Vendor APIs About 1 min read
VMS and cloud video APIs
These references cover video platform interfaces for live media, events, recording, export and administration. Check support for each required workflow.
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Overview#
Vendor APIs / VMS and cloud video
Choose the narrowest supported integration mode. A language neutral protocol or REST API reduces in process coupling; an SDK component can expose richer media and object models; a client or server plugin can deliver the deepest workflow integration but inherits the host process, release, signing, and support constraints.
Pages#
- Milestone MIP SDK and API Gateway
- Genetec Security Center SDK and Web API
- Network Optix Nx Meta APIs and SDKs
- Motorola Solutions and Avigilon integration interfaces
- Eagle Eye Video API
- Verkada Command APIs
Integration mode decision#
| Mode | Strength | Coupling and risk |
|---|---|---|
| Remote REST/protocol | Process and language isolation; simpler least privilege | May expose less host UI/media functionality; auth and event recovery remain yours |
| Vendor component/library | Rich object and media access | Runtime, architecture, dependency, licence, and release coupling |
| In process plugin | Native UI/workflow and host services | Highest crash, privilege, signing, deployment, and upgrade impact |
| Cloud API | Vendor managed reachability and elastic service | Tenant/region identity, rate limits, data residency, service lifecycle, and outage dependency |
| Media URL/session | Efficient browser/player delivery | Short lived authorisation, codec/container, privacy, export, and redistribution constraints |
Non negotiable controls#
- Authorise metadata, live view, playback, export, audio, PTZ, configuration, and administration independently.
- Treat a returned media URL or session token as a secret with evidence level sensitivity.
- Never infer durable event delivery; document cursors, acknowledgement, replay window, ordering, and reconciliation.
- Pin SDK and VMS builds and rehearse upgrades against vendor compatibility statements.
- Preserve source time, ingest time, camera/VMS identity, tenant/site, event ID, and correlation through normalisation.
- Keep evidence export immutable and separate from convenience snapshots or transcodes.
See VMS, NVR, and VSaaS architecture, recording and retention, event security, and adapter patterns.