> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.vega25.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.vega25.com/surestream-9/security-operator-user-guide.md).
# Security Operator User Guide
Direct Camera-to-Client Failback without Redundant Servers
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In this note, it is assumed that:
* SureStream has been pre-installed on the Smart Client machine.
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## Introduction
This document serves as a user guide for security operators who monitor live camera feeds using the XProtect Smart Client. The primary purpose of SureStream is to enable live video viewing directly from cameras when XProtect VMS servers are unavailable, offline, or undergoing software or hardware updates. During these times, video may not be accessible from the recording servers, leading to surveillance gaps. SureStream allows operators to access and view live video directly from cameras within the Milestone Smart Client. This helps maintain basic surveillance while servers are being repaired. Once the servers are operational again, users can switch back to the native Smart Client view with the default Milestone XProtect features.
## Setup and Operation
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### Set Up SureStream Views and Add Cameras
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Skip this step if the XProtect System administrator has set up native and SureStream views for you.
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When using a SureStream-enabled Smart Client for the first time, create clearly labeled Smart Client views for SureStream and add all cameras you want to view live video from. This step must be performed while XProtect servers are running normally.
#### Set up a SureStream View
* Open the "Smart Client" application.
* Login. Click on the "Setup" button.
* Go to "Views" and click on "New Group".
* Click on "Create New View", name the new view, and then select a layout.
#### Add the SureStream plugin to each viewer of a view
* Go to "SureStream" in the "System Overview" tab.
* Drag and drop the "SureStream" plugin to a window in the new view.
* Repeat the process and add the plugin to all windows in the created view. (e.g., for a 2 × 2 view, add the plugin for all four windows individually).
#### Select Cameras
* Click the camera icon in the top-left corner of a view window.
* A list of cameras appears (those allowed for the logged-in user).
* Double-click a camera in the list to select it.
* Repeat for other windows.
#### Verify Live Video
Exit Setup. You should now be able to see live video from each stream. This is fetched directly from cameras and does not go through the recording server.
You can add as many SureStream views as needed.
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### Use the Native XProtect View During Normal Operation
Use the native XProtect view during regular operation to enjoy the complete feature set provided by XProtect.
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### Switch to SureStream During Catastrophic Server Failure Events
If XProtect servers fail catastrophically, logged-in Smart Clients cannot access live or archived video.
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DO NOT LOG OUT OF THE SMART CLIENT. If the Management Server has failed, you will not be able to log back in.
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Then, switch to a SureStream view in the Smart Client. In this view, each window fetches live video directly from cameras, so surveillance remains operational while servers are being fixed.
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### Switch Back to the Native View After XProtect Servers Are Restored
Once XProtect servers are fixed/restored, switch back to the native Smart Client view to resume regular operation and full feature access.
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## Other Features
* **PTZ**: If a camera supports PTZ functionality, a PTZ control is displayed.
* **Toggle Streaming**: A toggle switch in the toolbar may be available to switch the stream between Unicast and Multicast, or vice versa. This is available only if the administrator has configured SureStream to stream in the "either" mode.
* **Playback:** While viewing live video in a SureStream plugin window, switching to playback mode fetches the playback video from the recording server. The recording server must be functioning; playback will not work during server failures.
## Live Stream Error Cases
Contact the system administrator if you see the following errors. These typically indicate network/port issues.
Unreachable Camera
If a camera is offline, SureStream displays an "Unreachable Camera" message.
Unicast HTTP port error
An error occurs if the HTTP port is not open while streaming Unicast video in the SureStream viewer. Because communication is tunneled over HTTP, neither control nor video data can be transmitted if the HTTP port is blocked. Contact the system administrator.
Multicast HTTP port error
An error occurs when the HTTP port is closed during Multicast video streaming in the SureStream viewer. Contact the system administrator.
Multicast RTSP port error
An error occurs when the RTSP port is not open while streaming Multicast video in the SureStream viewer. Contact the system administrator.
Multicast RTP port error
An error occurs when the RTP port is closed during Multicast video streaming in the SureStream viewer. Contact the system administrator.
Multicast IGMP Query issue
If an IGMP querier is not configured on the network:
* Live video may start in the Smart Client but then stop after a while.
* If the video is restarted (by re-selecting the camera or re-logging into the Smart Client), the same issue occurs.
Contact the system administrator.
