Data storage and smart video surveillance solutions company Western Digital is preparing to bring its African Smart Video Council (ASVC) to South Africa, as it continues expanding the engagement platform across Africa.
The ASVC was first launched in Egypt in February, as a networking organisation for storage distributors, system integrators and ecosystem players to inform, engage and create a community to foster two-way communication between Western Digital and every major market in Africa.
Following the council’s quick success in Egypt, the data storage firm took the ASVC to Nigeria and later established the council in Kenya.
The company says it is now setting up the council in SA, in efforts to build more awareness about data storage and smart video surveillance solutions, while helping to educate local consumers, businesses and distributors about new and existing technologies.
“As Western Digital began expanding its footprint in the African market, we realised the market was quite fragmented and there was a general lack of awareness around the storage technologies needed for reliable surveillance solutions,” says Ghassan Azzi, Western Digital sales director for Africa.
“People were buying products from a variety of vendors without always knowing whether they were right for their use case, or if they would receive any support for those products.
“As part of the engagement, this council is set to meet with our company leaders and product management teams to discuss what they’re seeing in their market and what their current challenges are.”
The American multinational computer hard disk drive manufacturer and data storage company says it has witnessed much growth in Africa, having created a distribution structure of thousands of retailers and resellers that sell its products across the continent.
Its product portfolio includes smart video surveillance storage solutions which store and analyse massive amounts of video data, and perform heavy deep-learning video analytics – products which are in high demand in SA’s crime-ridden society, it notes.
“Analytics-enabled surveillance systems process enormous amounts of data and require storage with high workload capabilities, video analytics appliances, deep-learning servers or cloud-based storage. Organisations trying to leverage these new analytics-driven technologies need to know that these surveillance systems need purpose-built hard drives.”
The worldwide video surveillance camera market is estimated to grow to $44 billion by 2025, up from $23.6 billion in 2019, according to the International Data Corporation.
While the company hasn’t provided a date for the local launch of the ASVC, once established, it will prioritise getting a better understanding of what is happening in the local market, what the current needs and trends are, and also find out how to improve its offerings to meet these demands, notes Azzi.
It will also provide sales and marketing support, participation at events and trade shows, as well as in-depth training sessions and case studies on the product portfolio.
“Many people don’t fully realise the inherent risks of using storage solutions that are either unreliable, or not made for surveillance. That is why raising awareness is a key challenge we’re focusing on.
“The council will meet with our leaders and product management teams once every quarter to offer them guidance and support more directly and build awareness around new technologies,” concludes Azzi.
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