based networks to connect digital cameras to digital video recorders on servers and then pass those images off to high-capacity storage networks. Companies can easily manage a network of remote cameras from a single console and allow physical security, human resources and other business unit leaders access to critical information and images. Administrators can apply policies to store only necessary video and apply compression techniques to maximize storage capacity. They can also employ sophisticated forensics tools such as facial recognition to guarantee better network protection and faster issue resolution.

doing it right

While analog systems are generally closed networks, network cameras run over the same connections as other IP traffic, so you have to apply traditional networking techniques to ensure safe and efficient traffic delivery.

“To run a good IP surveillance solution on your network, you need to consider latency, bandwidth, encryption and other factors,” says Jeff Vining, an analyst at Gartner Inc.

For example, some companies might choose to use virtual private networks to keep IP surveillance packets separate from other corporate traffic. Vining warns that frame rates are also a key factor. “Typically, companies try to dial back their frame rates to six or eight frames per second to conserve bandwidth,” he

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says. But if you want better quality, then you need to allow enough bandwidth for 15 frames per second.

He recommends using optimization techniques that guarantee quality of service and low latency to improve real-time video monitoring.

Dennis Charlebois, director of product management in Cisco Systems Inc.’s physical security business unit, agrees, adding that companies should match their video needs against the actual capabilities of their networks. “If you go with a high frame rate and 5-megapixel images, you could flood your network with just a few cameras. Be careful about what you buy and what you’re going to use it for. Bandwidth and storage costs for high resolution and high frame rates can have a huge impact on your budget,” he says.

He recommends making decisions holistically based on what type of image you’re capturing, who needs to see it and how long it needs to be stored. “You don’t need a super-high resolution to monitor a parking lot

at night,” he says.

Companies aiming to use wireless systems for their surveillance networks should think about encrypting packets to protect them as they pass through the air. Also, if you’re doing outdoor surveillance, then consider the distance the packets have to travel and the interference they might encounter. “Wireless can be problematic if you’re outdoors and in a city. You’ll want only one or two hops that are as small as possible,” Vining says.

You can save money by bundling your video surveillance networks with other video-over-IP projects such as videoconferencing, according to Charlebois. “The switch to video cameras gives technology executives the opportunity to integrate video into other applications,” he says. For example, it can be used to keep an eye on manufacturing processes and for quality control.

At Medco, Allison says the CCTV system has great potential beyond basic security. “We could use it to monitor the packaging of products. If a machine stops doing what it should be doing, the system could send an alert along with the previous 30 seconds of recorded video to the command center where they could do triage to find out what has happened,” she says. “Today, the machine malfunctions, and then someone has to go back and find the video and review. This can result in longer downtime.”