A video server digitizes analog video signals and sends digital images directly over an IP network, such as a LAN, intranet or Internet. It essentially turns an analog video system into a network video system and enables users to view live images using a Web browser or an video management software on any local or remote computer on a network. It allows authorized viewers from different locations to simultaneously access images from the same analog camera, as well as network cameras if they are added to the system.

A video server is a device that the CCTV camera connects to. This device takes the analog video input from the camera and converts it to digital data as transmitted by an IP camera, and acting as the network component, makes the CCTV camera into a network camera, which can now be seen and operated from any computer on the network via the web browser or network camera software. This means that it can work on the same surveillance software along with IP cameras, and giving it the advance features of an IP camera such as alarm management and built-in motion detection.