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Milestone XProtect Integration

This guide explains how to configure Milestone XProtect to receive and respond to Anava detection events using ONVIF action rules.

Prerequisites​

  • Milestone XProtect installed (any edition: Essential+, Express+, Professional+, Expert, Corporate)
  • Cameras added to XProtect with Anava ACAP installed
  • Anava skills and profiles configured

Understanding Anava Events in XProtect​

When Anava detects something, it emits ONVIF events that XProtect receives as "Analytics Events".

Milestone XProtect event flow for Anava ONVIF events

Event Format​

Anava events appear in XProtect as:

FieldValueExample
SourceCamera name"Warehouse-Cam-01"
TypeAnava object name"Person", "Weapon", "Vehicle"
StateBooleanTrue (detected) / False (cleared)

Step 1: Add Camera to XProtect​

If not already added:

  1. Open XProtect Management Client
  2. Navigate to Servers → Recording Servers
  3. Right-click → Add Hardware
  4. Use the hardware detection wizard
  5. Select your Axis cameras

Step 2: Enable Analytics Events​

XProtect must be configured to receive analytics events:

  1. In Management Client, expand the camera
  2. Go to Events → Analytics Events
  3. Enable Anava events (they appear after first detection)
First Detection Required

Analytics events only appear after Anava has sent at least one event. Trigger a test detection first if events aren't visible.

Step 3: Create Action Rules​

Action rules define what XProtect does when it receives Anava events.

Example: Record on Person Detection​

  1. Go to Rules and Events → Rules
  2. Click Add Rule
  3. Configure:

Name: Anava - Person Detected - Start Recording

Conditions:

  • Type: Analytics Events
  • Device: Select camera(s)
  • Event: Person (Anava object name)
  • State: Is True

Actions:

  • Start recording on: [Camera]
  • Duration: Until event stops (or fixed duration)

Stop Criteria:

  • Same event with state Is False

Example: Alarm on Weapon Detection​

  1. Add new rule
  2. Configure:

Name: Anava - Weapon Detected - Alarm

Conditions:

  • Analytics Event: Weapon
  • State: Is True

Actions:

  • Trigger alarm
  • Send notification to operators
  • Start recording (high quality)

Example: After-Hours Alert​

  1. Add new rule with time schedule
  2. Configure:

Name: Anava - After Hours Person

Conditions:

  • Analytics Event: Person
  • State: Is True
  • Time: Outside business hours (configure schedule)

Actions:

  • Trigger alarm
  • Send email to security
  • Activate PTZ preset (if applicable)

Step 4: Configure Notifications​

Email Notifications​

  1. Go to Options → Notification Profiles
  2. Create profile with SMTP settings
  3. Reference profile in action rules

Smart Client Notifications​

Pop-up alerts for operators:

  1. In action rule, add action: Send notification
  2. Configure message: "Anava Detection: [Object] at [Camera]"

Step 5: Test the Integration​

  1. Generate a detection (walk in front of camera)
  2. Verify in XProtect:
    • Event appears in Alarm Manager
    • Recording starts (if configured)
    • Notifications sent (if configured)

Advanced Configuration​

Custom Event Mapping​

Map Anava questions to XProtect events:

Anava QuestionXProtect EventAction
is_authorized = falseUnauthorized PersonHigh-priority alarm
weapon = trueWeapon DetectedEmergency response
crowd_count > 10Crowd AlertNotify operations

Multi-Camera Rules​

Create rules that trigger across multiple cameras:

  1. Use camera groups in conditions
  2. Apply consistent naming for Anava objects
  3. Create tiered response levels

Integration with XProtect Transact​

For retail environments:

  1. Link Anava person detection to Transact timeline
  2. Correlate POS events with Anava detections
  3. Create combined rules for shrinkage detection

Troubleshooting​

Events Not Appearing​

  1. Check Anava is sending events

    • View Sessions in Anava dashboard
    • Verify objects are configured as "stateful"

  2. Check camera connection

    • Camera should be "Running" in XProtect
    • Check network connectivity

  3. Refresh analytics events

    • Sometimes requires Management Client restart
    • Check "Analytics Events" node under camera

Rules Not Triggering​

  1. Verify rule is enabled

    • Check rule status in Rules list

  2. Check conditions

    • Event name must exactly match Anava object name
    • State condition (Is True) is required

  3. Test with simpler rule

    • Create basic rule with single condition
    • Gradually add complexity

Recording Issues​

  1. Check recording server storage

    • Ensure adequate disk space

  2. Verify recording settings

    • Camera must have recording enabled
    • Check quality settings for event-triggered recording

Best Practices​

Rule Organization​

  • Use descriptive rule names including "Anava"
  • Group rules by purpose (Security, Safety, Operations)
  • Document rule logic in rule descriptions

Performance​

  • Limit concurrent high-quality recordings
  • Use appropriate rule priorities
  • Avoid overlapping rule conditions

Maintenance​

  • Review rules quarterly
  • Test rules after Anava updates
  • Document custom configurations