Before SSMS, many sites watch cameras in several places. Each NVR has its own monitor. Each camera brand has its own viewer. Operators jump between screens. SSMS brings all of this into one console. This guide explains what changes, what stays the same, and how to switch over safely.
Before you start
- List every NVR and every viewer your team uses today.
- Count the cameras at each site, as shown on each NVR.
- Agree with management who signs off the switch.
Before and after
An NVR (network video recorder) is the box many cameras record to. Here is how daily work changes when SSMS takes over the viewing.
| Task | Before SSMS | With SSMS |
|---|---|---|
| Watching live video | A monitor for each NVR, or one viewer for each brand | One live wall with every camera from every site |
| Finding recordings | On each NVR, one by one | Central recording, reviewed on one timeline |
| Mixed brands | A separate tool for each brand | Listed brands side by side on the same wall |
| Branches | A separate system at each branch | Managed from one console over the network |
What stays the same
- Your cameras stay where they are.
- Your NVRs can stay where they are. SSMS points at an NVR and finds the cameras behind it automatically. Read more in auto-discovery and multi-site.
- Your site rules stay the same: who watches, who approves reviews, and how incidents are reported.
One design choice needs a decision. Should your NVRs keep recording locally as well? Decide this with Skyline during the site survey.
What changes for operators
- One place to look. The live wall shows every camera.
- One place to review. Recordings are found on the SSMS timeline, not on each NVR.
- Clearer names. Camera names may change if you adopt one naming rule.
- One daily check. The start-of-shift checklist now covers all sites at once.
A safe switch-over plan
- Survey. Skyline checks each site, camera and NVR, and the network path from each site.
- Deployment. Skyline installs SSMS on your server and runs auto-discovery.
- Count check. Compare camera counts for each site (see the table below). Every camera on an NVR should appear in SSMS.
- Side-by-side period. Keep the old monitors running for a period you agree with Skyline. Operators use SSMS first, and the old screens only as a backup.
- Playback test. At each site, play back the same moment on the NVR and in SSMS. The picture and the time should match.
- Training. Operators join the Skyline handover and practise live view and playback.
- Update documents. Change procedures, posters near the console and the contact list.
- Sign-off. The named manager confirms in writing that SSMS shows every camera and records correctly.
- Retire old screens. Only after sign-off. Note what was retired and when.
Count check table
Fill in one row for each site. A simple table like this catches missing cameras early.
| Site | Cameras on NVR | Cameras in SSMS | Match? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head office | 48 | 48 | Yes | None |
| Branch 2 | 16 | 15 | No | Gate camera missing: check its login |
| Warehouse | 24 | 24 | Yes | None |
If a camera is missing, read what to do when a camera goes offline. A changed device password or a changed IP address can stop SSMS from connecting.
Tips for a smooth change
- Switch one site first. Then do the rest.
- Tell operators what is changing and why, before the day.
- Do not change camera or NVR passwords during the switch. SSMS uses those logins to connect.
- Write down every problem during the side-by-side period. Send them to Skyline as one list.
Where to go next
- Training new SSMS operators
- Watching branches and remote sites from one console
- Watching live cameras on the live wall
Quick checklist
- Every NVR and camera is listed, with counts for each site.
- Camera counts match between each NVR and SSMS.
- Playback in SSMS matches the NVR for the same moment.
- Operators have had the handover walkthrough.
- Procedures and posters are updated.
- Old screens are retired only after written sign-off.
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