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What is a video management system (VMS) in security?

May 2, 2025
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Today’s IT and security teams aren’t just tasked with protecting people and property – they’re also expected to streamline operations, reduce risk and enable smarter business-wide decision-making. 

But if you’re still relying on siloed, on-premise NVRs or outdated DVR systems you’re likely dealing with slow investigations, limited visibility and unnecessary complexity across your organization’s locations. 

Whether you’re managing physical security for a retail or restaurant chain, property management, or a multi-site enterprise, today’s reality is clear – security systems can’t only just store footage – they need to offer more.

That’s where a modern cloud-based video management system (VMS) comes in. 

A cloud-based VMS empowers your team to monitor, search, and manage security footage from anywhere – while also helping other departments, like LP, operations, and compliance, get value from your existing video infrastructure. And the best part? With the right solution you don’t need to rip and replace your hardware. 

With software like Solink, you simply add a lightweight, on-site device that captures and stores video locally while giving you secure, real-time access to the footage you need through the cloud. It’s a hybrid approach designed to reduce bandwidth costs, while delivering modern visibility and control.

VMS platforms like Solink enhance your current cameras with artificial intelligence (AI), cloud access, and operational context to help you reduce loss and improve performance.

In this blog, we’re going to dive into what a video management system actually is, the core features to look for when searching for a solution, the difference between a traditional VMS and a cloud-based one, as well as how the right VMS not only supports security – but also operations.
Cover of a buyers guide for video management systems by Solink, featuring images of surveillance footage and icons representing key features.

Your complete video management system (VMS) buyers guide

With rising shrink, increased security risks and pressure to prove ROI on every tech investment, today’s decision-makers need more than a traditional NVR or VMS – they need a centralized platform that connects their video, data, and operations into a single, intelligent platform.

Take a look at the five key features you need in a modern VMS, and how to evaluate them.
Download the VMS buyers guide
Download the VMS buyers guide

What is a VMS in security?

At its core, a video management system is the software that lets you view, record, store, and manage security camera footage across your business.

Think of it as the command center of your video security system. A VMS helps you:

  • Watch live feeds from multiple cameras
  • Record and store footage securely
  • Search past video clips by time, event, or behavior
  • Set up motion-based alerts and activity zones
  • Manage who can access which cameras and footage
Unlike DVRs or NVRs – which are tied to physical hardware – a VMS is the software layer that makes your security system usable, searchable, and scalable. And when that software is cloud-based, it opens the door to anytime, anywhere visibility across all your sites.
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Core features of a VMS

Live monitoring and multi-camera view
View feeds in real time, whether you’re on-site or remote. With multi-site operations, a centralized dashboard is critical for visibility and speed.

Recording and storage management
Automatically record footage and store it locally, in the cloud, or in a hybrid configuration. Choose how long you retain footage based on compliance, security, or insurance needs.

Search and playback
Need to find a specific incident? A good VMS makes it easy to search video by time, motion, behavior, or even connected data points like POS transactions.

User access and permissions
Control who can see what – and when. Role-based access ensures your footage is protected and only authorized users can access sensitive content.

Alerts and smart analytics
Set up motion triggers, tamper detection, or behavioral alerts. Many modern VMS platforms also include AI-powered analytics to help detect suspicious activity automatically.

System integrations
A VMS should integrate with your existing tools – like POS systems, access control, and sensors – so you get full context for every event.

Compliance, logs and audit trails
Maintain compliance with industry standards and data protection laws. Your VMS should log user actions, footage access, and configuration changes for security auditing.

Traditional VMS vs. hybrid cloud-based VMS

If you’re weighing your options, here’s how legacy on-prem systems compare to hybrid cloud platforms like Solink.

Feature Traditional VMS Hybrid Cloud VMS
Deployment On-site, tied to hardware On-site device with cloud-connected access
Hardware requirement Requires DVR/NVR per site Can use existing video cameras
Access Limited remote access Secure, real-time remote and mobile access to key footage
Maintenance Manual updates and IT support Cloud-managed platform with automatic updated and low IT lift
Scalability Complex and expensive Flexible, location-agnostic expansion via software
Data security Risk of system failure or loss Redundant local and encrypted cloud storage
Integration Typically siloed and limited Seamlessly integrated with POS, access control and other important technologies
Bandwidth efficiency  Constant cloud uploads not optimized  Only event-based or needed footage is uploaded to the cloud
Unlike traditional VMS systems that require fully on-site infrastructure or bandwidth-heavy cloud-only setups, Solink offers a hybrid cloud approach. Video is captured and stored on a small local device, and only important or requested footage is uploaded to the cloud – giving you cloud-based accessibility with the performance, reliability and cost-effectiveness of on-prem storage.

Why modern businesses are moving to cloud VMS

Today’s organizations are spread out, mobile, and fast-paced. Here’s why IT and security leaders are making the move to cloud-based video management systems:

  • Multi-site visibility: Monitor all your locations from a single interface – no need to log in and out of separate systems. This is critical for LP teams, regional managers, and remote operators.
  • Lower maintenance and IT load: Cloud platforms like Solink require no on-site servers, no manual updates, and no maintenance contracts. Your IT team can focus on strategic initiatives, not system upkeep. For example, here at Solink a recent ROI report – The Business Value of Solink – found our customers receive 46% less IT maintenance, 64% fewer security system downtimes and a 90% reduction in mean time to repair. 
  • Built to scale: Opening new locations or remodeling existing ones? A cloud VMS grows with you. Add users, cameras, or sites without the hardware headaches.
  • Faster investigations: Use AI-powered alerts and searchable video to find incidents instantly. Whether it’s a refund dispute or a safety incident, your team can resolve it in minutes – not hours.

How a VMS supports both physical security and operations

A video management system isn’t just for your security team. When integrated with your business tools, it becomes a cross-functional resource for improving performance and accountability.

The hybrid cloud model ensures you never sacrifice video quality or coverage due to limited bandwidth. Your teams can quickly access locally stored footage remotely, without waiting for full uploads to the cloud.

Here’s how a modern VMS adds value across teams:

  • Loss prevention and security: Detects theft, tampering, and unauthorized access in real time.
  • Operations: Validate deliveries, confirm open/close procedures, monitor staffing, and more.
  • Safety and compliance: Ensure employees follow health, safety, and access protocols.
  • Human resources: Support investigations with verified footage and audit logs.
  • IT: Centralized platform reduces system sprawl, ensures compliance, and supports secure remote access.
When you combine video with business data – like Solink does through POS integration and smart alerts – you move from simple security to real operational insight.

How to choose the right VMS for your business

Not all VMS platforms are created equal. Here are the factors that you should consider when searching for a solution for your business. 

  1. Works with existing cameras and infrastructure
  2. Cloud or hybrid deployment options
  3. Efficient hybrid cloud storage that balances performance, access, and cost
  4. Local recording with intelligent cloud syncing for event-based footage
  5. Minimal hardware investment that leverages your current cameras
  6. Searchable, event-based video playback
  7. Role-based access and audit logs
  8. POS and system integration support
  9. Ease of deployment, scalability, and user training
  10. Proven compliance with NDAA, GDPR, or industry standards

What makes Solink’s cloud VMS different

Solink is a cloud video security and analytics platform designed for modern security and operations teams. It brings together real-time video, transaction data, and smart alerts – without requiring new hardware.

Solink is built for modern security and operations teams. It combines on-site recording with cloud-connected access, ensuring fast investigations, reliable performance, and flexible scaling – without the complexity or cost of fully cloud-hosted systems.

This model is especially efficient for multi-site organizations. Each location stores video locally with Sonlink’s Solink Recording Device, and only event-driven or requested footage is pulled into the cloud. That means faster access, lower bandwidth usage, and predictable costs.

Here’s how Solink helps you move faster, act smarter, and get more from your security system:

  • Works with your existing cameras – no expensive overhaul required.
  • Searchable video tied to business events (refunds, door opens, motion triggers).
  • AI-powered alerts for unusual activity, after-hours access, and more.
  • Accessible from anywhere, on desktop, mobile, or via secure remote login.
  • Supports LP, IT, Ops, and HR from a single platform.
  • NDAA-compliant and enterprise-scalable – across hundreds of locations.
Whether you’re building a security strategy from the ground up or modernizing a legacy system, Solink’s cloud VMS helps you unlock visibility, speed, and ROI without starting from scratch.

A VMS is more than just video playback – it’s the system that ties your security strategy together. But in 2025, it needs to do more than monitor and record. It needs to integrate, scale, alert, and inform.

With a cloud-based VMS, you’re not just keeping your business secure – you’re building a smarter, more connected operation. You’re responding faster, managing less hardware, and empowering your team with tools that drive real value.

And with Solink, you can do it all without replacing your current infrastructure. Book a demo to see how Solink’s cloud VMS helps you secure, streamline, and scale – all from one platform.
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