Verkada Command Connector

Command Connector is a compact on-premise appliance that brings non-Verkada cameras into the Verkada Command cloud dashboard. Most organizations don't want to rip out hundreds of existing cameras to standardize on Verkada — and they don't have to. Command Connector connects to your existing ONVIF-compatible cameras, streams them into Command alongside any native Verkada devices, and gives you one unified dashboard for live view, search, alerts, and AI analytics. It's the practical migration path for facilities with significant existing camera investment.

Most ONVIF-compatible IP cameras from any manufacturer — including Axis, Hikvision, Dahua, Hanwha, Bosch, Pelco, and many others. ONVIF is the industry standard most modern IP cameras support, so if your cameras were installed in roughly the last decade, there's a strong chance they'll work. Older analog cameras and proprietary systems generally won't, but we can audit your existing fleet during a free assessment and tell you exactly which cameras carry over and which would need replacement.

Most of them, yes. Once a camera is connected, Verkada's AI engine processes the video feed in the same way it processes native Verkada cameras — person and vehicle detection, motion search, smart filters, motion-based alerts, and object tracking all work on third-party feeds. Some camera-specific hardware features (like a Verkada camera's on-board LPR or facial recognition) require native hardware, but the core AI and search capabilities apply across both. The dashboard experience is identical regardless of camera brand.

In most cases, yes. Command Connector includes on-board storage for third-party camera recordings and connects to Verkada's cloud for remote access, so a standalone NVR or DVR becomes redundant. You retire the old recording infrastructure, the cameras stream into the Connector, footage is stored locally and synced to Command for remote viewing. The single appliance becomes your storage, your viewer, your AI engine, and your remote-access gateway — no separate boxes to maintain.

Either, depending on your strategy. Many clients use it as a permanent solution — they have good cameras that don't need replacing, and they just want modern cloud management and AI on top. Others use it as a phased migration: connect all existing cameras to Command Connector now, then replace individual cameras with native Verkada units over time as they age out, without disrupting operations or losing footage continuity. Both paths are valid — and both end up with everything managed from the same dashboard.