Onvif

ONVIF, short for Open Network Video Interface Forum, is an open industry forum established to standardize how IP-based physical security products communicate with each other. Its goal is to enable interoperability among products from different vendors, including cameras, video recorders, access control systems, and software video management solutions.

Founded in 2008 by Axis Communications, Bosch Security Systems, and Sony, ONVIF is a non-profit organization whose members collaborate to create and maintain standard interfaces for networked security devices. The organization develops specifications for how devices discover each other, how capabilities are described, and how streaming media, events, and device controls are exchanged across the network. Compliance is demonstrated via conformance testing and public device profiles.

The technical core centers on web services-based interfaces, typically SOAP, with device discovery performed through WS-Discovery, and standard descriptions defined by WSDL and XML schemas. The Profiles define subsets of capabilities for common use cases. Profile S covers basic video streaming; Profile G covers recording and playback; Profile T adds advanced video features and metadata; Profile A addresses access control; Profile Q focuses on quick discovery and configuration; Profile M covers metadata and analytics. Many devices advertise conformance to one or more profiles, enabling interoperability in mixed-vendor deployments.

Impact and scope: ONVIF is widely adopted in the surveillance industry and is supported by numerous manufacturers and integrators. It has contributed to vendor interoperability and simplified system integration, though real-world interoperability can still depend on firmware versions and profile support. The organization continues to evolve profiles and security requirements to address evolving IP surveillance technologies and privacy concerns.