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CCTV and IP increases flexibility and future proofing

Most CCTV requirements we come across start with a discussion about technology / functionality requirements and how much integration is required to fit in with existing / other systems within the wider CCTV deployment. These discussions run along the lines of developing a Must Have / Nice to Have / Wish list. Recently we worked alongside a Systems Integrator (SI) to develop a system for a petro-chemical company. It provided a good insight into how many Wish list items we were able to include in the project simply by using IP.

Their key Must Have feature was a resilient and reliable system. However they also required additional functionality for communications and public address broadcasting, as well as remote lighting management and proactive alert systems. And cost, like most projects, was a primary concern.

To reduce system costs we specified IP encoders that were connected to existing analogue cameras for transmission over a local 5GHz wireless LAN from Infinet. This helped avoid running cable over difficult areas and enhanced project savings by cutting the costs of digging trenches to new camera locations. Another requirement was met by the use of Mesh network topology to provide resilience in the transmission of the CCTV.

It was at this point that we could start ticking off the main Wish list items as the encoder could support local I/O devices such as Redwall’s and also be connected to local tannoy systems from TOA in the event that communications needed to be broadcast, such as safety announcements or to get a remote site worker to come to a site office or rendezvous with other colleagues. 

We could also support other I/O devices through the use of Adams boards to convert I/O to IP and then link this data to either display the cameras signalling alarms or make a PTZ go to a preset position to give a visual overview of events; allow for process control and ensuring contracted works had been carried out; or even provide lone worker protection.

Other Wishlist things we could offer included driving outputs to switch on lights in poorly lit areas – and again cost savings could be made by using Raytec LED lighting. This was interesting for me as we were able to use mixed white and red light illuminators in one device, which gave additional cost savings through reduced running costs.

And all this before we had even got to the software!

Once at the control room even more Wishlist items could be ticked off. We could run the system over the End Users Virtual Machine environment and utilise their large SAN. Not having to buy expensive dedicated DVR / NVRs which would need to be deployed locally onsite, allowed them to expand the system potential.  They could add more locations and cameras to the network, improving the system functionality and meaning more installation work for the SI and a higher value / margin software sale.

The powerful feature rich element of our Cware software also meant improved operational usage. They could deploy the fully functional client with all the alarm handling and escalation onto multiple operators’ stations. The alarms could flash on the operator’s PC toolbar, drawing their attention to anything that required action rather than just sitting watching cameras waiting for something to happen. This meant that they could then work on other things, improving productivity and providing a more interactive and interesting work environment.

All in all through working in partnership with different manufacturers and the SI within the overall solution and running over an IP infrastructure we were able to far exceed the customer’s expectations and correspondingly improve their perception of the SI and also improve the SI’s slice of the project spend by clever deployment of hardware and software to maximise available budgets, rather than spend these on options that may not have been won by the SI such as additional cabling or digging trenches.

The working in partnership element was also reflected this month with North Lanarkshire CCTV Ltd (NL CCTV) becoming the first public space monitoring company in the UK to be certified by CameraWatch – the UK’s leading independent authority on CCTV Data Protection Act (DPA) compliance.  This means that NL CCTV (a subsidiary company of North Lanarkshire Council) is the first CCTV company in the UK to be rated 100 per cent compliant with the DPA relating to CCTV.

By understanding the needs and working with NL CCTV both Controlware and Virgin Media Business (formally known as ntl:Telewest Business) were able to implement the required changes in our procedures, practices and documentation to be able to provide the level of active reporting required by NL CCTV. This included weekly reports and conference calls to discuss any active or outstanding support issues or planned maintenance; and detailed project plans for new additions to the network, as well as forward planning to ensure as much future proofing / resilience as could be made possible.  By working in collaborative partnerships, we always strive to improve the end users experience of IP security systems and also help SI’s to meet increasingly challenging expectations from their customers.

If you would like to read about North Lanarkshire’s success, please visit the case study here. If you would like to find out more about working in partnership with Controlware, please drop us an email at ipcctv(at)controlware.co.uk .