For system integrators, the shift to cloud-connected AV has moved from experimentation to expectation. From remote monitoring and firmware management to analytics and AI powered proactive support, cloud-connected devices are now foundational to how modern AV systems are deployed and maintained. As adoption accelerates, so does a new form of complexity: fragmented cloud ecosystems, inconsistent API structures and an increasing challenge of interoperability between vendors.
As someone deeply involved in developing technical frameworks for open cloud integration through OpenAV Cloud, I see this moment as both a challenge and an opportunity — especially for system integrators. Because the shift to cloud is not just about technology. It’s about architecture, flexibility and long-term viability. And integrators sit at the center of that transformation tasked with delivering the best experience to the customer.
The Challenge: Inconsistency and Fragmentation
Traditional AV integration focused on hardware, signal flow and control protocols. Today, that stack extends well beyond the rack. Manufacturers are launching their own cloud platforms. Rooms are connected to unified collaboration platforms. Devices connect to cloud-based solutions that enable not only insightful dashboards, but allow the use of powerful AI agents that can significantly transform the way collaboration spaces are managed and deployed.
Meeting rooms are expected to securely communicate with workplace technology systems and provide data that fuels these modern tools and capabilities. APIs to manage and integrate the technology in the workplace exist, but often differ in structure, depth and accessibility, with data richness and security practices varying greatly.
For integrators, the impact is tangible:
- Vendors require different integration methods
- API documentation may be limited or inconsistent
- Cross-platform automation becomes harder than it should be
- Remote management workflows differ from project to project
Cloud management is intended to simplify operations. Without alignment, it risks introducing new integration woes. This is precisely what OpenAV Cloud aims to address.
What OpenAV Cloud Is — And Isn’t — for Integrators
OpenAV Cloud is not a product, a platform or a commercial offering. It is an industry-wide initiative focused on advancing open, standardized, read-write cloud APIs and interoperable frameworks for cloud-connected AV systems.
The goal is straightforward: Create a more predictable and consistent technical foundation so that devices and cloud platforms from different vendors can integrate more seamlessly in cloud environments.
The framework guidelines we’re developing for OpenAV Cloud are designed to provide integrators with:
- Clear principles around open API design
- Baseline expectations for data accessibility
- Alignment on security and privacy best practices
- Guidance on interoperability approaches
This isn’t about forcing uniformity or eliminating differentiation. It’s about reducing unnecessary friction in integration and enabling innovation to happen above the connectivity layer.
The Opportunity: Simplified, Streamlined Integration
Cloud-connected AV is expanding rapidly across corporate campuses, higher education institutions, healthcare environments and government facilities. Integrators are uniquely positioned to shape how this evolution unfolds. Open APIs and interoperable frameworks can:
- Reduce integration complexity
- Increase service scalability
- Improve customer flexibility
- Strengthen long-term system viability
For system integrators and managed service providers, openness isn’t theoretical. It has direct operational and business impact.
1. Simplifying Multi-Vendor Deployments
Open, well-documented APIs reduce engineering time and minimize project variability. Instead of building custom bridges for each deployment, integrators can rely on more consistent integration models.
2. Enabling Scalable Managed Services
Cloud-connected AV creates enormous opportunities for recurring services — remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, analytics-driven insights.
But scalable services require scalable access to device data. When APIs are open and standardized, integrators can automate workflows, create cross-platform monitoring systems and deliver more proactive support without reinventing the wheel each time.
3. Flexibility in Vendors
Closed ecosystems limit flexibility. When a device’s cloud integration is restricted, it can constrain long-term system evolution.
Open APIs help preserve customer choice — allowing integrators to design systems based on performance and suitability, not ecosystem limitations.
4. Supporting Long-Term Client Value
Higher education, corporate enterprises and various other organizations increasingly expect IT-aligned infrastructure. That means:
- Secure data handling
- Interoperable systems
- Clear documentation
- Exportable data
The Solution: Open, Cloud-based APIs
The future of AV will be cloud-connected, and we need to create a foundation that allows innovation to thrive without unnecessary barriers. The question is whether it will also be open, and what “open” actually means.
“Open” can be a broad term, so it’s important to define it clearly. In the context of OpenAV Cloud for system integrators, we focus on:
- Read-write APIs that allow meaningful control and data exchange
- Clear documentation enabling reliable third-party integration
- Secure authentication methods aligned with enterprise IT standards
- Customer data accessibility, including export capabilities
Openness does not eliminate differentiation. Manufacturers will continue to innovate in performance, features and user experience. But the integration layer should not be a hindrance.
Building Forward, Together
The AV industry has experienced waves of proprietary systems before. Over time, standardization created flexibility and accelerated growth.
Cloud connectivity presents a similar crossroads. If we allow fragmentation to define the cloud era, integration complexity will increase. If we align around open frameworks, innovation can accelerate.
The difference lies in collaboration. One of the most important realities in our industry is this: Integrators have significant influence over vendor priorities.
- When RFPs include open API requirements, vendors listen
- When integrators ask for documentation clarity, vendors respond
- When end users prioritize interoperability, roadmaps shift
OpenAV Cloud provides a structured way to align that influence around common principles. Integrators don’t need to overhaul their businesses to support openness. Practical steps include:
- Including open cloud API requirements in tenders and evaluations
- Requesting clear API documentation during vendor selection
- Prioritizing platforms aligned with security and interoperability best practices
- Providing feedback to manufacturers about integration challenges
Looking Ahead
At OpenAV Cloud, we are working through real technical questions:
- How should APIs expose device status?
- What baseline data sets are essential for monitoring?
- How should authentication be handled securely and consistently?
- What documentation standards improve integrator adoption?
These discussions are grounded in operational reality. And they benefit enormously from integrator input.
Integrators are uniquely positioned to shape how this evolution unfolds. By championing open APIs and interoperable frameworks, they can:
- Reduce integration complexity
- Increase service scalability
- Improve customer flexibility
- Strengthen long-term system viability
OpenAV Cloud is just that. It’s about creating a foundation that allows innovation to thrive without unnecessary barriers.
The future of AV will be cloud-connected. The question is whether it will also be open. Integrators have a critical role in ensuring that it is.
Sam Sabet is the CTO at Shure.
