ONVIF®
ONVIF is an industry forum that provides and promotes standardized interfaces for effective interoperability of IP-based physical security products. The cornerstones of ONVIF are:
- Standardization of communication between IP-based physical security products
- Interoperability regardless of brand
- Openness to all companies and organizations
Axis was one of the founders of ONVIF in 2008, and continues to take an active role in its development. Today there are thousands of ONVIF conformant products on the market, which allow consultants, system integrators and end users to easily design and build IP-based video systems using products from different companies.
ONVIF Profiles
ONVIF conformant products must conform to at least one ONVIF profile. An ONVIF profile, which involves a set of specifications, defines the interoperable features that are supported by a conformant client (e.g. video management software) and device (e.g. a network camera or video encoder).
The five ONVIF profiles that Axis products support are:
Profile A for broader access control configuration
Profile A is for products used in an electronic access control system. Conformant products support the granting and revoking of employee credentials, the creation and update of schedules, and assignment of access rules. They also support standardized access control events.
Profile C for IP-based access control systems
ONVIF Profile C conformant devices and clients support site information, door access control, and event and alarm management.
Profile G for edge storage and recording
Clients and devices that conform to ONVIF Profile G support the configuration, search, playback and retrieval of recordings on onboard/network-attached storage. Profile G also includes support for receiving audio and metadata stream if the client supports those features. Axis products with firmware 6.30 or higher will support Profile G, in addition to Profile S, enabling enhanced interoperability in systems that use the ONVIF application programming interface.
Profile S for streaming video
ONVIF Profile S allows a conformant client to configure, request and control the streaming of video data over an IP network from a conformant device. ONVIF Profile S also includes support for PTZ control, receiving audio and metadata stream and relay outputs if those features are supported by the client. The majority of Axis products support ONVIF Profile S.
Profile T for advanced video streaming
Profile T supports video streaming features such as the use of H.264 and H.265 encoding formats, imaging settings, and alarm events such as motion and tampering detection. Mandatory features for devices also include onscreen display and metadata streaming, while mandatory features for clients also include PTZ control. Profile T also covers ONVIF specifications for HTTPS streaming, PTZ configuration, motion region configuration, digital inputs and relay outputs, and bidirectional audio for conformant devices and clients that support such features. Most Axis products with firmware 8.50 or higher will support Profile T, in addition to other profiles such as Profile S and Profile G, enabling enhanced interoperability in systems that use the ONVIF application programming interface.
The list of Axis products with support for one or more ONVIF profiles continues to grow. For the authoritative and up-to-date list of all ONVIF conformant products, please go to www.onvif.org/conformant-products.
ONVIF is a registered trademark of Onvif, Inc.