Understanding and Resolving Missing Features in Avigilon
Avigilon's security solutions are known for their powerful and extensive feature sets, from advanced video analytics to seamless access control integration. However, it can be confusing and frustrating when you expect a certain feature to be available, only to find it missing or greyed out in the Avigilon Control Center (ACC) software. This guide provides a professional explanation of why features might be missing and how to address the issue.
Primary Reasons for Missing Avigilon Features
The availability of features in the Avigilon ecosystem is highly dependent on three key factors: licensing, software versions, and hardware capabilities.
1. Software Licensing Edition
This is the most common reason for a feature discrepancy. The Avigilon Control Center (ACC) software is sold in different editions, primarily Core, Standard, and Enterprise. Advanced features are reserved for the higher-tier licences. For example:
- Core: Provides essential recording, viewing, and search capabilities but lacks many advanced features.
- Standard: Includes more robust features like advanced video search (Appearance Search, Facial Recognition) and alarm management.
- Enterprise: The top tier, which includes all features plus enterprise-level functions like multi-site management, failover connections, and Active Directory integration.
If your system is running on a Core licence, you will not have access to the features included in the Standard or Enterprise editions.
2. Mismatched Software and Firmware Versions
Avigilon regularly releases new versions of the ACC server and client software, as well as new firmware for their cameras and appliances. A new feature may be introduced in version 7.14, for example. If your server is running 7.12, that feature will simply not exist in your system. It is crucial that all components of your system (server, clients, and cameras) are running compatible and up-to-date software/firmware to ensure all intended features are available.
3. Hardware Limitations
Certain features are dependent on the capabilities of the camera or server hardware. For instance, advanced server-side analytics require a powerful NVR with sufficient processing power. Similarly, specific onboard analytics features will only work if the camera itself is an Avigilon model equipped with the necessary self-learning analytics hardware. An older camera model may not support a newer analytic feature, even with the latest software.
4. User Permissions
In a multi-user environment, system administrators can create user groups with specific permissions. It's possible that the feature is available on the system, but your specific user account has not been granted the rights to view or use it.
How to Troubleshoot Missing Features
Follow this systematic approach to determine the cause.
Step 1: Verify Your ACC Licence Edition
First, confirm which version of the software you are licensed to use.
- Open the ACC Client software and log in.
- Click on the Site Setup tab.
- In the site tree on the left, select the top-level site name.
- In the settings panel that appears, click on the Site Licensing tab.
- This screen will clearly state your software Edition (Core, Standard, or Enterprise) and list all active licences.
- Compare your edition against Avigilon's official documentation to see if the feature you want is included. If not, you will need to contact your Avigilon partner to discuss an upgrade path.
Step 2: Check Software and Firmware Versions
Ensure all your components are up to date.
- In the ACC Client, go to Site Setup and click on your server. The server's software version will be displayed.
- Check the version of the ACC Client you are running by going to Help > About.
- Check the firmware version of individual cameras by selecting them in the Site Setup tree.
- Visit the Avigilon website's software download section to see the latest available versions and their release notes, which will detail when specific features were introduced.
Step 3: Review User Group Permissions
If you are not the system administrator, check your user rights.
- Ask your system administrator to log in and check the settings for your user group.
- Navigate to Users and Groups, select your group, and review the assigned permissions to ensure that the privilege for the missing feature is enabled for your account.
Step 4: Confirm Hardware Compatibility
Check the technical specifications for your hardware.
- Refer to the datasheet for your specific camera model or NVR on the Avigilon website.
- The datasheet will list all supported features and capabilities, such as supported analytic types, resolution, and frame rates. This will confirm whether your hardware is capable of supporting the feature in question.
By methodically investigating these four areas, you can effectively diagnose why a feature is missing from your Avigilon system and take the appropriate steps to enable it, whether through a licence upgrade, a software update, or a permissions change.