Richard Kelly, Digital Product Manager at CCTV manufacturers Petards Vision, offers his perspective on remote management in the age of Internet Protocol (IP).
Remote security management, with the ability to control multiple security systems from a central location, has been vastly enhanced by the introduction of IP networks. Multiple remote sites can be managed with just one or a few operators, avoiding the need for security personnel to be placed at each site. The results are tried and tested – reduced staffing costs and a more secure environment in which the security personnel themselves can work. The central control point manages the remote sites by using the computing standard, IP via a secure Wide Area Network (WAN) and firewall. Various disparate security systems can be linked together utilising an IP network. Third party equipment, such as alarm intruder detection devices, access control, fire panels and so on, can also be integrated utilising an IP network, which when combined with CCTV, provides an excellent means of monitoring remote sites.
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The security manager or operators at the central control centre will have access, through the IP network or WAN, to the whole security network together with each and every camera attached to the system. Installed within the security system is specifically designed software called ‘trigger events’. A trigger event is an action that is pre-determined by the security manager, and when this action occurs, the system is triggered to deal with the situation in an appropriate manner. Examples of traditional trigger events include door sensors and motion detection. More advanced trigger events can also be detected, for example changes in brightness within a room (such as a light being turned on, or a torch) or colour mix changes.
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A security manager responsible for the global security of a multi-national company that has an IP network infrastructure can illustrate a practical example. Under normal circumstances, it would be physically impossible for him to monitor all the cameras remotely located across all parts of the company; however, trigger events can help to overcome this. Multi-national companies have cameras installed within their IT server rooms, and trigger events can be pre-installed on the camera and environment in which they are operating. If someone then presses an intercom to access a server room, the security manager is alerted and the appropriate CCTV camera is automatically focused on the person pressing the intercom. The security manager can then speak directly to the person and decide whether access should be granted and if so, trigger the door release. Another alternative could be if a light is turned on in a secure place, where an automatic software trigger will alert the security manager that there may be an intruder. Again, the relevant CCTV camera will focus on the area in question and images transmitted as a video stream across the IP network.
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While all cameras can be digitally recorded in a distributed environment, when a trigger event is detected, the cameras can automatically change the frame output rate of the recording in relation to that event. The video information is recorded and stored directly onto hard disk, either on an independent PC or on the company’s server as Motion.jpegs files. Storing IP video images in this manner allows not only control room operators access to the images, but also remote management users. A Motion.jpeg is a variation of jpeg where still images are shown at a high frame rate, and this gives a very high-quality video consisting of a substantial amount of data.
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An additional advantage of IP digital recording is that whilst a trigger event is being recorded, the operator has the ability to access what has already been recorded and view the video stream. Video images can also be reviewed after the trigger event, and where further investigation is required, additional triggers/software filters applied to the historical recorded video streams. For example, reviewing hours and hours of video streaming is extremely time-consuming, whereas IP recorded digital software filters applied to previously recorded video streams, can review information by selecting colour filtering, such as white cars only, blue jacket only, baseball cap, and so on.
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Using IP networks makes it very simple for duplicate control and recording facilities to exist. The CCTV control room at Runnymede Borough Council and the installation at St Peter’s Hospital in Surrey are a recent example. This security system allows Runnymede Borough Council to remotely link to cameras at the hospital and provide backup, should extra resource be required. Backup facilities of this nature will become more simplistic to implement once IP networks are installed as the backbone to surveillance systems.
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With rural and urban areas becoming more and more built-up, the responsibilities of local councils to police their territories are becoming increasingly difficult. Due to the diversity of areas that are to be covered such as car parks, shopping centres, footpaths and recreational areas, it is important to find an effective and efficient means of providing security . CCTV and remote monitoring provides an excellent means of satisfying this requirement and, more importantly, makes for a pleasant and secure place in which to live. It is difficult for each area to be physically policed at all times and CCTV can therefore be monitored remotely to pick up on incidents as they occur with the necessary resources deployed to deal with the situation, as and when they occur.
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The biggest advantage to a security system of this nature is cost. It is far cheaper to install digital rather than analogue, since a digital system will work on the existing infrastructure, whereas an analogue system requires extensive and costly cabling from system to system.
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Remote management is the way forward for a safer world. It provides a cost-effective means of policing a wide area effectively and efficiently, which through using digital IP, also removes the need for expensive cabling. Security staff do not have to put themselves into dangerous or difficult situations and can quickly react to incidents as they occur, all at the touch of a button.
