Video management software

By 2020, video surveillance using fixed, body and mobile cameras is expected to capture an astounding 859 PB of video daily. Increasing retention regulations and higher resolution cameras, are forcing the video surveillance industry to reassess its approach to data storage. Large capacity primary storage tends to be expensive to procure and costly to implement – especially without a sound architecture that can balance storage performance levels with the speed of access needed to recall video footage. Active archive strategy These challenges are thrusting storage tiers to the forefront of system design. Storage tiers in video surveillance had previously meant simply using a separate archive or attaching add-on capacity directly to network video recorders. Many of the new storage options designed for video surveillance are pulling together different storage tiers into a single storage architecture Many of the new storage options designed for video surveillance are pulling together different storage tiers (and in some cases storage media) into a single storage architecture, such as an active archive solution. This balance can be achieved with an active archive strategy that automates migration of data between different storage types, to ensure the data is on the correct storage type at the correct time to meet performance and retention requirements without blowing the budget. This approach also ensures ease of access while automatically moving content from more expensive tiers of storage to more cost-effective long-term tiers of storage. This allows for greater efficiencies in how recorded footage is treated throughout its lifecycle. In some cases, it includes moving data from edge devices to centralised storage, and then to the public cloud. Scalable video storage solutions As storage demands have increased, video management vendors have turned to storage specialists for solutions that can accommodate large numbers of high-resolution video files, metadata associated with the footage for easy searching, along with much needed scalable solutions. In terms of video management software, this means the integration of video content from different storage types, tiers and physical locations is required, and which considers the performance profile of each storage type. With an active archive solution, video content is searchable and accessible directly by the end users regardless of where it is stored. Deploying an active archive solution enables surveillance users to reduce the complexity and costs of managing data for long term retention As seen in many product categories, camera and storage vendors continue to provide extremely competitive offerings. But, storage-specific solutions for video surveillance have lagged behind the roadmaps for video equipment and, as more and more cameras have entered the market, less attention has been placed on video storage capacities. Tiered storage strategy The surveillance industry has evolved considerably from the days of the 8mm video recorder; however, enterprise storage solutions will be forced to evolve further to cope with changing storage retention requirements. Video storage is quickly becoming one of the most expensive parts in a surveillance solution, but there is hope. Deploying an active archive solution will enable surveillance users to reduce the complexity and costs of managing from terabytes to petabytes of data for long term retention. By finding a storage solution that delivers the ability to implement a tiered storage strategy, users can adhere to regulation requirements to retain video footage and meet their safety and security objectives, while also significantly reducing storage costs and operational expenses.

At this year's Security trade fair in Essen, SeeTec will be presenting video management solutions for a wide range of applications and industries. Apart from industry-specific, real-world video applications, interested parties will also get a first glimpse of new functionalities in the SeeTec 2018 product line up. Video solutions in theme worlds From 25 to 28 September 2018, SeeTec will be demonstrating integrated video solutions in theme worlds dedicated to different fields of use at booth 5E30 in hall 5 at Messe Essen. The renowned German video software provider has boosted its trade fair presence to more than 150 m2 this year and will feature its solution expertise for various vertical markets and application areas. To this end, interested parties will find six industry and application specific theme worlds where they can experience solutions covering the specific requirements of their respective vertical market in live demonstrations. SeeTec staff with in-depth knowledge are standing by to advise partners and end customers. Two additional booth areas cover cyber security and privacy topics as well as an overview of the SeeTec integration ecosystem. Especially the latter is of great interest to users who want to fit SeeTec Cayuga into the architecture of an existing security system. Therefore, in the 'Ecosystem Theme World' the SeeTec experts will show the versatility of the software’s open design, and how to use the numerous integration choices for best results. Intelligent video management SeeTec’s 'Logistics Theme World' shows how logistic processes can be optimised and made more efficient by intelligently combining process data with video footage In the 'Public Safety Theme World', SeeTec will present how an intelligent video management can help reduce crime, attract business, and provide security for local citizens. Moreover, in cooperation with Nokia, the latest developments in deployment of video systems in mobile networks will be showcased. Furthermore, SeeTec’s 'Logistics Theme World' shows how logistic processes can be optimised and made more efficient by intelligently combining process data with video footage, thus creating added value for customers. "Our theme worlds are a great way to present the various fields of use and the many benefits of a modern video solution to our different target groups," explains Andreas Conrad, Marketing Director at SeeTec. "This year we even extended the theme concept to also address more general issues that are of concern to our customers. I am of course talking about the 'hot topics' Cybersecurity and GDPR." Andreas Conrad continues to explain: "Especially the latter has recently caught quite some attention but has been on our radar ever since we started developing video solutions. This is why we want to highlight the many integrated functionalities that help our customers to be GDPR-compliant, but also what our software already offers in terms of hardening a security solution against cyber-attacks."

Most technology companies have one goal in mind: to provide customers with high-quality, affordable products that can efficiently help streamline operations. Whether it's surveillance cameras, video management software, access control technology or any other type of security device, today's leading organisations invest in expertise in these product segments and strive to produce the highest quality solutions. To effectively fulfill this task, technology providers are always searching for emerging components to make their products and services even stronger. Oftentimes, a key aspect necessary to build a comprehensively robust solution involves finding like-minded partners that share a common goal and are willing to work together to create an integration that increases insight and intelligence.The interoperability between systems, devices and different types of applications should be intuitive and fast Key factors for security integrations A basic factor in a partnership is openness. For an integration to perform seamlessly for the end user, the platform through which the technologies converge must follow standard protocols, easily operate with other platforms, allow freedom and customisation, and provide adaptability. The interoperability between systems, devices and different types of applications should be intuitive and fast, enabling more time to be spent on analysing critical data and responding to security events. The puzzle of a complete security solution contains many pieces, and it's often necessary to fuse together aspects from various providers to create a best-in-breed technology offering. When organisations collaborate, the end result is a simplified solution with an increased level of value. As threats become more severe and complex, customers demand solutions that combine different security and business elements into a single interface that can address a wide variety of risks. A unified security system requires a strong collaboration between technology providers and integrated solutions Interconnected security devices Users used to only look at specific security devices - such as cameras or door alarms - as each having a strong, autonomous purpose, but now, every device plays an important interconnected role. And the progression of the Internet of Things (IoT) has made this transition even easier, as maintaining a consistent and uniform communication and interconnectivity between devices has now become the norm. The IoT has also made it so that partnerships must not only exist between manufacturers, but also within the customer's organisational structure. Although exceptionally beneficial, the IoT brings with it an increased amount of cyber vulnerabilities. As security systems are networked to increase flexibility, the door is opened to a number of potential threats that could compromise the entire enterprise. This risk highlights the need for an internal partnership and knowledge sharing between a company's physical security professionals and its IT team. IT experts should be pulled into security decisions and positioned as collaborative partners to assist with software updates, data safety protocols and solving complex network challenges, ultimately leading to a more cyber secure solution.Partnerships are beneficial to both the companies involved and their customers Knowledge sharing and learning Aside from cybersecurity, the latest prominent security attacks and events have focused primarily on soft targets, such as schools, concerts or shopping malls. This has caused many technology providers to venture into different vertical markets, and strong partnerships streamline this crossover. Innovators can extend their geographic reach and purpose through integrations with other like-minded manufacturers or integrators to add new levels of functionalities. Of course, a partnership cannot operate properly and to the best of its ability without a core component: learning. In today's evolving business and risk environment, knowledge is critical. A shared knowledge base can open up new opportunities and lead to the strengthening of security across many levels. A truly powerful, unified security system requires a strong collaboration between technology providers and integrated solutions. Partnerships are beneficial to both the companies involved and their customers, and the results created through these alliances can reach far beyond a user's expectations, offering enhanced flexibility and extensive safety options.

MOBOTIX has announced the launch of MOBOTIX MOVE, a video surveillance camera family that supplements its current portfolio allowing end customers to benefit from additional features to meet a wider range of indoor and outdoor use cases. Customers can now obtain MOBOTIX MOVE products as they provide standards-based technology as well as products with unique MOBOTIX features from a single trusted source backed by industry leading quality and reliability. Supporting ONVIF S and G profiles The new MOBOTIX MOVE series are the first MOBOTIX cameras to support both the ONVIF S and G profiles with video streaming at 3 and 4 MP resolutions up to 30 frames per second. Available in 4 models including bullet, vandal proof bullet and fixed dome and two speed domes; all models are PoE powered and IP66/IK10 rated for flexible deployment. “MOBOTIX MOVE is a recognition that we need to bring the same level of MOBOTIX expertise to a wider range of projects that have a specific requirement,” explains Thomas Lausten, Chief Executive Officer of MOBOTIX. “We listened to our global customers and integrators and created a new product family that delivers standards-based features while retaining the build quality, reliability and innovation that MOBOTIX is renowned for within the security and access control market.” MOBOTIX MOVE is also the first MOBOTIX camera range with motorised varifocal lenses MOBOTIX MOVE features ONVIF support MOBOTIX MOVE is also the first MOBOTIX camera range with motorised varifocal lenses, high speed mechanical Pan-Tilt-Zoom, Speed Domes and Wide Dynamic Range sensors at up to 4MP resolution. The built-in software offers Smart Event functions, remote zoom and focus plus iris control on Autofocus Lens. Each device includes a built-in SD card slot and certain models have integrated IR LED illumination. The true day/night feature with integrated movable IR cut filter technology provides colour images at day time and monochrome infrared sensitive images at night. With full ONVIF support, MOBOTIX MOVE cameras can natively support the widest range of video management software and NVR devices including PTZ control, audio, multicasting and relay outputs. Integrated web GUI “With the addition of MOBOTIX MOVE, our customers now have more choice without compromising on quality,” says Lausten, “All MOBOTIX MOVE products are specified and tested by MOBOTIX in Germany and manufactured under supervision. Our customers can be sure that we won’t lose our product DNA and all MOBOTIX MOVE branded devices are delivered and supported according to the same high-quality standards our customers expect,” Lausten adds. All MOBOTIX MOVE devices can be controlled via integrated web GUI using PC based browsers and will also be natively supported in the upcoming 2.0 version of MOBOTIX Management Center due for release in Q4 of 2018. MOBOTIX MOVE will be available from MOBOTIX distributors at the end of July and will be supported by technical training events for registered partners.

Seasoned and highly respected executive Janet Fenner will be joining Intelligent Security Systems (ISS), and will be taking up the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). She joins directly from Dahua Technology U.S.A. and will start on July 9th. We are excited and proud to have Janet join the ISS team,” said Aluisio Figueiredo, Chief Executive Officer of ISS. “Janet’s extensive industry experience and proven marketing, branding and alliance-building skills will help to contribute to our continued growth and expansion.” Fenner was recently recognised as one of the security industry’s top female leaders and newly appointed to the Security Industry Association’s (SIA) Board of Directors. Security marketing activities In her new role as Chief Marketing Officer at ISS, Fenner will be responsible for all marketing activities globally, and will pioneer the development and execution of new branding and positioning strategies to support new business initiatives and further elevate the company’s perception in the physical security and business intelligence markets. Fenner reports directly to the CEO, Aluisio Figueiredo. She has also been appointed to the ISS Executive Director’s Board, the most senior committee in the company, reporting to the full Board. Prior to Dahua, Fenner served at Hanwha Techwin America (formerly Samsung Techwin) and the Brady Corporation. She is also an active supporter and an Advisory Board Member of Mission 500, a charitable organisation focused on the professional security community’s efforts to assist children and families in need across the U.S.

The latest Device Pack 9.8 update for hardware support in Milestone XProtect Video Management Software implements local storage for body-worn cameras and adds support for SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) on Axis devices. Milestone Systems, the premier global provider of open platform networked video management system (VMS), has released Device Pack 9.8 for partners and customers using Milestone XProtect video solutions. The bi-monthly device packs contain software updates for XProtect video management to support new hardware. Support for body-worn cameras Use of body-worn cameras enables wireless documentation of events not totally covered by fixed cameras. This can not only improve situational awareness for safety related incidents, but also increase safety for lone workers or document maintenance and construction work, since the camera sends a real-time video feed to the Milestone VMS giving instant alert on a situation. However, bandwidth restrictions can affect the quality of the transmitted video, limiting the investigational possibilities. Internal storage in the cameras can be a way to bypass this restriction as high-quality video can be recorded internally while lower quality video is transmitted in real time to the Milestone software. When the body-worn camera is later connected to a higher bandwidth network, the recording on the device will be transferred to the XProtect System and synchronised with the recording sent in real-time. The ONVIF profile G standard enables this and has now been implemented in XProtect in Device Pack 9.8 for selected models from the Milestone Camera Partners Edesix and Zepcam. Secure Real-Time Protocol (Secure RTP or SRTP) is an extension of the RTP protocol with an enhanced security mechanism Increased cyber security Support for SRTP has been added for selected Axis cameras. Secure Real-Time Protocol (Secure RTP or SRTP) is an extension of the RTP protocol with an enhanced security mechanism. It provides encryption, authentication and integrity verification of data and messages passed through the RTP-based communication protocol. The possibility to use SRTP has been implemented across all Axis drivers for Milestone XProtect. The implementation utilises the smart configuration abilities of the supported Axis cameras to make it easy to activate the extra level of security. Integrated Mobotix & Hanwha cameras XProtect support for Bosch cameras with edge storage has been increased: media status can now be accessed by the VMS.Support for Mobotix MxActivitySensor in camera analytics has also been added to handle alarms like motion detection from the intelligent cameras. Several models of Hanwha thermal cameras are now fully supported as well, providing the Milestone community with the broadest range of thermal cameras to use.

Invictus, the latest ruggedised PTZ camera from UK’s CCTV manufacturer 360 Vision Technology, has been installed against a tight deadline to cover a major public event in a north London Borough. Specified for installation by DSSL Group, the new high-performance 360 Vision Technology Invictus cameras were installed in record time, to complete the upgrade of the London Borough’s Public Safety camera system in time to ensure the safe passage of a major public event - as well as to play a continuing role in the borough’s mix of public safety measures. Talking about the new town centre installation, Aaron Stephens, Director at DSSL Group commented: “From the initial decision to specify Invictus cameras for the borough’s High Street and surrounding areas, all 22 Invictus units in the first phase were delivered, installed and commissioned within four weeks.” Invictus uses an upright mount to provide unhindered 360-degree coverage" Superb operational results “We like the authoritative appearance of the new Invictus camera, similar in style to 360 Vision’s Predator camera, but unlike imported speed domes that look less public safety and more commercial, Invictus looks very much the part in the town centre streets. Versus the use of domes on swan necks that inherently introduce a visual blind spot, Invictus uses an upright mount to provide unhindered 360-degree coverage. In addition and again unlike a dome camera, Invictus can look both up and down.” “As highlighted in the Proof of Concept trial, the cameras’ excellent depth of autofocus is quite superb, with crystal clear focus across the entire image frame. This performance attribute is great for post event retrieval of recorded footage, where it will be used to assist the local authority in maximising their incident analysis and prosecutional evidence. It was also great to work with a respected UK manufacturer who provided on the ground technical support to help ensure the smooth delivery of this local authority project. From the superb operational results, we’d recommend Invictus to any other local authorities looking to upgrade their systems to the latest HD camera technology.” Colour at night Discussing the integration of cameras to the system’s new Genetec Video management software platform, DSSL Group’s commissioning engineer, Jordon Stephens, commented: “Adding the Invictus cameras as an ONVIF 2.4 Profile S compliant device to the Genetec Security Control Centre was extremely simple. In my experience, this process isn’t always straight forward, so the Invictus gets 10 out of 10 for easy ONVIF setup!” Jordon went on to explain that: “The cameras’ pre-set factory default night-time settings are ideal for effective colour video at night. Invictus copes incredibly well with the town centre’s mix of lighting conditions and shadow areas, providing excellent ‘colour at night’ imaging - whereas in the same locations, other existing HD cameras on the system had switched to monochrome.” DSSL Group’s attention to detail is phenomenal; they clearly take great pride in their workmanship" Help the Heroes Commenting on the installation, Adrian Kirk, Director at 360 Vision Technology enthused: “We are proud that the new Invictus ruggedized PTZ camera was selected for such an important town centre project and especially as the cameras were commissioned in time to provide security and safety surveillance coverage for the major public event. Manufacturing CCTV cameras in the UK since 2002, and this installation marks the introduction of 360 Vision’s next generation ultra-low light imaging technology - featuring incredibly detailed night-time HD quality colour images.” "In addition, we couldn't have asked for a better installation to showcase Invictus. DSSL Group’s attention to detail is phenomenal; they clearly take great pride in their workmanship. From the way they have contained the cable, through to the layout, neatness and set-up of system equipment, including the column equipment cabinets, the engineering team at DSSL Group really deserve great credit for their professionalism.” “Celebrating the great men and women of the British Armed Forces, for each Invictus camera sold and including those installed in this installation, 360 Vision Technology is donating a contribution to the Help the Heroes charity.”

With increased security a priority for school districts across the country, administrators are taking a close look at their technology to ensure it can deliver in an emergency. Concerns over active shooters and other violent scenarios have districts paying attention and putting heightened security measures in place. Christopher Lordi, Director of Administrative Services at Delaware Valley School District in rural, northeast Pennsylvania, knew it was time to upgrade his district’s surveillance technology, so he turned to the integration expertise of Guyette Communications to get the job done. Analogue DVR system The outdoor PTZ cameras that panned back and forth were causing them to miss a lot of activity The DVR system that covered Delaware Valley’s seven schools and nine buildings was state-of-the-art when it was installed a decade ago, but it was no longer meeting the district’s needs. Administrators complained that is was difficult to view and manage video from all of the cameras as a unified system. The analogue video made it hard to identify faces and see other important details. And the outdoor PTZ cameras that panned back and forth were causing them to miss a lot of activity. “We had a lot of blind spots,” says Chris. Guyette Communications, of Plymouth, PA, has worked with the district for over a decade supporting its technology needs, so Chris looked to them for guidance. Scott Surochak and Rick Scalzo, both of Guyette, recommended a new-to-market VMS, Vicon’s Valerus, that they felt would provide all the features and performance the district sought in a very cost-effective manner. They also recommended that the district abandon their analogue cameras and standardise district-wide on higher performance, megapixel IP models. Valerus VMS The significant expense of replacing not just the VMS system, but hundreds of cameras district-wide, required buy-in from the school board. Rick and Scott, along with Vicon’s regional sales manager, Doug Stadler, provided an in-depth demonstration of the capabilities of Vicon’s new Valerus VMS, along with its line of IQeye Alliance cameras, to the school board. The new system would allow them to clearly identify the faces of visitors, read license plates within the school parking lots, eliminate current blind spots throughout the campuses, and easily search video to quickly find evidence of crime or vandalism. Convinced of the long-term value of the investment, the school board gave a green light to proceed. Vicon Fixed and Cruiser cameras Approximately 400 cameras were installed throughout the district’s nine buildings, almost all of which are Vicon 3MP IQeye Alliance fixed domes Installation began in March 2017 and continued throughout the summer. Approximately 400 cameras were installed throughout the district’s nine buildings, almost all of which are Vicon 3MP IQeye Alliance fixed domes. These provide coverage of all entrances to buildings, busy hallways, and spaces like lunchrooms, auditoriums, playgrounds, parking lots and athletic fields. In addition, Vicon Cruiser domes with 30X optical zoom were installed in each parking lot to capture license plates. To support so many high-resolution cameras transmitting at full frame rates, Guyette installed a dedicated security network capable of handling the bandwidth. All cameras are hard wired with new CAT-6 cabling, which feeds back to CISCO switches and a fiber backbone that runs through each building. Installing security network To minimise bandwidth transmission between buildings, Guyette recommended that each school locally record video from its respective cameras. The five lower schools have each been equipped with a single Valerus server that both runs VMS application software and performs as an NVR. The middle school and high school, which share a building, have an application server plus four NVRs to support the higher number of cameras. Because the Valerus VMS software makes exclusive use of a thin-client, there was no need to install software on any workstations. Complete user and administrative functionality is available through a standard web browser interface. Rick says that “Installation went very smoothly. The system works well and it’s easy to navigate and program. I’m used to systems where we have to do everything manually, but with Valerus, it does a lot of things for you. For example, you can copy programming to multiple cameras. Setting up one camera and then copying it to 50 others is a huge time saver.”  “The system is also really easy to update,” he says. “Two new Valerus versions were released during the months we were doing the installation, and we just had to download it once each time to an application server, and then it was automatically pushed out to all the other servers on the network.” Efficient crime detection Two new Valerus versions were released during the months we were doing the installation, and we just had to download it once each time to an application server" There isn’t a lot of criminal activity in the Delaware Valley School District, thanks to outreach programs that create a collaborative relationship between the school police force, administrators, students and parents. However, sometimes issues do occur, and Valerus has already helped the district solve a theft. Chris describes an incident that occurred while the system was still being installed in the spring of 2017. “There was a theft from one of the administrative offices. The employee thought the office had been locked, but our surveillance video was able to show that it was not and displayed the comings and goings of everyone who entered the office during the time in question. The video quality was so clear that the thief’s face could be identified. The footage was turned over to the local police who were able to apprehend the thief and recover the stolen property. With our old VMS system, the video wouldn’t have provided enough detail for us to identify the culprit.” High-end video surveillance Chris says he’d love to say that Valerus’ “museum search” made it possible to find the incriminating video in minutes. However, because the system was just getting installed, not all features were operational yet and his police force had to manually look through hours of video. “The officers are really looking forward to being able to use the search function in the future, now that we’re all up and running. They love how you can draw a box over an area of the video where you know something has happened, and Valerus will do all the work for you,” he says. In speaking about response to crimes and emergencies, Rick adds that because Valerus uses a thin client, the school district has the luxury of easily providing outside law enforcement with access to their system. If they ever needed help from local or state police, like in an active shooter situation, administrators can provide them with a link to the district’s network so that they can better coordinate a response. This would have been impossible with their old system. Ensuring Valerus system’s functionality The VMS thin-client interface allows the officers to view video from anywhere, including on their phones or tablets Unusual for a district of its size, Delaware Valley has its own, full-time, six-person police force. Among other responsibilities, this force is tasked with monitoring the new Valerus system. Each officer has been equipped with his or her own workstation from which they can monitor the cameras physically located at their assigned schools. Administrators at each building also have access to view local cameras. In addition, a centrally located, district-wide monitoring station has been set up to make it easy for officers and school officials to keep an eye on the district as a whole. Rick Scalzo explains that while the VMS thin-client interface allows the officers to view video from anywhere, including on their phones or tablets, his team recommended the purchase of high-performance, manufacturer-certified PC workstations for each officer’s monitoring station. This was to ensure that these computers would have the necessary processing power to display large numbers of high-resolution camera feeds simultaneously. These workstations are hard wired to the network to provide the fastest and most reliable connectivity to the application server. Chris Lordi says that the district has also provided all officers with iPhone 6s, which they use regularly to monitor what’s happening at their buildings. License plate recognition and PTZ cameras One of the capabilities that the district required of the new system is the ability to read license plates of vehicles entering or exiting school grounds. Officers are able to take control of the PTZ cameras in each parking lot and zoom in on the plates of any vehicles of interest. This can even be done via the iPhone interface. Chris explains that it has not been necessary to integrate Valerus with any special license plate recognition (LPR) software because his team of police officers has immediate access to databases where they can look up plates as needed. However, this integration is currently available for Valerus customers and can help automate the process for those who need it.  Intruder detection  They want top-notch safety, and Valerus delivers that" Chris says that “Our school board takes safety and security very seriously, so for them, this significant investment was justified as soon as we showed them what it can do. They want top-notch safety, and Valerus delivers that. Buy-in from teachers, and the union, who have expressed reservations over the placement of many new cameras that didn’t previously exist, has required additional communication and education. Both Chris and Rick have made it very clear that the upgraded system is not for the purpose of intimidating or keeping closer watch on employees as they perform their daily jobs. Our main concern is thwarting security threats and keeping everybody safe. The additional cameras and new software might help us break up a fight or address bullying issues, but it’s also important for much more serious situations, like dealing with an active shooter or act of terrorism. Now we can use cameras to follow an intruder throughout our buildings, and that can help us keep everyone safe while we apprehend him.” Chris says that “When we put it like that, everyone gets on board.” Counter Terror Chris is extremely appreciative of the support Guyette Communications has provided throughout this project, including individually training each school principal as their building was completed. “I can’t stress how well Guyette has delivered for us. They’re flexible, reliable and compassionate, and they’ve been a true partner at every step of the way. I’d recommend Guyette to anybody.” With school back in session, and the district’s police force busy implementing its many safety programs, Chris looks forward to another school year without any major security incidents. However, with a new Valerus system and high-resolution cameras in place, he knows he now has not only the right people but the right technology to handle any crisis.

Technology is front and center at a beautiful new City Hall in the Northwest U.S., where community members will find local government offices, city council chambers and the department of economic development. The building’s tightly integrated electrical, lighting, fire protection, telecommunications and security solutions is the work of Coffman Engineers. Ben Helms was project manager responsible for specifying Vicon’s Valerus VMS and VAX Access Control security solutions into the facility and credits Vicon’s A&E tools and support services with helping him to get the job done right. Access control and VMS solutions Ben says that his firm has a long history with Vicon through Vicon’s dedicated A&E outreach programs Ben says that his firm has a long history with Vicon through Vicon’s dedicated A&E outreach programs. In the past, he has attended Vicon’s annual A&E Summit, a 2 ½ day educational event filled with seminars and interactive learning for the specifying community on topics related to surveillance technologies and solutions. It was at one of these seminars that he was first shown a beta version of Valerus, Vicon’s new VMS that was still under development. “I thought it was really cool,” he says. “It’s a big jump to go to an all browser-based system and adds a lot of advantages over a hard system.” As for the VAX Access Control solution, Ben appreciated the over-the-door controllers, which he says, from his standpoint, “made the system a lot less work to design.” He says that “Normally, controllers are all lined up in an IT room and you have masses of wiring going out to the doors, so you have to worry about voltage drop and a lot of other factors. With the VAX controller, you just put it out there, connect it to a PoE drop, and you’re done.” VAX-Valerus integration With the built-in integration between Valerus and VAX, it just made sense to go that way" When Ben began work on the brand-new City Hall, which required a unified access control and VMS solution, he saw a perfect match. “With the built-in integration between Valerus and VAX, it just made sense to go that way.” Steve Helms, Ben’s father and the Principal in Charge of the project, had also attended Vicon’s A&E Summits in the past and had seen what Valerus and VAX could do. He agreed with Ben’s recommendation. For putting together specifications for the security portion of the City Hall project, Ben relied on ARCAT SpecWizard, a free online tool that automates the spec building process. Vicon is one of only a few VMS manufacturers who have invested in providing this resource to the A&E community. SpecWizard is particularly helpful for solutions that include a wide range of components and require a degree of customisation for each project. Ben says that he found SpecWizard really easy to use. “I just went in and checked the boxes for the cameras, servers and software that I wanted, and downloaded the completed spec in Word format. All I had to do was edit it a bit to cut out a few things I didn’t need. It made it really simple to grab all the parts and pieces and make sure that everything was covered.” High megapixel cameras The entire City Hall project was built in AutoDesk REVIT software for BIM (building information modeling) The entire City Hall project was built in AutoDesk REVIT software for BIM (building information modeling), allowing the architecture and engineering teams to collaboratively model the building’s components and simulate its systems and structures. Ben was able to access REVIT models of all of Vicon’s camera models, available through the AutoCAD360 library, drag them into the project and pop them right into place. “This part of the project was really fun,” say Ben. The models clearly showed the mechanicals for the cameras as well as their field of view. When presenting the drawings to the clients, it was easy to explain what could be seen from each camera and how they would all work together as a system to provide coverage of all critical areas. The City Hall project used several different camera models, with resolutions ranging from 2MP to 12MP. High megapixel cameras generate a tremendous amount of data and calculating bandwidth and storage requirements are complicated by factors such as frame rates, video quality, lighting, the types of images being recorded, and use of settings like motion activated recording. To guide him through this evaluation process, Ben says he relied on Vicon’s free calculator tools, which simplified the challenge of determining the system’s server and storage needs. Video-access control integration The City Hall project used several different camera models, with resolutions ranging from 2MP to 12MP While Ben greatly appreciated the many tools that Vicon offers to make his job easier, he says that the biggest reason he would absolutely use VAX and Valerus again is the support he received from the Vicon team. “I have a local Vicon rep here I can call, and I know their entire technical team is always available to help me if I have any sort of issue.” Ben says that it’s also very important to specify solutions that deliver value to his clients. It’s nice to be able to say to them, “Here’s a system that is not going to cost you a ton to install, you can have unlimited user groups, unlimited users, the video and access control will completely integrate with each other, it has all these features included that a lot of systems charge extra for, and the licensing cost is pretty low. From a consulting and specifying standpoint, it checks a lot of the boxes that we really like.”

Pivot3, the hyperconverged infrastructure performance and technology provider, announced Caesars Entertainment EMEA has deployed Pivot3 HCI to ensure robust protection of critical video surveillance data and to future-proof its IT infrastructure to support a wider range of workloads. Support multiple mission-critical workloads Pivot3 unifies storage, compute and virtualisation resources into a powerful, easy-to-deploy solution that reduces cost, IT complexity and organisational risk. With Pivot3, Caesars’ can now support multiple mission-critical workloads, including video surveillance, on a single high-performance and cost-effective infrastructure platform. “We selected Pivot3 because we have complete confidence that its highly-resilient HCI technology will protect our video data,” said Charles Rayer, IT director, Caesars Entertainment EMEA. “In today’s sophisticated gaming environment, it’s critical that video data is protected, always available and easily accessible at any time, from any device or location. Pivot3 supports our broader roadmap initiatives with the opportunity to expand hyperconverged to our datacenter and enterprise computing applications, which helps future-proof our investment and drive additional value across our organisation.” In addition to Pivot3, Caesars EMEA is deploying Milestone video management software (VMS) across its 14 sites Video surveillance & management solutions Caesars Entertainment is one of the most established and innovative brands in the global gaming industry. Its EMEA division has a diverse portfolio of gaming, entertainment, restaurants and bars at locations throughout the United Kingdom, South Africa and Egypt. The organisation relies on highly-integrated video surveillance solutions to capture the data that drives business intelligence and ensures compliance and continuous operations. The addition of Pivot3 to its ecosystem helps protect against system failures, operational interruptions and lost revenues, which cannot be tolerated in strict regulatory environments such as gaming. Milestone video management software In addition to Pivot3, Caesars EMEA is deploying Milestone video management software (VMS) across its 14 sites in the region. Pivot3’s interoperability and ease of integration with Milestone stems from its ability to consolidate VMS hosting, security applications and associated data, and all client workstations into one centralised platform. Caesars EMEA’s individual sites incorporate 75 to more than 200 video surveillance cameras. “HCI is the ideal platform for mission-critical applications, like video surveillance, that require the highest degree of protection, resiliency and availability,” said Brandon Reich, video surveillance practice leader, Pivot3. “Pivot3 is designed to handle the rigors of enterprise IT environments with the fastest, simplest and smartest HCI available, and we’re excited to support Caesars’ video data protection needs as well as their infrastructure growth going forward.”

Pivot3, the hyperconverged infrastructure performance and technology firm, has announced that the University of Central Florida has deployed its hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) platform for more robust video surveillance data protection, improved remote access to sensitive and critical data from any device, streamlined management for all their campus safety and security IT systems, and support for additional datacenter workloads as they grow. Pivot3 hyperconverged infrastructure platform Located in Orlando, Fla., the University of Central Florida (UCF) is one of the largest universities in the country with more than 66,000 students and over 12,000 employees. It is regularly recognised as one of the best colleges for quality, access, impact and value. U.S. News & World Report recently named UCF as one of the nation’s Most Innovative Colleges for 2018. Prior to implementing Pivot3, UCF was struggling with the costs and complexity of managing 58 standalone servers, 12,000 individual access points, hundreds of video surveillance cameras, and a diverse range of digital video recorders, or DVRs. The university’s IT organisation and security teams required a solution that could easily consolidate these disparate systems, centralise management and provide more effective, efficient and reliable video data storage. Pivot3 HCI streamlines video management and storage capabilities by hosting the university’s Milestone XProtect video management software (VMS) Milestone XProtect VMS Pivot3 HCI streamlines video management and storage capabilities by hosting the university’s Milestone XProtect video management software (VMS), and server and storage management on a single platform. Pivot3 also offers industry-leading resilience — critical in environments such as public universities that have been demanding data protection and retention requirements in order to mitigate risk and ensure legal compliance. If multiple hardware failures occur, servers remain online, and previously recorded data is protected and available when needed. Pivot3 is also designed to support mixed workloads and can host multiple applications on a single infrastructure, delivering significant return on investment for the university as its security and IT needs evolve.  “We wanted a security solution that specialised in video storage but also offered options to expand into other datacenter use cases as needed, and Pivot3 was the hands-down winner,” said Joseph Souza, assistant director of security for UCF’s Department of Security and Emergency. “During our selection process, both our security team and our IT organisation discovered that Pivot3 delivered the best solution for our growing environment.” Pivot3 also captures and protects video data from 2,500 video surveillance cameras and supports up to three petabytes of storage Video surveillance and data recording In addition to hosting Milestone System’s video management software, Pivot3 also captures and protects video data from 2,500 video surveillance cameras and supports up to three petabytes of storage. Pivot3’s ability to easily scale to this level was a key criterion in UCF’s selection process as its demand for more cameras and video data storage capacity continues to grow. The UCF camera count is expected to rise to over 3,000 when the university’s downtown Orlando Campus opens in the fall of 2019. “UCF is a leader in educational excellence, and we are pleased to play a role in helping the university protect critical assets and enhance security operations,” said Brandon Reich, surveillance practice leader, Pivot3. “The education market in particular experiences significant benefits and cost savings through the implementation of Pivot3 HCI – not to mention the increased security benefits for students and staff - which reduces complexity and cost, delivers scalability and increases resiliency.”

With a number of terrorist attacks having taken place around the world in the past days, city surveillance has become a crucial issue with top priority for the local and central governments. Surveon city solutions provide product lines including high reliability cameras with excellent image quality, feature-rich VMS with video analytics function, and RAID NVR with large storage capacity for 365+ days non-stopping recording. These comprehensive solutions help governments to build good foundations to improve social order, crack down on crimes, and protect citizens from horrible attacks. High reliability cameras Generally speaking, the governments might encounter some major challenges when designing a suitable surveillance system, such as heat, humidity, and temperature changes in outdoor environment. Under such circumstances, Surveon provides cameras with excellent image quality and lowest RMA rate to handle all kinds of outdoor condition. "Surveon’s industrial designed and 100% own manufactured cameras have made us feel confident about this project. The cameras are now being used for a few years with an average failure rate of less than 0.03% which is really impressive." said Chan, the surveillance project manager of Kaohsiung. Surveon NVRs provide large capacities for 365+ days non-stopping recording, extended IP storage, and RAID function for zero video loss The data retention of recorded video is particularly important to the planning and acceptance of city projects. Surveon NVRs provide large capacities for 365+ days non-stopping recording, extended IP storage, and RAID function for zero video loss.  Enterprise VMS In addition, Surveon intuitive VMS offers features such as video analytics, offering police units powerful yet easy to use solutions for city surveillance. By paired with Surveon enterprise VMS, the solutions provide robust prevention, preparedness, detection, and quick response measures. Surveon city solutions have been successfully applied in some major cities in Taiwan and Mongolia. “With Surveon’s E2E solutions, from 3-megapixel IP66 cameras, hardware RAID NVR, clustered storage, to enterprise VMS, we are now better equipped to monitor the entire district and protect the community against illegal activities.” said the Sükhbaatar district police officer in Mongolia.