ONVIF will be officially open for membership at Security 2008 in Essen, Germany where the forum will be represented with its own dedicated booth.

By creating an independent, nonprofit organization the three founding members ensure the openness needed to develop an open industry standard. Interested parties may register to participate via their website (see below). The site provides information about the benefits of a global standard and answers to frequently asked questions.

ONVIF is committed to accelerating the adoption of network video in the security market through a global open interface standard. The standard will define a common protocol for the exchange of information (such as device discovery, live video, audio, metadata and control information) between network video devices.

The ONVIF interface will provide interoperability between network video products regardless of manufacturer. It will become even easier for end users, integrators, consultants and manufacturers to take advantage of the possibilities offered by network video, resulting in more cost-effective and flexible solutions, expanded market opportunities and reduced risk.