The benefits of IP-based networked CCTV are significant compared to traditional analogue systems, it is claimed. Barry Keepence, CTO of IndigoVision, explains that the real benefit of IP video can only be realised if the solution is based on a truly distributed architecture.
This article discusses the serious scalability problems which arise when an IP-CCTV system is based on a Centralised Architecture and how a Distributed Architecture delivers a flexible and scalable solution than can lead to systems being deployed across sites, cities and countries.
Storing IP video
There are typically two approaches to storing data in an IP video system. A centralised architecture uses a master database usually located in the central control room or head office. A distributed architecture spreads the data around the Security Management system generally keeping it close to where it is produced or needed.
The stored data can be categorised into two types – configuration and live. Configuration data is site information specifying the design and make-up of the security management system. Examples of configuration data include lists of cameras, lists of users, user permissions, site structure, maps representing the layout of the system and licensing information. After the initial installation and commissioning stages of a security management system, configuration data is not routinely changed. It is however routinely accessed by operators eg when logging in to the system. Live data is typically CCTV video recordings and alarm information. Live data is accessed continuously during normal security management operations, either by devices recording the data or operators reviewing the data.
Configuration data is usually held in a database called the site database. This makes it easy for administrators to make and manage changes; however it also creates a problem. When an administrator makes a change to the site database how do the users, distributed throughout the Security Management system, get the change?
The obvious and easy solution is to have the site database held centrally on a master database server and have all users access the master server over the network. This is called a centralised architecture. Many systems use a centralised architecture for storing more than just configuration data. They may also use it for storing live data such as video recordings or alarm data.
Distributing licensing data
Rather than holding licence information centrally in the central server, individual components of the security management system can hold their own licenses. For example, cameras can hold information in their on-board memory about allowed viewing and recording resolutions, or allowed frame rates. They can also hold information on which features are enabled such as advanced motion analytics.
Such a model, where the sources of the valuable data (the cameras and recorders) contain their own licences, means that the cameras and recorders never need to talk to the Central Server. Because the data sources have their own distributed licenses, this frees up the data viewing applications, running on each workstation, from requiring any license at all. An operator can’t view video if the camera or recorder won’t let him. This means none of the workstations need to check licensing conditions with the Central Server.
Distributing live data
Rather than continuously streaming recording and alarm data back from the remote sites to the central site across the WAN, it would be much better to keep the data locally on the LAN. One or more local NVRs at each remote site would reduce traffic across the WAN and allow users at the remote sites to access recordings and alarms even when the WAN is not available.
Of course the central office is often where alarm management happens across the whole Security Management system so users in the central office can still access the remote NVRs in the event of an alarm or incident investigation. Usually when this happens they only need to playback or export certain portions of video from certain cameras and don’t need to access the full 24×7 recordings that have been made of all cameras at the remote site.
Less then 0.1 per cent of video ever gets looked at, so why waste valuable WAN bandwidth unnecessarily? Just use the WAN to restore the pertinent recorded video data when required.
Solving the problems
The four major problems associated with a centralised architecture are overcome with a distributed architecture:
Solving the problems
The four major problems associated with a centralised architecture are overcome with a distributed architecture:
1) Cost – Precious WAN bandwidth is not used for continuous communication with all remote devices. Instead configuration data is distributed in a managed way. In the event of an operational incident, only the live CCTV video that is required needs be streamed across the WAN or extended LAN. The need to check license data across the network is removed entirely. Cost-effective core network switches can be specified to cope with reduced network loads.
2) Reliability and resilience – A potential source of failure in the security management network is the WAN. Money can be spent on increasing the reliability of the WAN connections but it is much more effective to distribute the data so that users still have a working Security Management system even if the WAN connections fail.
3) Single point of failure – Another source of failure in a security management system is the data stores – either the Central Server hosting the site database or the recorders. Again, money can be spent on increasing the power and reliability of those machines but it is much more effective to distribute the data stores so that users still have a working security management system even if those components fail.
4) Scalability – With a distributed architecture additional cameras and users can be added to a local office with minimal increase in WAN traffic, the video is streamed and recorded locally. Similarly, if another remote office is added it is just a duplicate of existing offices with local LAN and storage. For even larger systems multiple Central Servers can be distributed and synchronised adding yet another layer of distribution and resilience.
Enterprise IP CCTV
A distributed architecture is a fundamental requirement for large enterprise systems with thousands of cameras spread across many locations. Sometimes these locations will be geographically dispersed across sites, cities or even countries e.g. a large corporation, city surveillance, rail network or road system. Sometimes there may be one large location with a high density of cameras split into different groups of cameras e.g. casinos or airports. Even though it is a fundamental requirement for enterprise systems, it is still important for smaller systems. Figure 3 shows a typical layout of a large distributed Security Management system.
Large systems will also usually have a central control room from where the whole system can be monitored. Some systems will have several central control rooms. The entire network is linked by a WAN, which may use leased lines, wireless connections, DSL connections, satellite links and even the public Internet.
Under a distributed architecture, each location or group of cameras has a local file server and all workstations at that location have local caches. The master configuration database is held in a central control room on a central server. Each location will also have a local file server. The local file servers are all synchronised with the central master database.
At each location, individual workstations communicate only to their local file server, never to the central server in the main control room. In addition, each workstation maintains a local cache of the configuration data. Also, each location has sufficient local storage in the form of NVRs to record all the locally produced video and alarm data, reducing the traffic on the WAN.
If the central server fails or the WAN link breaks, operators always have local caches of the Site Database so they can still access any devices on their LAN. In addition, by distributing the recording capability, operators local to an incident will always have access to live video, recorded video and alarm data for their local cameras, even if communication with the central office is down.
Summary
System designers and end-users should ensure that when choosing an IP Video platform for their security system it is based on a distributed solution, otherwise the lack of scalability may hinder future expansion and the single point of failure could lead to unreliable operation.
