Cloud-to-Cloud Connections in AV: Challenges and Solutions

For integrators and end-users alike, cloud-to-cloud connections – or the lack thereof – is a huge and largely unaddressed challenge in the AV industry. Nearly every AV equipment manufacturer has its own cloud environment and APIs. And this means that anyone using devices from multiple brands (meaning, almost everyone) has to navigate the complexities of different cloud systems for each. 

In this post, we’ll take a deep dive into one of the toughest cloud challenges facing the AV industry – and how it can be solved.

What’s the Big Deal?

For the uninitiated, “cloud-to-cloud connection” refers to the communication between the various cloud-based platforms that manage and deliver AV content, devices, and systems. These integrations enable different cloud systems to work together seamlessly - sharing data and functionality. The problem is that, up to now, there was no way to manage everything in one place. This leaves end-users to manage devices across separate, brand-specific clouds - which is not only time-consuming but also truly makes day-to-day management harder. For systems integrators, dealers or managed service providers responsible for managing numerous clients, each one with several brand-specific clouds, this makes scalability next to impossible.

Data inconsistency adds to the complexity. Different clouds store and format data differently. This means that combining information to get a clear picture of device performance or system health is a hassle. This disjointed data also complicates diagnosing issues across devices - if a device problem spans multiple brands or clouds, pinpointing and fixing the root cause can be frustratingly difficult.

Ticketing and security are additional pain points. Many cloud platforms support only certain ticketing systems, so tracking all service tickets in one place is tough. And large enterprises especially face security headaches, since each cloud system requires its own security approvals - making access and user management complex.

Altogether, these issues create a challenging, fragmented experience for integrators and end-users alike. Troubleshooting takes longer, efficiency drops, and security risks can increase. Without a centralized system (spoiler alert: like Xyte Device Cloud), managing multiple AV clouds will remain a juggling act.

What Do Cloud-to-Cloud Connections Offer?

Cloud-to-cloud connections enable organizations to centralize control of their AV equipment and unified communication setups, enhance collaboration, and gain valuable insights through data exchange. Cloud-to-cloud connections offer:

• Remote control and monitoring - Cloud-to-cloud connections enable a wide variety of interconnected AV devices (displays, projectors, video conferencing systems, digital signage and more) to be managed and monitored remotely through cloud platforms. 
• Centralized management for integrated solutions from multiple vendors - Cloud-to-cloud connections enable AV integrators and end-users to manage and maintain a diverse range of AV devices from various manufacturers within a single cloud interface.
• Collaboration tools integration - Cloud-to-cloud connections allows AV systems to seamlessly work with collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet. 
• Streaming and content delivery - For live events or broadcast applications, cloud-to-cloud connections make it easy to deliver content across platforms. 
• Data exchange - Cloud-to-cloud connections facilitate data sharing between platforms for AV systems that use cloud storage or analytics. This means that data from AV systems - usage patterns, system performance metrics and more - can be transferred to cloud-based analytics engines for deeper insights into performance and user behavior.

Cloud-to-Cloud Connections in Action

Cloud-to-cloud connections are transforming the AV industry, delivering both flexibility and efficiency to many everyday applications. How does this look, in the real world? Here are some real-world use cases:

• Hybrid meeting rooms – For businesses that use a cloud-based AV system integrated with Microsoft Teams Rooms or Zoom Rooms, cloud-to-cloud connections enable fully automated setups. When a meeting is scheduled, the room’s lighting, camera, and microphones can be adjusted for optimal video and audio quality, creating a consistent, hands-free experience for users.
• Remote classroom support - Schools can integrate their cloud AV systems with platforms like Google Classroom, which allows IT teams to remotely monitor and control AV equipment. This enables quick troubleshooting and seamless transitions between in-person and virtual classroom instruction.
• Retail digital signage management - Retailers can link cloud-based content management systems to in-store digital signage using cloud-to-cloud integration. By syncing these systems, they can instantly push new promotions and updates across multiple locations.
• Live streaming for events - Sports arenas can integrate on-site AV cloud platforms with streaming services like AWS Media Services and YouTube. This allows live game footage to be streamed online – offering fans at home real-time access to events.
• Surveillance data analytics - Large facilities, like airports or shopping malls, can connect cloud-based surveillance AV systems to advanced analytics tools. This integration facilitates, for example, automatic analysis of video feeds for foot traffic patterns or security threats. 
• Hospital patient room entertainment - Hospitals can integrate cloud-based AV systems with patient management platforms, allowing patients to control in-room entertainment, lighting, and blinds from their personal devices. This not only enhances the patient experience, it also helps staff manage room equipment more efficiently.

How Xyte Can Help

The Xyte Device Cloud was designed from the ground up to address the challenges of the AV industry by centralizing control over multiple AV systems, regardless of manufacturer, in a single cloud-based platform. Through Xyte’s Connect+, integrators and end-users are empowered to integrate securely with a variety of third party cloud services - automatically importing, managing and monitoring all devices in a single interface.

Xyte’s cloud-to-cloud connectors help streamline operations by reducing the need to navigate separate, brand-specific cloud interfaces. Now, AV professionals can monitor, manage, and troubleshoot AV devices across various brands and locations from a single dashboard. Xyte also supports remote monitoring and real-time issue resolution - enabling integrators to manage rooms effectively with fewer on-site visits.

What’s more, Xyte allows remote devices to feed usage data, system performance metrics, and analytics into one centralized repository. This helps providers and users gain deeper insights and improve proactive maintenance - reducing downtime and extending device lifespan. And perhaps most importantly, Xyte enables AV integrators to unlock new revenue opportunities by adopting as-a-service business models – which dramatically impact customer satisfaction, brand reputation and the bottom line. 

Cloud-to-cloud connections are reshaping the AV landscape. By centralizing device control, enhancing data insights, and enabling scalable as-a-service models, Xyte empowers AV professionals to boost operational efficiency while unlocking the opportunities that will drive their business into the future.