Genetec State of Physical Security report highlights cloud, hybrid trends

MONTRÉAL – Genetec has shared the results of its 2024 State of Physical Security report, which reveals a market rapidly embracing cloud and hybrid solutions.

The report contains data from more than 5,500 physical security leaders (including end users and channel partners) worldwide. It looks at the security strategies organizations are putting in place to effectively navigate the realities of a changing industry.

According to Genetec, the report shows that the adoption of cloud-based solutions for physical security has been gradually increasing over the past decade, but is now picking up speed. In the survey, 44% of end users reported that more than 25% of their physical security setups are now either in the cloud or use a combination of cloud and on-premises solutions. 24% was reported in the prior year's survey.

In last year's survey Genetec found that end-users considered perceived cybersecurity risks to be the primary factor discouraging their organizations from adopting cloud-based security systems. However, there seems to be a shift in attitudes. As a result, in the 2024 survey, respondents have relegated perceived cybersecurity risks to the sixth position among the factors deterring their organizations from adopting security systems in the cloud.

Survey results from channel partners supported the idea that end-users are shifting towards cloud solutions, with 74% of respondents anticipating that more of their current customers will embrace cloud connectivity for security in the coming year. “Furthermore, 39% of channel partners stated that they prioritize cloud-based solutions whenever possible, and an additional 52% offer cloud-based solutions upon customer request,” Genetec wrote.  

Genetec believes that most organizations will prefer a hybrid approach, combining both on-premises and cloud-based solutions. In the survey, 60% percent of end-user respondents revealed that their organizations aim for a security deployment strategy that combines both. Genetec said that the transition to hybrid systems is already in progress, with 15% of end-users stating that their organizations are currently storing video surveillance data both locally and in the cloud, An increase from the 4% reported in last year's survey.

“A hybrid cloud deployment clearly emerges as the ideal path forward for many organizations, seamlessly blending local infrastructure with the power of the cloud," said Christian Morin, Vice President Product Engineering / Chief Security Officer at Genetec Inc. "With a hybrid-cloud solution, organizations can optimize their physical security installation to best fit their business. And no matter how their security needs evolve, their systems will remain agile and adaptable to continue providing them with the capabilities they require.”

The survey was conducted with physical security professionals from August 21 to September 15, 2023. Following a review of submissions and data cleansing, 5,554 respondents (including both end users and systems integrators) were included in the sample for analysis. Survey samples were run across all regions including North America, Central America, Caribbean, South America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Southern Asia, South-Eastern Asia, Central Asia, Western Asia, and Australia-New Zealand.

You can find the full report online at www.genetec.com.