Exclusive: Wasabi's surveillance cloud adoption thrives in APAC Region

Wasabi's surveillance cloud storage solutions are transforming the industry with simple, predictable, and affordable options, driving rapid adoption across the Asia-Pacific region.

Sydney-based Andrew Sandes, APAC Business Development Director for the surveillance sector at Wasabi, is at the forefront of a transformative shift in the industry.

Since joining Wasabi Technologies in June 2022, Sandes has been instrumental in driving the adoption of Wasabi's cloud storage solutions across the Asia-Pacific region, helping businesses move from traditional on-premise systems to more modern, cloud-based alternatives.

Wasabi, a global cloud object storage provider founded in 2017 and headquartered in Boston, has quickly grown into a significant player in the cloud storage market.

With 13 storage regions worldwide and a team of 400+ employees, the company has positioned itself as a key provider of simple, predictable, and affordable storage solutions.

"Wasabi is similar to AWS S3 or Azure Blob," Sandes explained, "but we focus on making cloud storage simpler, more predictable, and cost-effective."

In his role, Sandes works closely with external partners, including distribution, channel, and technology alliance partners, to ensure Wasabi is top of mind when these partners consider solutions for their end customers.

He also collaborates with Wasabi's sales teams across the APAC region to bring industry best practices and knowledge to the table. This collaborative approach has been crucial in positioning Wasabi as a leader in the surveillance sector.

A Simple, Predictable, and Affordable Solution

Wasabi's approach to cloud storage is defined by its simplicity, predictability, and affordability—three attributes that set it apart from major competitors like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.

"Wasabi offers a single tier of cloud storage," Sandes notes. "Many competitors have multiple tiers with varying price points and associated fees. Our founders wanted to create a solution that is easy to understand and use."

This simplicity extends to Wasabi's pricing model, which is capacity-based and free of hidden fees. Unlike other providers, Wasabi does not charge for egress—the cost of accessing data stored in the cloud. This is particularly advantageous for surveillance customers, who are accustomed to the instant accessibility of on-premise storage. "In the surveillance world, our pricing model resonates because it works like buying a hard drive, but it's in the cloud," Sandes explains.

"Our storage can cost up to 80% less than the major players, which makes it a great fit for surveillance."

Growing Demand in the Surveillance Industry

Wasabi has identified significant growth potential in the surveillance industry, a sector that is increasingly moving toward cloud adoption. The company's internal research, supported by third-party analysis, reveals that cloud storage for surveillance is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 42% from 2023 to 2027. This is in stark contrast to the 15% growth rate predicted for on-premise storage over the same period.

Despite the current landscape, where 80% of surveillance data remains on-premise, Sandes sees an imminent shift. "We see enormous opportunities as the market shifts from on-prem to cloud storage in the surveillance world," he says.

"This transition has already happened in general IT, and the surveillance industry is now catching up."

One of Wasabi's key offerings in this space is the Wasabi Surveillance Cloud, a solution designed to cloud-enable most major Windows-based video management software (VMS) solutions. "It's a hybrid solution that leverages existing on-premise hardware investments, making the transition to cloud storage fast, simple, and cost-effective," Sandes said.

Case Studies Highlight Success

Wasabi's success in the surveillance sector is exemplified by its work with Visium Networks, an integrator based in Melbourne. Vizeum has rolled out the Wasabi Surveillance Cloud as a managed service to clients in the logistics sector, helping them achieve compliance with Australian Border Force regulations.

"The compliance use case involves keeping 30 days of CCTV footage off-site, which Wasabi enables in a fast and cost-effective way," Sandes says.

The company's go-to-market strategy in Australia and New Zealand involves partnerships with local distributors such as VSP in Australia and Channel 10 Security Imports in New Zealand. These partnerships are crucial, as Wasabi's solutions are always used in conjunction with third-party applications.

"We meet in distribution with our key technology partners because no one uses Wasabi by itself," Sandes explained.

The Future of Surveillance Cloud Storage

Looking ahead, Sandes is optimistic about Wasabi's role in the continued growth of cloud storage in the surveillance industry. Key trends driving this growth include the reduction of on-premise infrastructure, off-site disaster recovery for compliance and risk management, and an increasing focus on sustainability.

"Organizations are looking to reduce their carbon footprint by moving to the cloud, which reduces rack space, power consumption, and overall environmental impact," Sandes said.

Wasabi's focus on providing a dedicated solution for the surveillance market, combined with its unique pricing model, has positioned the company as a leader in this space. "We have a dedicated solution for the surveillance market with the Wasabi Surveillance Cloud product, which is unique in the market," Sandes emphasizes. "This, along with our commitment to simplicity, affordability, and predictability, is what sets us apart from our competitors."

Since joining Wasabi, Sandes has witnessed the company's rapid growth, from 200 employees to 400, while maintaining a strong company culture.

"Wasabi is growing at a very rapid rate year on year," he says. "Despite this growth, we've been able to maintain the same culture that makes Wasabi feel like a big family. It's an amazing organization to be a part of."

As Wasabi continues to expand its presence in the surveillance sector, the company's dedication to innovation and customer-focused solutions will likely keep it at the forefront of the industry. With the Asia-Pacific region poised for significant growth in cloud storage adoption, Wasabi is well-positioned to lead the charge.