IP CCTV: The intelligent eye in the sky

Moving CCTV surveillance onto the network infrastructure, reduces costs, improves security and ensures a more rapid and effective approach to tackling crime, says Stewart Yates

The benefits to society and to business of CCTV are well documented – it’s made a real difference in cutting crime in our towns and within business, especially within the retail, financial and manufacturing sectors. However, the traditional videotape approach to surveillance does have its downsides, including expensive installation and running costs, easily disposable and corruptible tapes, and poor picture quality impeding prosecution.

The good news is that there is a way of simultaneously reducing your surveillance costs whilst getting an altogether more intelligent, focussed CCTV system capable of monitoring and protecting key areas of your business in a more proactive way, by using your existing IP network infrastructure.

Switching on to IP CCTV – the business benefits

Adding IP CCTV to the existing network is a logical step for many businesses, as it not only boosts the scope of surveillance, but also centralises security operations and maintenance, eliminates the need to lay additional cables and removes the issue of buying and then storing the actual video cassettes.

Many organisations already have in place an IP network infrastructure that serves their telephony and computer networks and other key business applications. It’s a simple and low-cost process to add a network access point to install a camera and link it up to the business network, and with none of the support and re-cabling costs of the non-digital alternative. With the readiness and availability of power over Ethernet products, getting power to the devices is now even easier too.

Simplified management

Digital surveillance systems have streamlined security management dramatically while also proving an altogether more powerful business tool. IP CCTV has removed the need for a dedicated onsite security room and security personnel at every bank, retail outlet or manufacturing base.

Instead, a centralised security team can monitor events in real-time across multiple branches and locations – even internationally – for a more rapid and targeted response when required. This approach also supports flexible and remote working, with support staff able to securely monitor events from an external PC or PDA.

Running CCTV over the network infrastructure also eliminates physical videotapes – removing the need for them to be changed and stored onsite, all of which incurs additional cost. With IP CCTV, you can transmit thousands of images in digital format, which can be viewed and then securely stored offsite, with manageable impact on the company network.

Cracking down on crime

A key benefit of IP-based CCTV is the flexibility of the digital medium. Images can be distributed to police or security personnel quickly and easily, and can also be circulated to multiple branches or locations, to ensure a more rapid and proactive approach to preventing crime.

The IP approach also puts CCTV out of the reach of the criminal. With images recorded in real-time and then stored securely on the hard drive on- or off-site, they cannot be accessed or tampered with by any intruder, ensuring evidence remains secure, untouched and court-admissible.

Digital surveillance is also playing an important role in securing more criminal convictions for offences such as theft and break-ins. Higher quality digital images and advanced system functionality such as face mapping and automatic number plate recognition are admissible in court, and are helping businesses to progress with a greater proportion of prosecutions.

Intelligent, event-based surveillance

Running IP CCTV over your network infrastructure also enables businesses to adopt a more targeted, event-driven approach to security. IP Cameras can be configured to automatically activate and record when any suspect credit transaction is detected, or when a fire door is opened, for more intelligence-led security.

Remote, targeted monitoring and recording reduces the number of false alarms, and helps to qualify a security situation at an early stage, reducing the need for expensive call-outs from the police or private security firms.

Profitability and productivity

Official Government Statistics have proven that security guards continually watching a control screen will pick up only four percent of events occurring. If the security guard is being alerted to the events he is picking up 100 percent. IP CCTV heralds a new approach to security – one that is event-driven, and an effective tool in proactively managing and cutting crime in your business.

Stewart Yates is managing director of TFM Networks.

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