IRIS+™ VMS Gateway Integration Guide

30 min

Overview

Video streams are transmitted from the Genetec Media Gateway to the IRIS+ Edge, where video analytics are performed. The resulting analytics events, along with associated metadata, are forwarded to the IRIS+ Core and stored in a centralized database. To enable real-time communication, the IRIS+ VMS Gateway establishes a WebSocket connection with the IRIS+ Core, ensuring continuous reception of analytics events.

These events are then relayed to the Genetec Security Center (GSC) using the Platform SDK to trigger corresponding events and the Media SDK to deliver overlay metadata. When conducting searches via the IRIS+ client embedded within the GSC, results are displayed in the GSC media player, with overlays dynamically retrieved from the IRIS+ Core.

Supported Genetec Security Center Versions:

Security Center 5.13

Genetec IRIS+™ Certificate Requirements

To enable the integration, a specific IRIS+™ certificate must be installed in Genetec:

Certificate Name: IRIS+™ Certificate

Genetec Part Number: GSC-1SDK-Irisity-Enterprise

Connection Requirement: Single connection for Genetec Server and an additional two connections per running Genetec Security Desk

To verify the certificate:

Open the Genetec Security Center Config Tool.

From the main menu, select About.

Navigate to Certificates and ensure that at least 3 Irisity certificates are present. Verify Genetec Certificate

Enable Genetec Integration in IRIS+™ Portal

Before You Begin

Verify that your IRIS+™ account is active, at least one Admin user is configured, and an Edge Device is properly connected, before proceeding.

Add Genetec Cameras to the IRIS+™ Edge Device

IRIS+™ Edge connects to live video streams using RTSP connection strings provided by the Genetec Media Gateway.

Steps to add cameras:

Prepare a list of RTSP connection strings for all cameras you intend to use in IRIS+™.

Identify and select the Edge device where the cameras will be connected.

Navigate to the Physical View tab and click Camera.

Add each camera's RTSP connection string to the corresponding configuration fields.

Note: Make sure “UDP Support” is turned on.

Complete all the required fields

Save camera

Generating an IRIS+™ Service Account Token

To integrate Genetec with IRIS+™, a service account must be created within IRIS+™. This account generates a token, which is used to establish the connection between the IRIS+™ platform and Genetec.

To generate a token:

Navigate to the Settings tab.

Click the Users tab

Click the + Add button and select Create service account.

Enter a Service Account Name such as “Genetec Integration”. Enter a Description (optional).

Click Create Service Account.

From the user's list, select the created Service Account user, click the arrow next to the name to expand the view, and select Get Token

Define token expiration if required (by default, the token never expires)

Click Get Token and note the generated token (to be used in the IRIS+™ VMS Gateway configuration):

Close the window

Configure API Key (For On-Premise IRIS+™ Core Deployments Only)

Note: Perform this step only if you are hosting the IRIS+™ Core on-premise.

Select API Keys from the menu.

Click + Add to create a new API key.

Provide a descriptive name for the API key and select it to open the configuration options.

Under permissions, enable Read access for both Camera and Event Key.

Click the Save button to apply the changes.

Expand the newly created API key entry and click the Copy button to copy the key value.

Save this API key securely — it will be required later during integration.

Download Integration Components

Download the IRIS+ VMS Gateway for the Genetec Server and the IRIS+ Genetec Embedded Plugin for the Genetec Security Desk. You can find the installation links from our Available Downloadsavailable download page

Install Integration Components

To integrate IRIS+™ with Genetec, you must install the necessary integration components. The IRIS+™ VMS Gateway should be installed on a server that has network access to both the Genetec VMS server and the IRIS+™ Core API (whether hosted by Irisity or by the customer). This server can either be the Genetec VMS server itself or a dedicated server with the appropriate connectivity.

Install Genetec SDK

Install the Genetec Security Center SDK corresponding to your Security Center version

Note: Ensure you download the correct SDK version matching your Genetec deployment.

Install IRIS+™ VMS Gateway

The IRIS+™ VMS Gateway is a Windows service that facilitates communication between IRIS+™ and Genetec SDK, allowing IRIS+™ generated events to be forwarded to Genetec.

Note: Health events are not yet supported and will be included in a future release.

Installation Steps:

If a previous version of the IRIS+™ VMS Gateway is installed, uninstall it.

Run the IRIS+™ VMS Gateway installer as Administrator.

In the installation window, provide the following information:

VMS Type: Select Genetec Security Center

Address: IP address of the Genetec VMS server

Port: The Default is 5001, unless otherwise configured

User: Genetec VMS login username

Password: Genetec VMS login password

Core integration: Check the box for Receive analytics events from the core

IRIS+™ URL: For On-Prem Enterprise deployments: https://api.irisplus.app, for Irisity-hosted deployments: https://api.irisplus.ai

IRIS+™ Account Token: Use the token generated in Section 3.1.3

Click Apply and proceed through the installation process until completion.

After installation, the IRIS+™ VMS Gateway the service will automatically start and attempt to connect to the Genetec VMS to retrieve the camera list.

Verification Steps:

Wait approximately one minute after installation.

Open the following log file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Irisity AB\IRIS+VMS Gateway\logs\VMSGateway.Service_xxxxx_part

Confirm the log file contains a list of camera names from the Genetec VMS, and the Events websocket is connected, or check for error messages.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting:

• Incorrect Installation Details:

Check if IP address, port, or credentials were entered incorrectly during setup.

Refer to Section 5.1.3 for updating the configuration.

• Genetec Server Configuration Issues:

Ensure appropriate licenses, camera configurations, firewall rules, and Genetec services are in place and operational.

• Permission Issues:

If the service starts but does not operate correctly, verify that the IRIS+™ VMS Gateway has the necessary Windows permissions.

Adjust the Windows service settings to run as a user with sufficient privileges, then restart the service.

Updating Configuration Parameters

If you need to update integration settings after installation, you do not need to uninstall the IRIS+™ VMS Gateway.

A configuration utility is provided:

Locate the shortcut on the desktop labeled IRIS+™ VMS Gateway Settings.

Launch the utility to access and modify the service settings.

Update the necessary fields and click Apply to save changes.

Install the IRIS+™ Genetec Embedded Plugin

The IRIS+™ Genetec Embedded Plugin enables the integration of IRIS+™ event data directly within the Genetec Security Desk environment. This component must be installed on any workstation where Genetec Security Desk is in use.

Install Genetec SDK

Install the Genetec Security Center SDK corresponding to your Security Center version.

Note: Ensure you download the correct SDK version matching your Genetec deployment.

Once Genetec Security Desk and the corresponding SDK are installed, ensure the Genetec Security Desk application is closed before proceeding with the installation.

Installation Steps:

Launch the IRIS+™ Genetec Plugin installer.

When prompted, complete the following fields:

IRIS+™ Portal URL:

Enter the full URL of your IRIS+™ portal.

For Irisity-hosted deployments: https://portal.irisplus.ai

For on-premises deployments: Use your organization’s internal portal URL or leave the default URL provided by the installer

API Key:

If your IRIS+™ account is hosted by Irisity, please contact Irisity Support to obtain your API key.

If your IRIS+™ account is hosted locally (on-premise), use the API key generated in Section 3.1.4

Token:

Use the service account token generated in Section 3.1.3

Click Next and proceed through the remaining steps to complete the installation.

Once installed, the plugin will allow IRIS+™ event data to be visualized and interacted with from within the Genetec Security Desk interface.

Map Cameras in Genetec to IRIS+™

In Genetec Security Center, each camera is identified by two key attributes:

Camera Name

GUID (Globally Unique Identifier)

To enable IRIS+™ to correctly recognize and associate cameras from Genetec, the IRIS+™ VMS Gateway automatically extracts the camera names and GUIDs and saves them to the following file: C:\Program Files (x86)\Irisity AB\IRIS+VMS Gateway\GenetecCameras.ini Here is an example of the output file (3 cameras):

Steps to Map Cameras in IRIS+™: To enable analytics for specific cameras in IRIS+™, perform the following steps in the IRIS+™ Portal:

* Define Each Camera:

Navigate to the appropriate Edge Device or system view.

Identify the camera you introduced in section 3.1.2 to configure for analytics.

* Set the External ID:

In the camera configuration window, locate the field labeled External ID.

Copy the corresponding GUID for the camera from the GenetecCameras.ini file and paste it into the External ID field.

Note: This GUID mapping is critical for ensuring that IRIS+™ analytics are correctly associated with the cameras within Genetec Security Center.

Enabling Alarms in Genetec Security Desk

To receive IRIS+™ analytics-generated alarms in Genetec Security Desk, you need to configure Custom Events, Alarms, and Event-to-Action rules in Genetec Security Center. These settings allow Genetec to respond appropriately to various detection rule types deployed in IRIS+™.

Define Custom Events

For each IRIS+™ detection rule type implemented (e.g., Moving in an Area, Crossing a Line), you must define a Genetec Custom Event. Each event acts as a placeholder for corresponding rule triggers sent by IRIS+™.

Note: A single Custom Event per rule type is sufficient, regardless of how many cameras or sensors are using that rule

To define a Custom Event:

Open the Genetec Security Center Config Tool.

Select Tasks from the main menu.

Navigate to System > General Settings.

Click on Events > Custom events.

Click the ‘+’ icon to add a new custom event.

In the Create dialog:

- Enter a meaningful name that identifies the IRIS+™ rule type

(e.g., Person Moving in an Area).

- Note the generated Custom Event ID (Value field) — this will be used later in

IRIS+™ rule configuration.

Click Save and then Apply.

Define Alarms

Next, define an Alarm for each IRIS+™ rule type that you plan to monitor. Each alarm will be linked to a custom event and displayed in the Security Desk when triggered.

To define an Alarm:

In the Config Tool, go to Tasks > Alarms.

Click the ‘+ Alarm’ icon to create a new alarm.

Provide a descriptive name (e.g., IRIS+ Person Moving in an Area).

Click Apply.

In the Alarm Properties tab:

Recipients: Assign the operators or workstations that should receive the alarm.

Video Display Option: Set to Playback.

Play: Define how many seconds before the alarm the video should begin playing.

Content Cycling: Set the interval for cycling through camera recordings.

Click Apply to save changes.

Link Custom Events to Alarms via Automation Rules

To ensure that a Custom Event triggers the appropriate Alarm, define an Event-to-Action rule in the Automation settings.

To link the Custom Event to its Alarm:

Navigate to the Config Tool and select the Automation tab.

Click the ‘+’ icon to add a new automation rule.

The Event to Action wizard will open.

Under the "When" section:

- Choose the Custom Event you previously created (e.g., Person Moving in an Area).

Under the "Do this" section:

- Select Trigger Alarm as the action.

- Then, choose the corresponding Alarm from the list (e.g., IRIS+ Person Moving in

an Area).

Click Save to complete the configuration.

Repeat the above process for each IRIS+™ detection rule type you plan to deploy within your environment.

Linking IRIS+™ Analytics Events to Genetec Custom Events

To ensure that IRIS+™ detection rules are correctly associated with the corresponding Custom Events in Genetec Security Center, the rule configuration in IRIS+™ must be aligned with the Custom Event ID defined in Genetec.

Configure Rule External ID in IRIS+™

In the IRIS+™ Portal, navigate to the Rules tab for the relevant camera.

Select the detection rule you want to associate with a Genetec alarm.

In the rule settings, locate the field labeled External ID.

Enter the Custom Event ID exactly as defined in Genetec (e.g., 59).

Important: Press Enter after typing the value. Do not type anything else in this field.

Click Save to apply the configuration.

Note: This step ensures that when this rule is triggered in IRIS+™, the associated event is properly recognized and handled by the Genetec Security Center.