You may recall my article from last August entitled ‘CCTV and Austerity 2010: the end user approach’ wherein the topic of moving to new technology as a way of mitigating costs was introduced.
With a defined history of analogue CCTV systems in the UK, though, how do you actually move ‘from A to IP’ cost-effectively and, indeed, should you even be looking to do so?
As a professional security systems house, it’s very much our job to guide our customers through what can be a jungle of new technology and hype and provide them with a genuine, tangible and workable strategy for change.
It’s true to say that a large proportion of our customers have legacy systems which form part of their overall security strategy. Generally speaking, through a strict maintenance regime these systems work perfectly well and still meet with operational requirements.
However, it could be argued that analogue CCTV systems are reaching their ‘end of life’ as our industry moves rapidly into the digital age. Emerging technologies and developments will not follow the analogue path. Indeed, we’re already seeing analogue-based products disappearing from supplier catalogues while some service parts become more difficult to obtain.
You see evidence of this change in the High Street, too, with terrestrial analogue television being phased out across the EU. Pretty soon, purchasing an analogue TV or camera will simply not be feasible and, in a short space of time, service parts and film will become almost impossible to source.
Our industry is directly fed from the consumer electronics market where the overriding drive is for HD quality and low-priced, PC-based products. As a result, the demand for digital is rising rapidly as the cost of commercial applications falls, particularly for storage and maintenance.
The quality of digital technology is, quite literally, clearly visible. Its superior images are more flexible to store and transfer.
What’s in a name?
We need to start this discussion with an assessment of what digital actually means when used in the context of video surveillance as it applies in a security application. After all, digital recorders and cameras with digital processing have been around for a number of years.
Digital CCTV, digital surveillance, IP CCTV, IP surveillance, Closed IPTV and network video are just some of the names now commonly ascribed to systems where video is transmitted and stored on a computer network.
Digital CCTV (or network video, to give it a more professional name) shares the same network infrastructure as other communications data like e-mail, web services and computer telephony (VOIP) in that the video is transmitted over wired or wireless IP (Internet Protocol) networks.
Sharing the communication of digital video, audio streams and other data over the same network backbone affords many advantages for the security surveillance industry over traditional analogue CCTV systems.
For example, video may be monitored and recorded from anywhere on the network, whether it’s on a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or the Internet.
Whatever the network the video travels on, the basic building blocks of network video are the same: a network camera (or a video encoder if an analogue camera or device is being used), a storage device (ie network video recorder, or NVR) and video management software.
Each device has its own IP address. As they are PC-based, network cameras and encoders have many advanced features not available with analogue cameras. Unlike a web camera, which requires connection direct to a PC, they may be connected anywhere on the network.
The network, server and associated devices (switches, hubs, etc and often storage devices, too) are all standard IT equipment.
Should you make the switch?
In simple terms, ‘Yes’ (especially if your CCTV relies on an analogue video management system for camera control and switching, as you could be at serious risk of a catastrophic system failure in a mission-critical part of your overall security strategy).
However, you need to make a managed and informed change, developing a cost-effective road map for migration of analogue CCTV to network video and IP technologies, in turn maximising the advantages these systems offer.
Get it right and it’s well worth the switch, but when switching there is a lot of room for error which can prove expensive.
As an end user, it’s imperative you partner with a company that fully understands networks and IT, and is comfortable with ‘IT speak’ with your IT manager or provider. Your chosen partner must also be experienced in security disciplines.
Often, traditional security companies fail to comprehend the network side. Conversely, IT companies can often lack basic security knowledge.
For the user, it’s equally important that you co-ordinate with your IT department. They need to understand what traffic is being introduced onto their network, how it is to be configured and managed and the implications it will have for other network traffic.
Today, most organisations simply couldn’t operate without IT. Naturally, this status quo empowers the IT manager who provides the routes for all other departments – Human Resources, finance, procurement, etc – to communicate with each other.
This fact, coupled with new threats and dangers post-9/11, has resulted in a new breed of Chief Security Officer. Often a Board member, they’ll be responsible for both the security and integrity of the IT infrastructure.
They also take responsibility for keeping the business traffic moving, the various departments communicating and the physical security being at its very best grade.
There’s also a growing trend towards the IT department taking the lead in supplying the technology, making it essential they liaise with the users to ensure the system delivers its objectives.
Compelling reasons to migrate
You need to understand the advantages of network video and how these advantages apply to you.
Always have in the forefront of your mind the truism that video surveillance is a management tool. Avoid at all costs the common pitfall of investing in ‘technology looking for an application.’
Network video offers four major advantages for most video surveillance solution end users:
The use of an IT network infrastructure alone provides a host of benefits: lower cost of ownership through reduced cabling and no more expensive dedicated point-to-point wiring which negates the cost of containment.
Adding in Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology reduces the need for power outlets as power is supplied to the network video devices over the network, in turn further reducing cable costs.
Using the IT network provides flexibility and scalability. Many network video products can be added and networked from virtually any location meaning the system can grow and be easily adapted in line with a user’s needs without expensive additional cabling or costly changes to the network.
Network video systems can be as opened or closed as necessary making remote site monitoring and remote access easily and cost-effectively achievable.
The system can be configured to allow multiple authorised users to view live and recorded video at any time from virtually any networked location in the world. Video images, for example, can be streamed over the network to a remote monitoring station, a manager’s PC or laptop or a security officer’s handheld terminal or mobile device.
This remote access ability minimises system downtime and reduces service and maintenance costs. Remote connectivity via a secure link will allow service teams to review and assess system performance from their operating base, and intelligent network management will alert service teams when a failure of equipment has occurred.
Image quality: one of the central issues
The subject of image quality has been covered many times in numerous articles. Suffice it to say there’s a considerable amount of information available on this particular topic.
That being the case, there’s little point in going into great detail here. However, the quality of network video images is quite clear to see. They do not suffer from the same image processing restrictions as analogue cameras and, with the advent of HD quality and megapixel, it’s now possible to obtain more detailed images and, potentially, cover a greater area with fewer cameras.
Typical examples would be at entrance and exit points: the so-called ‘pinch points’ where clear identification of people may be required. Megapixel cameras come into their own where detail or large area coverage is needed, most notably in the event of post-incident analysis.
We have a number of clients using these devices in computer suites, reception and waiting areas and even at some industrial estates where they have been used to replace traditional PTZ cameras.
Interestingly, many technology leaders believe HD will become the de facto standard for network video surveillance as it’s an internationally-recognised standard that’s quantifiable.
Sheer power of integration
Network video represents ‘the next generation’ in video surveillance.
It provides an open platform for integration at data level of multiple security and life safety devices and applications: information systems, intruder and fire alarms, perimeter detection, access control, analytics, intercom, sensors, networks, BMS, concierge, staff safety and other emerging technologies, and then manages the video images through ’cause and effect’ responses or ‘what if?’ scenarios.
For example, if a valid access card is presented to a controlled door reader, it might be a requirement to archive two minutes of video images for corroboration of authorised entry.
Conversely, if an invalid card is used a new set of actions would need to be initiated, associated cameras set to preselected views, the operator alerted and so on… all without human intervention.
This interoperability results in a high level of security and improved response times, minimising manpower while also enhancing operator efficiency and providing accountability.
When intelligence is added to the mix through the use of video analytics, a truly powerful visual management tool can be developed. One of the principal benefits of PC-based network video cameras and encoders is the built-in video content analysis and event management.
Video content analytical software can be configured to detect certain parameters within a video image. Systems have been developed for Automatic Number Plate Recognition, facial recognition, intruder detection, slip and fall detection, people and vehicle counting, graffiti detection, theft detection, abandoned object detection in a crowd and suspicious behaviour analysis and tracking.
Clearly, this is a huge subject in its own right and likely demands a future article. Essentially, through intelligence and integration video surveillance becomes a more pro-active and preventative tool, alerting operators to events in real-time and thus enabling them to take immediate and appropriate action.
Other advanced features include things like audio detection, tampering and input-output connections enabling the camera to analyse the information and inputs and initiate an automatic and appropriate response.
Operational surveillance: what’s it all about?
The culmination of the benefits of network video coupled with the convergence of information technologies has expanded the scope of video surveillance beyond security into its application-driven operational use as a management tool to assist in Health and Safety, productivity, personnel management and marketing.
It’s really all about providing an organisation with real-time visual intelligence or post-incident analysis from which informed decisions can then be made.
According to industry experts, the development and use of operational video surveillance will dwarf the security application as these systems will enhance business practices and add significantly to an organisation’s bottom line, further maximising the return on investment opportunities.
Before you can migrate to a digital-based surveillance system (network video), you need to have a viable IT network infrastructure in place. If it’s a new build project or new installation this is almost certainly going to be the case, guaranteeing you a lower cost of ownership for an IP-based system.
In a recent study commissioned by Axis Communications and involving Lusax (a research group at Lund University in Sweden), IP-based systems were shown to yield an average 13% saving when compared with corresponding analogue CCTV solutions.
When we transfer clients from their legacy systems, unless they give us large funds to play with, we need to develop in conjunction with them a structured and phased implementation plan from analogue to hybrid where both technologies co-exist before a full digital solution is realised.
This change needs to be managed both financially in accordance with available budgets and technically to ensure minimum disruption and downtime for the network and security surveillance system. All of which renders our liaison with the IT department imperative.
Suitable IT network infrastructure
Most organisations have a suitable IT network infrastructure capable of handling a network video surveillance system. There are wired and wire-free transmission technologies available which will enable us to link-in to the IT network, even using some of the existing coaxial cables and CCTV infrastructure.
Given the IT infrastructure is appropriate for network video purposes, the changeover can be split into three parts: control system, recording devices and camera replacement.
Depending on the equipment make-up of your system, it’s highly likely that phase one would be to upgrade any digital recording devices (ideally to network video recording as this is the latest addition to recording technology).
We use Axis Communications’ ‘open protocol’ Codecs to convert existing analogue cameras to digital video streams before connecting and recording them via a network switch onto the NVR.
If initial budgets have been restricted, we might advise on the use of a hybrid DVR capable of accepting analogue and digital video streams, thus allowing us to mix both existing cameras without the cost of encoders and new IP cameras on the same recorder.
It’s important for the future proofing of the system that camera images are converted to digital streaming images either direct from the camera or via an encoder before they are recorded. This process splits the two functions and gives more flexibility, as the ability to stream multiple images for display on to a video wall or view and control cameras via a digital video management system or PSIM system relies on this method.
The number of NVRs/DVRs initially provided will depend on the clients’ operational requirement and available monies.
Video Management Systems: the second stage
Assuming the recording solution is sorted, the second stage is to address the camera control and switching device.
With parts for these analogue systems becoming ever more difficult to source (and therefore becoming a potential point of critical failure), it’s imperative that a new digital command and control system is implemented.
Analogue CCTV management systems cannot control and display IP-based images without re-converting the digital streams back into analogue.
Conversely, evaluate and choose your digital Video Management System well, and you will have a system which can control your existing matrix/switcher.
This provides the interim upgrade path, allowing the introduction of IP into new projects within a system or the facility to replace obsolete or uneconomical parts, thereby extending the life of the pre-IP installation.
The introduction of a digital matrix facilitates the route to phased migration while also providing an exit strategy should a major fail accrue in the existing matrix where parts may have become obsolete.
View from the digital side
Digital Video Management Systems are usually system agnostic software platforms designed to allow a managed migration from analogue security to intelligent network video surveillance, in turn extending the life expectancy of legacy systems.
These overarching software platforms provide command, control and management of disparate CCTV and related security systems, bridging the gap between technology and the operator, mixing legacy systems, new IP digital systems, network video and other life safety and security devices.
They provide a truly cost-effective road map for migration to digital technology and the advantages it offer.
Designed to be simple and intuitive in operation, they knit together all security applications into one integrated, unified front end. They host all common data to all applications through one database, and bringing together buildings, locations, access rights, people and workflows.
We’re talking about providing uncompromising ‘real-time’ security management to create the perfect centralised Control Room, and converging (transparent to the end user) diverse security technologies.
Comprehensively integrating them into a powerful, simple, user-friendly front end control application.
Virtual video management systems are modular and form the foundation block on which we build our customers’ integrated video surveillance systems.
Camera upgrades: the key points
Once the foundations are in place we can then add new IP cameras, or re-use or re-allocate existing camera to less important surveillance roles while at the same time introducing HD or megapixel models to key areas or hot spots as operational requirements change.
Cameras can be changed individually as they go faulty or as part of a managed upgrade to extend the life expectancy of the system and as funding becomes available.
Various applications may be added to the system to expand the capabilities providing a host of additional features such as event logging and reporting.
Once we have swapped our clients over to a network video solution we can provide them with considerable maintenance advantages and savings.
It’s a compelling argument.
Peter Houlis is managing director of 2020 Vision Systems
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