Event Rules are what turn a video system from passive recording into something that actively responds to what’s happening. They define how the system reacts when an event occurs, whether that’s motion detection, an analytics trigger, or a system status change. When something happens, Event Rules decide what action follows, such as sending a notification, creating a bookmark, or triggering an integration. With the latest release of Nx Witness, Event Rules now run on a new Rules Engine. All existing rules continue to work exactly as they did before, but they now run more efficiently and are much easier to manage as your systems grow.
The new Rules Engine updates the underlying logic that powers Event Rules while keeping all existing functionality intact; no need to recreate or adjust current rules to take advantage of it. Behind the scenes, the engine improves performance and consistency, especially in larger or more diverse environments.
And rules are no longer dependent on a specific server, which helps ensure actions trigger reliably, no matter where an event originates. Just as importantly, this update lays the groundwork for future automation improvements without disrupting systems that are already in place.
As video systems scale, managing rules becomes one of the biggest operational challenges. Large deployments often rely on dozens or even hundreds of similar rules, and small changes can quickly turn into time-consuming, error-prone work.
The new Rules Engine and addition of Rule Lists are designed to reduce that overhead. It simplifies how rules are created and maintained, cuts down on duplication, and makes it easier to keep automation consistent across sites. For teams managing large and complex environments, that means fewer mistakes, less manual effort, and more confidence that the system will behave as expected.
Event Rules still follow the same basic logic: an event occurs, its parameters are evaluated, and an action is triggered if the conditions are met. What’s changed is how that logic is processed and managed.
One of the most noticeable additions is Rules Lists. Instead of creating duplicate rules for different cameras, doors, or identifiers, you can define allow lists or block lists once and reuse them across multiple rules. When a list is updated, every rule that uses it updates automatically, which saves time and helps prevent inconsistencies.
The new engine also improves how event data and parameters are handled. Rules can now use richer event details, making automation more precise and easier to maintain over time. HTTP actions benefit as well, with access to more system and event parameters for cleaner, more flexible integrations. On top of that, validation has been improved so the system can better identify non-functional rules or missing parameters before they cause problems. You can learn how to find and set up event rules in the video below.
While the immediate benefits of the new Rules Engine are better performance and easier management, its real value is what it enables going forward. This update prepares Event Rules for more advanced automation, richer logic, and deeper integrations in future releases.
The goal is straightforward: make it easier to build reliable automation today while ensuring Event Rules can scale alongside increasingly complex video and data environments.
Want to try out the new Event Rules engine yourself? Download Nx Witness today.
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