Nx EVOS: Pioneering the World's First Enterprise Video Operating System

For those of you keeping up to date with Nx, you may have noticed some recent changes, especially evident in our recent website redesign. Previously known as Powered By Nx VSaaS or Nx Enterprise Video Platform, the Network Optix intelligent video platform that powers Nx products like Nx Witness VMS and Nx Go (and some of the most powerful video solutions on the planet) has evolved. And we’re not talking about just a simple name change, we’re talking about a new category in technology: the Enterprise Video Operating System, or EVOS.

Breaking Down the Concept of EVOS

What exactly is an Enterprise Video Operating System? To fully flesh out the concept, let’s break the term down into two parts: “Enterprise Video” and “Operating System”. 

This is where Nx excels, where we’ve made a name for ourselves as a powerhouse in the industry. Nx products and products built with Nx software stand out, among other things, due to their infinite scalability and ability to manage complex video networks and operations at the enterprise level, enabling businesses and organizations to extract actionable data from thousands of cameras and devices across a multitude of systems and locations. 

We’ve seen the industry increasingly move towards systems that can operate on an enterprise scale, shifting from localized, limited-capacity systems to vast, interconnected networks. This shift is driven by the growing need for integrated surveillance solutions, extensive data analytics, and the ability to manage these components through a unified platform. Nx EVOS is designed to address these needs by providing a scalable, reliable foundation that supports the growth and complexity of modern enterprise video demands.

Now let’s get to the part that has likely piqued some interest. Generally, the concept of an "Operating System" (OS) typically falls into one of two categories: the familiar Personal Computer OS (like Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android) that most of us use daily, and Organizational Operating Systems, which are essential for managing business operations at scale.

At the individual level, managing digital life and communications is fairly straightforward across one or multiple personal computer operating systems. However, when it comes to enterprise businesses and organizations, where the management of digital content and communications must scale massively, it’s a different ball game. This is where Organizational Operating Systems come into play.

Operating Systems at the Enterprise Level

Within an organization, while individual members might use a variety of personal operating systems, the organization itself is typically limited to two enterprise-level operating systems: Microsoft or Google. These platforms are the foundation upon which various organizational operating systems are built for managing specific business functions - like sales (using tools such as Salesforce), customer data (with systems like HubSpot), and financial operations (via software like Intuit) - all made accessible throughout the organization by cloud computing.

While these organizational OS applications are essential for managing business operations, there’s a big shift happening. Computer vision and AI have entered the scene and are redefining the landscape of organizational operating systems. These technologies introduce advanced capabilities that transform how businesses monitor, analyze, and interact with their environments, paving the way for smarter decision-making and more proactive business strategies. Now, companies can not only observe and analyze their environments in real-time but also anticipate needs and respond more dynamically to changes. It's not just about enhancing efficiency; it's about transforming everyday operations at the enterprise scale. 

And with that, we’ve arrived at the inception of the “Enterprise Video Operating System” or “EVOS”: An operational management software platform designed to turn video into data and process that data at a large scale, providing actionable intelligence for businesses and organizations.

The Value

Now that we’ve set the backdrop, let’s delve into what sets Nx EVOS apart in the EVOS landscape.

Implementing sophisticated computer vision and machine learning technologies introduces significant challenges, particularly at the edge where real-time data processing is critical. Predominantly, edge operating systems are variations of Linux which, while robust, often fall short in seamlessly integrating these advanced technologies into the broader OS environment. This integration gap creates a fundamental barrier in the market: there is no effective way to merge the myriad of edge-based data collection technologies, when deployed at a massive enterprise scale, into a unified system that is easily integrated with core enterprise systems and is compatible across all personal computer operating systems - until now.

The first of its kind, Nx EVOS bridges the gap between advanced edge technologies and traditional enterprise operating systems. It provides a comprehensive, integrated platform that abstracts the complexities associated with enterprise-scale video and operations management and AI deployment - in cloud and on-device - including:

• Device Management: Nx EVOS automatically handles the integration and management of new devices as they come online, removing the need for manual configuration and ensuring seamless scalability.
• Bandwidth Optimization and Resource Allocation: Nx EVOS efficiently manages and allocates bandwidth and storage, optimizing performance across a wide range of conditions and use cases.
• User Management: Comprehensive user management features allow for efficient and secure control of user access and permissions, a must-have for enterprise environments.
• AI Pipeline Support: Nx EVOS supports instant, scalable deployment of AI applications across different locations, devices, and channels, making it effortless to integrate advanced analytics and machine learning into your video solutions.

What's Next?

Our vision for Nx EVOS moving forward is to continue to cement its role as a cornerstone in the market for enterprises to leverage video technology for actionable operational intelligence and for developers to build innovative video solutions without the need to reinvent the wheel, enabling our partners to focus on what they do best: create cutting-edge applications that push the boundaries of video technology.

Broadening AI Integration with Nx AI Manager

A pivotal aspect of our strategy moving forward is to solidify our footing in the edge AI and computer vision landscape by broadening our integration with artificial intelligence through tools like the Nx AI Manager. An outcome of our strategic acquisition of Scailable earlier this year, Nx AI Manager simplifies the deployment of advanced AI models across a variety of edge devices and AI accelerators, making it easier for users to build and deploy scalable Video + AI solutions effortlessly. 

Find more information on Nx AI Manager and how it can be used to simplify your AI development and deployment here.

Promoting Industry Standards with OAAX

Continuing with our commitment to lead innovation in edge AI and computer vision, we aim to share our expertise and drive progress in the industry as a whole by complying with the new Open AI Accelerator Exchange (OAAX) Standard. OAAX promotes a framework for XPU-agnostic AI, fostering an open and cooperative environment in the AI technology sector. By aligning with OAAX, we can ensure that Nx EVOS remains at the forefront of technological standards, promoting interoperability and efficiency across different hardware platforms.

Get full details on OAAX and how to join the initiative at oaax.org.

Driving Operational Intelligence

Looking further ahead, we will continue to expand our library of integrations, equipping developers with a wide range of analytics capabilities that enable solutions built with Nx EVOS to not only gather comprehensive data but also analyze and transform that data into actionable insights for strategic decision-making in business and operations. Ultimately, our goal is to empower developers and users with the tools they need to create the perfect video solution for any industry or application. 

Alongside these enhancements, we are dedicated to continuously expanding upon our rich feature set and refining the in-client user experience to ensure seamless navigation and quick, efficient access to essential information.

Join Us on the Journey

With all that said, we invite you to join us on this journey as we continue to innovate and redefine what’s possible in video technology. 

Stay tuned for more updates and news at networkoptix.com/blog or by following us on LinkedIn!