Avigilon Unity & Avigilon Alta Installation & Support in Southern California
Choose the right Avigilon platform for each site: on-premises Avigilon Unity for maximum control and offline resilience, or cloud-managed Avigilon Alta for speed and visibility. We design and deploy security cameras, access control, and hybrid retention across Southern California.
Which Avigilon Platform When?
We commonly blend platforms: Unity at campuses and sites that require on-prem control; Alta for branches and distributed locations where cloud speed and centralized visibility matter. Both can tie into your identity provider and incident workflows.
Avigilon Unity (On-Prem Video & Access)
Traditional VMS and access on your infrastructure for deterministic control, bandwidth independence, and specialized integrations.
- On-prem recording & retention with LAN performance
- Advanced policy and camera analytics options
- High-security sites needing offline resilience
Avigilon Alta (Cloud VMS & Access)
Cloud-managed cameras and access control for rapid rollout, unified visibility, and simple administration across many sites.
- Fast deployment, centralized dashboard & updates
- Mobile credentials, remote unlock, and health status
- Flexible hybrid retention with cloud archive
Architectures We Build
From headquarters to branch networks—education, healthcare, commercial, retail, and public sector—our designs focus on reliable evidence capture, access policy, and day-to-day operations.
Unity VMS on-prem
High-throughput recording, analytics, and LAN-first performance for security cameras.
Alta cloud VMS
Cloud management for multi-site video with health monitoring and simple sharing.
Access Control
Unity Access or Alta Access—roles, schedules, and visitor workflows aligned to your IdP—see access control.
Hybrid Retention
Edge + cloud archive to balance bandwidth, cost, and compliance.
Identity & SSO
Directory sync with least-privilege roles and audit trails.
Migrations
Phased cutovers from legacy VMS/access with rollback and parallel views.
Capabilities Matrix: Unity vs Alta
General guidance for platform fit. We tailor designs to your security standards, privacy policies, and retention requirements.
| Capability | Best Fit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Video Management | Unity (on-prem) | LAN performance, deep policy; ideal for campuses and datacentered sites |
| Access Control | Either | Pick Unity Access or Alta Access based on operations and footprint |
| Multi-Site / Fast Rollout | Alta (cloud) | Centralized dashboard, lighter branch infrastructure |
| High-Compliance / Offline | Unity (on-prem) | Resilient recording and access when WAN is down |
| Hybrid Retention | Either | Edge storage plus cloud archive where needed |
| Identity & SSO | Either | Directory sync and role-based access aligned to your IdP |
| Open Integrations | Either | Ecosystem connectors; verify specific use cases during design |
| AI-assisted Search | Either | Camera analytics and intelligent search options vary by model |
How We Deliver
Predictable deployments and clear handoffs—designed around your facilities, policies, and incident workflows.
1) Design & Plan
- Coverage maps for camera placement and retention targets
- Door schedules, roles, and visitor flows for access control
- Network, PoE, and bandwidth planning for cloud and on-prem paths
2) Implement
- Mounting, cabling, labeling, and controller/appliance setup
- Dashboard/VMS configuration, templates, and validation
- Change windows with rollback and parallel verification
3) Operate
- Runbooks, admin training, and evidence workflows
- Health checks, tuning, and lifecycle recommendations
- Audit-ready reporting and access reviews
Avigilon (Unity & Alta) FAQs
What’s the difference between Avigilon Unity and Avigilon Alta?
Unity is on-prem video and access that runs on your infrastructure for maximum control and offline resilience. Alta is cloud-managed video and access for faster rollout and centralized administration across many locations.
Can we mix Unity at HQ and Alta at branches?
Yes—this is common. We keep policies, roles, and retention consistent and document the differences in runbooks so operations are predictable across platforms.
How do you plan storage and bandwidth?
We size edge storage for your motion profile and retention goals, then add cloud archive where needed. For WAN, we account for preview/streaming and alert traffic and schedule uploads during off-peak hours when appropriate.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Unity continues on-prem recording and access according to configured roles/schedules. Alta devices buffer and enforce configured behavior; when connectivity returns, data syncs and alerts resume.
Can Avigilon integrate with our identity provider?
Yes—both platforms support directory/SSO models so you can maintain least-privilege roles and auditable changes tied to your IdP.
Do we need new cabling or can we reuse existing infrastructure?
We survey existing cabling, power, and network. Many sites reuse cabling and PoE; we upgrade selectively where performance or compliance requires it.