On-Premises, Hybrid or Cloud: Flexible Genetec Deployment with Nextro

Nextro is seeing the same trend across New Zealand and Australia. Security, operations, and IT teams want choice in how they deploy and operate their physical and electronic security systems. Some need fully on-premises Genetec deployments – others are moving towards hybrid architectures. While some retail customers may be ready for full cloud deployment others, such as critical infrastructure customers are leaning towards on-prem or hybrid options. The right model depends on an organisation’s cyber & physical security posture, sector, network requirements, risk profile, as well as strategic and capital priorities. 

Genetec’s State of Physical Security 2026 survey data shows that this shift is already underway. In 2025, 48% of respondents said their deployments were still fully on-premise, while 7% said they were fully cloud. Both figures decreased slightly from the previous year, while hybrid deployment increased by 2%. The trend is clear: organisations are not simply moving from on-premises to cloud-only. When its suits, they are choosing a more flexible mix of both.

Choice is the future of physical security cloud adoption

Physical security systems are not one-size-fits-all. A large critical infrastructure environment may have very different requirements from a smaller regional site. Some locations may need local recording and on-site control. Others may benefit from cloud-based management, remote access, and simpler maintenance. 

That is why deployment flexibility matters. With Nextro and Genetec, organisations can choose the model that best fits each environment: on-premises, cloud, or a mix of both (hybrid). This allows them to modernise at their own pace, retain control of existing systems, and add cloud capabilities where they deliver value. 

Hybrid cloud helps organisations modernise without starting again

For many organisations, hybrid cloud is the practical path forward.

A hybrid deployment allows existing on-premises infrastructure to work alongside cloud services. This can help organisations protect prior investment in cameras, servers, edge devices and site infrastructure, while still gaining access to cloud-based features and centralised management. 

Genetec notes that cloud-managed appliances can help bridge existing systems to the cloud and Nextro already has the experience and expertise gained from deploying these in New Zealand. The Genetec cloud-managed appliances can support centralised control, system health monitoring, updates and simplified maintenance, without requiring organisations to remove infrastructure that still has value. 

Access to new features is also driving cloud adoption. Genetec reports that 51% of respondents said gaining access to new capabilities was a major reason for modernising legacy systems. Ease of deployment and ease of system maintenance ranked second and third in 2025, showing that organisations are using cloud strategically to simplify operations, improve remote visibility and strengthen their cybersecurity posture. 

For Nextro customers, this is often where hybrid architecture makes the most sense. It allows organisations to keep critical systems local where needed, while using cloud services to improve visibility, scalability, and operational efficiency.

On-premises still has a place

Cloud is not the right answer for every site or every organisation. 

Some environments, like critical infrastructure environments, require fully on-premises deployments because of performance, security posture, resilience, bandwidth, data governance, compliance or operational continuity requirements. In these cases, Nextro continues to deploy Genetec as a fully on-premises platform, supporting unified video surveillance, access control, licence plate recognition, intercoms, and broader Security Centre capability. 

The point is not to move every system to cloud. The point is to deploy the right architecture for the environment. 

Full cloud can simplify security operations

For other organisations, full cloud deployment may be the right fit. 

Cloud-based physical security can simplify infrastructure, make deployment faster, support remote visibility, and reduce the effort required to maintain systems. Genetec also highlight access to new features, automatic updates, ease of deployment and ease of maintenance as key reasons organisations are adopting cloud solutions, and Nextro is seeing this play out in the New Zealand and Australian markets.  

This can be valuable for organisations with distributed sites, limited on-site infrastructure, cloud-first IT strategies or a need to manage security operations centrally. 

Nextro deploys Genetec the way customers need it

Nextro works with customers across New Zealand and Australia to design, deploy and support Genetec environments in the model that best fits their requirements. 

That may be:

  • Fully on-premises
  • Hybrid cloud
  • Full cloud
  • A staged transition from legacy systems
  • A different deployment model across different sites

This flexibility is important because physical security systems are long-term and evolving investments. Organisations need the ability to adapt as their infrastructure, risk profile, and operational needs change. 

The future of cloud in physical security is not about forcing every customer into one model. It is about giving organisations the freedom to choose the right model for each site, each system, and each stage of their security journey. 

To discuss the right Genetec deployment model for your organisation, contact Nextro today.