Are Delayed Avigilon Alerts Putting Your Property at Risk?
In professional security, timing is everything. When your Avigilon system detects a critical event, you expect an instant notification. A delay of even a few seconds can make all the difference. If you're experiencing a noticeable lag between an event occurring and the alert arriving on your mobile device or workstation, it's a critical issue that needs to be addressed immediately. This lag undermines the proactive security promise of the Avigilon platform.
This guide is designed for Avigilon users to diagnose and resolve notification delays within the Avigilon Control Center (ACC) ecosystem. We will cover the common culprits, from network infrastructure to server performance, and provide a clear path to restoring the real-time alerting capabilities of your system.
Common Reasons for Avigilon Notification Delays
The Avigilon system is a complex, end-to-end solution. A delay can be introduced at several points between the camera and the end-user.
Network Latency and Bandwidth
The network is the most common source of delays in any IP-based security system.
- High Latency: High ping times between the camera, the ACC server, and the end-user's device will inevitably delay alerts. This can be caused by network congestion, poor routing, or Wi-Fi interference.
- Insufficient Upload Bandwidth: Avigilon cameras, especially high-resolution models, require significant upload bandwidth. If the network cannot handle the load, data packets, including alert triggers, can be delayed.
- Packet Loss: An unstable network connection that results in packet loss will force data to be re-transmitted, causing significant delays in receiving real-time information.
Avigilon Control Center (ACC) Server Performance
The server is the brain of your system. If it's struggling, everything slows down.
- High CPU Load: If the server's CPU is consistently running at a high capacity, it won't be able to process event triggers and send notifications in a timely manner. This can be caused by running too many cameras on an under-powered server or by other applications competing for resources.
- Disk I/O Bottlenecks: The server is constantly writing video data to disk. If the hard drives have slow write speeds or are overworked, it can create a bottleneck that delays other processes, including alert dispatch.
- Software and Configuration: An outdated version of the ACC software could have bugs that affect performance. Similarly, poorly configured rules and alarms within ACC can create unnecessary processing load.
Client-Side and Mobile App Issues
Sometimes the issue lies with the device receiving the notification.
- Mobile Device Settings: Aggressive battery-saving modes on iOS or Android can prevent the Avigilon mobile app from receiving push notifications instantly.
- Poor Client Connectivity: The workstation or mobile phone receiving the alert may have a poor connection to the network, which will delay the receipt of the notification.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Avigilon Alert Delays
Follow these methodical steps to pinpoint and resolve the source of the latency.
Step 1: Analyse Your Network Infrastructure
Start by verifying the health of your network.
- Run a Ping Test: From the ACC server, open a command prompt and ping the IP address of the camera experiencing delays. A healthy response time should be consistently low (e.g., less than 10ms on a local network). High or fluctuating ping times indicate a network problem.
- Check Network Utilisation: Use your network monitoring tools to check the bandwidth utilisation on the switches and routers connecting your cameras and server. Look for signs of congestion.
- Ensure Quality of Service (QoS): On managed networks, implement QoS policies to prioritise video and alert traffic from your Avigilon devices. This ensures that security data isn't delayed by less critical network traffic.
Step 2: Evaluate ACC Server Health
Ensure the server has the resources it needs to operate efficiently.
- Monitor Server Performance: Open the Task Manager (Windows) or activity monitor on your server. Check the CPU, memory, and disk usage. If any of these are consistently maxed out, you have found a major bottleneck. You may need to upgrade the server's hardware or optimise its configuration.
- Update ACC Software: Ensure you are running the latest version of the Avigilon Control Center software. Check the Avigilon website for release notes to see if any performance improvements or bug fixes are relevant to your issue.
- Review Rules and Alarms: Log into your ACC client and review the rules that trigger notifications. Are they overly complex? Are they being triggered too frequently? Simplify the rules where possible to reduce the processing load on the server.
Step 3: Verify Client and App Settings
Don't overlook the device that receives the alert.
- Disable Battery Optimisation: On the mobile device, go into the phone's settings and find the application settings for the Avigilon app. Disable any battery optimisation or power-saving features that might be restricting its background activity.
- Test on a Different Network: Try receiving alerts on your mobile device using a different network (e.g., switch from Wi-Fi to 4G/5G) to see if the delay persists. This can help you determine if the problem is with your local Wi-Fi network.
By systematically investigating these areas, you can effectively diagnose and eliminate the delays in your Avigilon notification system, ensuring that you are always alerted to security events in real-time.