The Chinese security industry has developed for nearly four decades and has now formed a large - scale market. Under this scale, the phenomenon of emphasizing hardware while neglecting software has always existed. With the emergence of IP - based, high - definition, and intelligent security markets, as well as large - scale security projects, this trend of emphasizing hardware over software has gradually been curbed. Some independent third - party software product and management platform developers have gradually got rid of the image of being an accessory to hardware, and the status of security software in the security industry has gradually increased. Security system projects have gradually shifted from the past model of mainly relying on hardware devices to obtain profits to a model of relying on software services to obtain profits. If the current security hardware market is described as "the arrival of a market winter", on the contrary, the security software market seems to be welcoming spring. Here, several aspects of security management software are discussed in order to form some referenceable arguments.

一、General Classification of Security Management Software

    Security software can be classified into the following types according to its functions: basic management, data storage, inter - connectivity, and application in specific industries.

Basic Management Software: It mainly realizes the access management of security devices, user permissions, data collection, and pre - plan management. At the same time, it provides basic services such as streaming media forwarding and video storage. This software is the basic platform of the security system and the most fundamental platform software on which the security system relies to operate.

Data Storage Software: It mainly realizes the integrated storage function of various types of data, such as unstructured video streams, picture data, and semi - structured and structured data. It provides the function of quickly and accurately positioning retrieved data.

Inter - connectivity Software: It mainly realizes the inter - connectivity between different platforms, such as the inter - connectivity based on the GB/T 28181 standard. Independent software usually appears in the form of a cross - domain networking gateway. In addition, the inter - connectivity software also supports non - standard interface protocols, such as SDK and CGI.

    Software for Specific Industry Applications: It takes the needs of specific industries as a reference and realizes data services for industries through intelligent video analysis, personalized industry applications, and fine - grained data management.

    Previously, software at different technical and functional levels was all implemented on a single platform without a good hierarchical design. The platform was very bloated, and the coupling degree was too high, resulting in poor openness, usability, and scalability of the system. Especially when developing for personalized needs, a small change could affect the whole system, often causing abnormal platform operation.

　　Currently, application - layer software has begun to separate from the basic platform. Independently developed application platforms run independently by calling the data, media, and control interfaces of the basic platform, providing users with personalized application functions and operation interfaces such as online/offline electronic maps, 3D sand tables, video tracking, security pre - plans, and image analysis and processing. These can be continuously improved and optimized according to user needs without affecting the operation of the basic system.

　　Data storage management software has also gradually begun to be separated from the basic platform. With the high - definition of monitoring and the continuous expansion of the system scale, the importance and status of data storage in the system are getting higher and higher, and it will become the core of the security system. The traditional storage management ability of the basic platform can no longer meet the requirements of ultra - large - scale high - definition video storage and new technologies. Especially in the video storage of cloud architecture technology, the technical implementation difficulty and importance have far exceeded those of the basic platform.

二、Development and Current Situation of the Security Software Market

    The development of security software also shows the following characteristics:

1、Video - related Management and Application Software Dominates: Management and application software related to video far exceed software for other data types. Especially driven by factors such as intelligence and high - definition, this trend is becoming more and more obvious.

2、Hierarchical Design and Industry - specific Application: Software design is gradually becoming hierarchical, and the trend of industry - specific application of software is obvious.

3、Big Data and Cloud Computing Trends: The trends of big data and cloud computing in security software are obvious. With the practical application of video structuring technology, the processing of massive amounts of structured and semi - structured data obtained from videos can only be achieved quickly with the help of big data technology. At the same time, a huge and reliable storage space (cloud storage) is required.

    Since the birth of security software, it has existed in three types of enterprises:

1、Device Manufacturers: The main business and profit points of these enterprises are still hardware devices. They are involved in software as an accessory to promote hardware sales. With the increasing homogenization of hardware and the gradual manifestation of the value of software, these manufacturers are also gradually strengthening software development. However, affected by the long - standing domestic atmosphere of emphasizing hardware over software, their software share still needs to be further improved.

2、System Integrators: In order to monopolize certain projects or gain more say in hardware procurement in certain projects, they try to occupy the high - ground of software to obtain the maximum commercial benefits. The software of these enterprises cannot be made into pure software products but can only be called project - based software products because this type of software varies from project to project and cannot be replicated on a large scale.

3、Independent Third - Party Manufacturers: These enterprises are based on the development and sales of security software. Their advantage is that they can productize security software, provide good software products, and offer fast software customization services. As independent third - party software, another advantage is the compatibility with front - end hardware devices, which can break the monopoly of projects and give owners more space for independent selection. Since the post - production cost of software products is low, the profit margins of these enterprises are relatively high. Their disadvantage is that the proportion of security software in projects is too low, so the scale of independent third - party enterprises is generally small, and they seem weak compared with device manufacturers. Therefore, the secret to the survival and development of these enterprises lies in their R & D strength and technical accumulation in specific industries.

三、Bottlenecks in the Development of Security Management Software

    Although security software has entered a rare development period, we should be vigilant in times of peace. Currently, security software faces the following bottlenecks:

1、Increasing Homogenization: With the introduction of various standards by the Ministry of Public Security, these standards have leveled the functional display of most security software, resulting in a general trend of similar functions. The general functions of security software are becoming more and more homogeneous. At the same time, with the gradual implementation of video structuring technology, the functions related to video structuring are also gradually becoming similar. Therefore, various functions of security software centered on video are showing a trend of homogenization.

2、Increasingly Segmented Market Demand: With users' better understanding of software and their own businesses, the trend of industry segmentation is becoming more and more obvious. General software obviously cannot meet personalized needs. This requires security software to adapt to market demand changes in a timely manner, find the right market positioning, and avoid being in a passive situation.

    To break through the above software bottlenecks, I think the following points should be achieved:

1、Industry - oriented and Application - based: The value of software lies in its practicality. How to truly integrate software into specific industries, implement software according to industry applications, actually solve practical problems for users, and improve the operating efficiency of the industry is to return to the practical value of software.

2、Quick Response to Customized Requirements: With the increasing awareness of users of software and the in - depth understanding and exploration of specific industries, a software system with a reasonable architecture, easy - to - disassemble and assemble modules, and flexible interface docking should be designed. At the same time, the stability and usability of the software should be continuously improved. Only in this way can it adapt to customized requirements with the highest cost - performance ratio, meeting both the profit goals of enterprises and the requirements for rich software product functions.

3、Self - breakthrough: Taking independent third - party software as an example, even in an environment where hardware is emphasized over software, it should maintain its own characteristics, deeply explore specific industries, develop more industry - specific software products, form cumulative differences in specific industries, and develop more down - to - earth software products. By connecting with user industry data, it can break through itself and explore broader development space.

4、Talent is the Key: The saying "The most lacking thing in the 21st century is talent" also applies to software enterprises. Reasonably using talents and building a core team to enhance the comprehensive strength of the enterprise is never an empty talk.

四、Future Development Trends of Security Management Software

    Security software has gradually changed from an accessory given away with hardware to being highly valued and has now gradually evolved into the core of the security system. Security software has entered a period of rapid growth. In the future, the development of security software will face the following trends:

1、Intelligent Security Software Platforms: With the increasing maturity of video structuring technology, it is possible to describe videos in a structured way. Massive amounts of video data will generate tens of billions of structured and semi - structured data. How to quickly and accurately obtain the required information from huge amounts of data has become the first problem that security software faces.

2、Industry - specific Segmentation: The security software for each industry has great differences in function, but the core technical architecture is basically the same, with differences only in the application - layer performance. The industry - specific segmentation of security software can specifically solve the in - depth needs of each industry, meet customer needs, and increase software stickiness. Therefore, the design concept of security software should be based on hierarchical design to ensure the stability of the basic platform and adapt to industry applications through the application layer.

3、Increasing Compatibility and Openness: The advantage of software lies in its "softness", which requires it to support and be compatible with front - end devices (IPC, DVR, DVS, NVR, CVR), back - end storage media (IPSAN, FC - SAN, NAS, DAS, cloud storage), various compression algorithms (MJPEG, H263, MPEG4, H264, H265, SVAC, etc.), and multiple AI algorithms (face, vehicle, pedestrian, abnormal behavior, etc.) without discrimination. Only when security software has sufficient compatibility and openness can it meet various application requirements.

4、Quick Response to Customized Requirements: With the increasingly obvious trend of industry - specific development, there are more and more personalized requirements for specific industries. Many users have realized the negative effects of the software iteration of device manufacturers and have turned to using independent third - party software products, which will further promote the customization and personalization of security software.

5、Data Visualization and Integration: Security software will be centered on video, and the integration of various Internet of Things data will become a trend. How to intuitively display and apply various types of Internet of Things data, including video, makes the trend of data visualization irreversible.

6、Service - oriented Security Software: The core of software is service, including pre - sales and after - sales services. With the gradual implementation of video structuring technology, the value of security data is getting higher and higher. The operation service model based on security big data will bring huge opportunities.