and automates every stage from warehousing to production, testing, packaging, and shipping, boosts production efficiency and reduces defects. This integration of technology and best practice improves quality and consistency throughout the manufacturing lifecycle.
Verkada, in contrast, removes the NVR from the equation entirely. “Our hybrid-cloud system stores video locally on the camera and backs it up to the cloud,” says Abraham Alvarez, Vice President of Product Management, Cameras at Verkada. “Footage continues recording if the network goes down and uploads automatically once connectivity is restored. This design reduces attack surfaces and simplifies deployment.”
How Do These Companies Address Cybersecurity and Patch Management?
Both companies prioritise cybersecurity, though with different emphases.
IDIS enhances its NVRs through the DirectIP platform, providing plug-and-play connectivity with mutual authentication between cameras and recorders. Proprietary protocols, TLS encryption, two-factor authentication, and regular firmware updates strengthen security. Brian Lee notes that these firmware updates function similarly to patch management, ensuring vulnerabilities are addressed and devices remain secure. In 2023, IDIS successfully defended its technology during a live ethical hacking exercise.
Verkada simplifies patch management by keeping devices cloud-connected, delivering automatic updates without manual intervention. Alvarez highlights that encryption, both at rest and in transit, is standard, while Enterprise Controlled Encryption (ECE) allows organisations to manage their own keys. Physical safeguards, including tamper detection and IK10-rated enclosures, further enhance resilience.
What About Lifecycle Management?
IDIS emphasises long-term support and backwards compatibility. Many recorders remain operational for over a decade, with new cameras and AI analytics modules integrating seamlessly. This extends device lifecycles and reduces the total cost of ownership.
Verkada streamlines lifecycle management by reducing reliance on local hardware. Centralised updates and the removal of local servers ease the burden on IT and security teams, Alvarez explains.
How Are Market Trends Shaping Storage Choices?
The divide is clear. IDIS notes that economic pressures keep many customers on NVR systems.
“In sectors such as retail and healthcare, budgets remain tight. NVRs offer no ongoing licence fees, free VMS, and the option to expand storage gradually,” Lee says. He adds that while some larger enterprise customers may choose to store video data in their private cloud or co-lo data centre, demand for NVR-based systems continues to grow because of affordability and low total cost of ownership. “There are no ongoing costs or licence fees required for NVR storage or our free VMS, IDIS Center, which is extremely popular with small to mid-sized and even multi-site customers including hotel chains and smaller NHS facilities.”
Lee also highlights the flexibility to expand capacity: “Our NVRs support the simple add-on of additional hard drives to expand storage requirements. So, IDIS solutions give customers a straightforward and convenient option to adopt additional NVRs and hard drives as their facilities and surveillance needs expand.”
Verkada, on the other hand, observes a strong shift toward cloud adoption. Cloud-based systems, Alvarez explains, unify physical security systems into a single interface, simplifying management, enabling centralised oversight, and ensuring devices automatically receive the latest security patches and features. This helps security teams stay ahead of evolving threats without the operational burden of manual updates.
According to Verkada research, 86% of IT and security leaders who haven’t yet moved to the cloud plan to do so. Alvarez notes, “Centralised systems simplify management, reduce complexity, and make it easier to respond to evolving threats.”
How Is Video Evidence Protected?
With deepfakes on the rise, maintaining reliable video evidence is critical.
IDIS employs Chained Fingerprint technology to create a digital signature for each video frame, making tampering immediately apparent. Certificate-based authentication verifies the origin of footage.
Verkada offers Verkada Verify, a publicly accessible tool allowing anyone with access to confirm footage authenticity without proprietary software or logins. Alvarez notes this transparency helps third parties, including law enforcement, validate evidence.
Two Paths Forward
The contrast is distinct. IDIS focuses on NVR durability and longevity, reinforcing resilience, cybersecurity, and cost-effectiveness for clients prioritising ownership and stability. Verkada promotes a cloud-first model, leveraging distributed storage, automatic updates, and centralised control.
For installers and integrators, the decision extends beyond technology. Some clients will favour high-assurance on-premises systems, while others prefer the flexibility of cloud solutions. Both approaches have a role, serving different risk profiles, budgets, and operational needs.