Secure Hosting. Infinite Scale.
Migrate your physical security and building management systems to secure, redundant cloud environments designed for high availability.
Not ready for a full quote? Talk to an engineer first.
ZEI hosts and manages cloud infrastructure for physical security, video, and building systems on AWS, GCP, and Azure. Designed for high availability, secured to zero-trust principles, and operated with proper observability — so the systems your facility depends on never depend on a closet server in a back room.
Technology Partners
A representative environment where ZEI engineers, deploys, and supports cloud infrastructure.
Where current systems fall short.
- On-premise security servers nobody knows how to maintain
- Single points of failure that take down video, alarms, or access during outages
- Backups that exist on paper but have never been tested
- Cloud bills that grow uncontrollably with no visibility into what's driving cost
- Identity and security models that haven't kept pace with modern threats
Modernize Your Stack
Eliminate on-premise servers, reduce maintenance overhead, and access your systems from anywhere.
Managed Hosting
We host and maintain your VMS, access control, and middleware on secure AWS or GCP infrastructure.
Disaster Recovery
Automated off-site backups, multi-region redundancy, and instant failover ensure continuous operation.
Zero Trust Security
Implement end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and strict identity-based access controls.
Scalable Compute
Instantly spin up more storage or processing power as you add cameras and doors to your system.
What gets installed.
A real deployment is more than the headline product. These are the components we typically specify and integrate.
Hosting platform
AWS, GCP, or Azure infrastructure tailored to your existing cloud footprint and compliance posture.
Identity & access
IAM, SSO via your existing IdP (Okta, Entra ID), and least-privilege role design.
Network & connectivity
VPC design, private connectivity (Direct Connect / Interconnect), and site-to-site VPN where needed.
Compute & storage
Right-sized compute and tiered storage with retention policies aligned to your regulatory requirements.
Observability
Centralized logging, metrics, and alerting (CloudWatch, GCP Operations, or Datadog) so problems are seen before they're reported.
Backup & DR
Automated, tested backups with documented RTO/RPO and at least one annual restore drill.
Security & compliance
CIS benchmarks, SCP / Org Policy guardrails, and continuous configuration auditing.
Connects to what you already run.
Our cloud infrastructure integrate with your existing identity, communication, and security systems for unified operations.
How it gets built.
Every project follows the same engineering-led sequence — designed, documented, and delivered with no surprises.
- 01
Discovery & assessment
Inventory existing systems, dependencies, performance, and compliance requirements.
- 02
Cloud architecture design
Account / project structure, network topology, identity model, and operational model documented before build.
- 03
Foundation build
Landing zone with guardrails, IAM, networking, logging, and baseline security set up cleanly first.
- 04
Workload migration / build
Migrate or build target workloads (VMS, access control, middleware) on the new foundation, with cutover plans.
- 05
Validation
Performance, failover, and DR drills run against acceptance criteria before traffic is cut over.
- 06
Operate
Monitoring, on-call, change management, and cost optimization either by your team (with handover) or by ZEI as a managed service.
What our engineers look for.
- Cloud is not automatically cheaper than on-prem — we right-size and reserve where it makes sense, and tell you when it doesn't.
- Zero-trust by default: no public-facing admin endpoints, MFA enforced, role-based access, and audit logs immutable.
- Disaster recovery is real: RTO and RPO are agreed up front, drilled annually, and reported.
- Egress costs are designed for: data flows that minimize cross-region and inter-cloud egress.
- Lock-in is acknowledged: where it's OK we use managed services; where it's not, we use portable patterns (containers, open standards).
After the install.
Service tiers built around what your facility actually needs — not a one-size-fits-all SLA.
We host, monitor, and maintain. SLA-backed availability, monthly reports, and incident response.
Shared responsibility — you operate workloads day-to-day, ZEI provides on-call backup and architecture review.
You operate; we provide periodic architecture review, cost optimization, and security audits.
How the system fits together.
Hosting Models
Choose the right cloud strategy for your security data.
Public Cloud (AWS/GCP)
Highly scalable, managed infrastructure.
- Lowest upfront cost
- Infinite scalability
- Global redundancy
- Managed security patching
Private / Hybrid Cloud
Dedicated infrastructure for strict compliance.
- Complete data sovereignty
- Predictable performance
- Compliance with strict regulations
- Leverage existing investments
Where this system fits.
Banking
Protecting financial assets, sensitive data, and personnel with integrated security systems that meet strict regulatory requirements
Healthcare
Securing hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies while maintaining strict HIPAA compliance and ensuring a safe environment for patient care
Logistics
Securing massive distribution centers and tracking fleet movement with long-range surveillance, yard management, and access control
Manufacturing
Industrial-grade security and process monitoring to protect intellectual property, ensure OSHA compliance, and minimize downtime
Utilities
NERC CIP compliant security solutions for power plants, substations, water treatment facilities, and critical energy infrastructure
Government
NDAA-compliant security infrastructure designed to protect municipal, state, and federal government facilities and personnel
Education
Creating safe learning environments with integrated lockdown systems, vape detection, and campus-wide mass notification
Retail
Integrated loss prevention and retail analytics to protect your bottom line while gathering actionable intelligence on customer behavior
Airports
Comprehensive security and networking solutions designed to meet the rigorous compliance and operational demands of modern transportation hubs
Often deployed together.
Software Engineering
Our in-house engineering team builds custom middleware, dashboards, and integrations that connect physical security and building systems to the rest of your business
Video Surveillance
ZEI engineers commercial video surveillance systems built around modern IP cameras, edge AI analytics, and cloud or on-premise video management
Physical AI
ZEI deploys physical AI — computer vision, behavioral analytics, and machine learning — that turns existing camera infrastructure into intelligent sensors
Access Control
ZEI deploys cloud-managed and enterprise access control across single-door deployments and multi-site campuses
From the engineering blog.
Background reading our team uses when designing cloud infrastructure systems.
Hybrid Cloud Video Storage: Balancing Retention, Bandwidth, and Cost
The debate over where to store surveillance video has evolved beyond the binary choice of on-premises NVR versus cloud.
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule
A single 4K camera at 15 fps with H.265 generates dozens of GB per day. The 3-2-1 backup rule keeps that footage retrievable when one tier eventually fails.
Cybersecurity Best Practices for IP Cameras
Why IP Cameras Are a Cybersecurity Risk IP cameras are among the most vulnerable devices on any enterprise network.
Frequently asked.
AWS, GCP, or Azure?
Can you migrate our existing on-premise security systems?
What about data sovereignty and compliance?
How do you control cloud cost?
What if we want to take this in-house later?
Let's build your system.
Tell us about your facility. Our engineering team will design a system tailored to your security, connectivity, and automation requirements.
Request a Quote