Purchase Guide: Cisco Meraki MV21 HW Cloud Managed Indoor Camera

The MV range of security cameras, which debuted in 2016, is one of Meraki’s most recent camera portfolios. With a single glass pane, just like their networking-based counterparts, the look and feel are what one would expect from Meraki. This article will give you a quick rundown of what Meraki has done well, which aspects require some time to get accustomed to, and where the MV might be improved.

The MV series of security cameras from Cisco Meraki (which includes Cisco Meraki MV21 HW and Cisco Meraki MV71) is incredibly easy to set up and configure. With Meraki dashboard integration, ease of setup, and utilization of cloud-managed edge storage, they have significantly reduced the high costs and complexity of conventional security camera systems. 

Meraki cameras, like other Meraki devices, feature zero-touch deployment. You can install devices onto the Meraki dashboard and start configuring them using only serial numbers before the equipment even comes on site. Consumers can quickly download video and establish video walls in the Meraki dashboard to monitor crucial regions across several regions without setting an IP address or adding a plugin.

The MV series features an elegant industrial appearance that is ideal for any location and is available in both indoor (Meraki MV21 HW) and outdoor (Meraki MV71) varieties.  The series streamlines and simplifies the overly complicated world of security cameras. MV saves space by removing servers and video recorders.  Administrators will spend less time on installation and upkeep, and spend more time addressing their business requirements

Greater on-camera solid-state storage mitigates the risk of unnecessary upload bandwidth usage while also providing reliable failover protection. Even if the camera is not connected to the internet, it will continue to record as long as it has power. Using motion-based indexing, historical footage can be rapidly searched and examined, and advanced export features make it simple to share evidence with security or law enforcement. 

Since the cameras are linked to Meraki’s cloud infrastructure, users receive automatic update notifications. This gives administrators confidence that the infrastructure is not only safe, but will also be able to handle future demands.

In simple words, the MV introduces Meraki magic to the world of security cameras

Salient Features

  • Meraki dashboard streamlines operations
  • Cloud-managed edge storage reduces the need for infrastructure
  • Suitable for all-size deployments: 1000+ cameras or 1 camera
  • Safe encrypted control design
  • No new software or browser plugins necessary
  • Granular user access management
  • Intelligent search engine indexing

Here are some features to help you decide why you should choose Cisco Meraki’s MV Cameras.

Modern Architecture 

Meraki’s distributed computing technology has made its way into the world of security cameras. MV cameras offer unprecedented deployment, configuration, and operation ease thanks to cloud-managed edge storage. The complete elimination of the Network Video Recorder (NVR) cuts not just equipment CAPEX, but also OPEX costs due to the streamlined architecture.

Every MV camera (whether it be Meraki MV21 HW or Meraki MV71) includes built-in, highly reliable, enterprise-level storage. Because the storage extends with the inclusion of each camera, this advanced technology offers a high level of scalability.  Administrators can relax as the cameras will continue to record footage even if the network connection is lost.

Excellent Video Retention 

MV adopts a novel approach to motion data management by evaluating footage on the camera and indexing motion in the cloud. This hybrid motion-based retention strategy combined with scheduled recording allows users to choose the appropriate video retention option for each deployment. 

Users can choose the video bit rate and frame rate to obtain the ideal balance between storage duration and pixel density using the motion-based retention feature. All cameras keep continuous film for the last 72 hours as a safety net before automatically editing stored video that does not contain motion, offering another degree of security.

With scheduled recording, you can find out when cameras are capturing and when they are not. You can design schedule patterns for cameras and save only what is required. For selective privacy, switch off recording entirely and only watch live footage.

The dashboard also gives a clear retention estimate for each camera, taking the uncertainty out of the equation.

Intelligent Event Isolation

Meraki MV cameras employ intelligent motion search to swiftly locate important video parts among hours of footage. This has been optimized to reduce noise and false positives, allowing users to easily zoom in on key occurrences in the footage. 

Motion indexing by MV has an easy-to-use search interface.

Select the pieces of the footage that you’re interested in, and the dashboard will recover all of the action that happened in that region. Is your laptop missing? Drag the mouse over the location where it was last seen to quickly learn when it happened and who’s to blame.

Built-In Analytics

The built-in analytics in MV cameras go much beyond just security in a typical deployment. MV cameras serve as a sensor to improve corporate performance, public safety, and operational efficiency. 

The cameras also enable you to analyze client activity patterns with motion heat maps, or find out where students congregate during class breaks. You can adjust the tool to individual use using hourly or daily granularity.

All of MV’s video analytics features are integrated within the dashboard. Furthermore, the normal MV license covers all of these features without the need for additional licensing or expenses. 

Easy Management

MV Cameras allow you access with the specific control features you need for a job. For example, the Cisco Meraki MV21 HW Cloud Managed Indoor Camera gives you full 360O coverage if you want to watch what your kids are doing in the lounge. However, if you just need to watch who is at the gate, you do not need full coverage. 

The Meraki dashboard offers multiple configuration options to define a user’s role. You have full power to decide whether it is preventing security workers from modifying network settings, limiting views to only selected cameras, or restricting video export.

The Meraki cloud authentication architecture that supports Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) integration offers a high level of scalability.

Meraki’s revolutionary GUI-based dashboard management has transformed networks around the world, and now networked video surveillance has the same benefits. Many of the issues that security managers have faced for years are gone thanks to zero-touch configuration, remote troubleshooting, and the ability to manage multiple sites via a single glass pane. Above all, every Meraki device comes with dashboard functionality, eliminating the need for any separate video management software (VMS). 

Furthermore, features such as the robust drag-and-drop video wall simplify remote device management and monitoring, whether cameras are installed at a single location or across the globe.

Advanced Security

Cisco Meraki Cameras come with centralized cloud-based management, which is one of the most secure systems available for camera operation.  A public key infrastructure (PKI) that contains individual camera certificates encrypts all camera access. Strong access controls are provided through built-in two-factor authentication. By default, all local video is encrypted by default, adding an extra layer of security that cannot be disabled.

The cameras also enable automatic management of all software updates to ensure swift security upgrades. Scheduled maintenance windows ensure that the MV family meets customers’ expectations by providing new features as part of the MV licensed service. 

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