The new security system based on the transmission of video over IP, emerged after the alliance of four companies from Honduras, each focused on a different area that strengthens the final result. The idea is to expand throughout Central America.
By Andrew Hodges*
The rising tide of crime has reached such a point that having a reliable security system has become a necessity for individuals, businesses, residential complexes and even entire cities.
With the aim of making access to video security systems affordable and less complicated, an alliance arises between four strategic allies, each specializing in software, hardware, link and service and that in the end result in an added value for users.
IP video technology is the centerpiece of the innovative data storage and surveillance system for public and private institutions that require effectively visualizing their operations and security in real time, the data flows of the different operations are integrated into a clouded and centralized database.
The challenge is to create a reliable and robust system that can be accessible from anywhere via the Internet, but at the same time ensure that access is only authorized with the possibility of delegating groups of cameras to certain individuals.
The novelty of the solution they provide is that customers can reduce their investments in assets, since the service is granted as a rental, being in charge of the supplier the purchase, supervision and maintenance of said equipment.
In this way, users have greater possibilities to equip their spaces with video security systems at a low cost and fewer complications by not having to resort to several providers.
How does it work?
To achieve this, the English company, MAN Consulting developed an infrastructure using the modern Ruby on Rails programming language with a centralized database and clustered servers all mounted on a Citrix Xenserver computational cloud. The recorders are decentralized to be close to the cameras and thus reduce the bandwidth to store the videos.
Network video recorders (NVRs) can be distributed at the ends of the network, close to the cameras, in order to reduce the bandwidth used.
Dual transmission, used in multiple cameras, allows dedicated video to be transmitted for monitoring and dedicated video for simultaneous recording where greater protocol efficiency is required to reduce file size.
To bring this project to a successful conclusion, an integrated alliance was made throughout Central America by Sony Broadcast and Professional, Global Communications, MAN Consulting and Navega, in which the use of a Sony brand video security equipment is promoted that includes the cameras of the Ipela line type PTZ of high definition fixed and the series of infrared cameras.
The company Comunicaciones Globales is in charge of all the logistics of the study, installation, monitoring and support of said equipment. On the other hand, the English company MAN Consulting is responsible for the design and implementation of the software for monitoring video security equipment and the company Navega is in charge of providing the bandwidth and all the integration itself of this value-added service.
Applications
This tool allows you to monitor and attend incidents immediately without wasting the valuable time of the security force.
For example, a map of each area can be created with crime statistics, including the number of crimes, the type of incidents recorded, and the associated videos that can be exported from the IP video system. With this information, security resources are more effectively located.
Another example. A company that has its operations and management geographically dispersed, can have records of arrival and departure times of its employees, recordings of theft incidents and unwanted movements of its people, all within a single platform without access or administration complications regardless of the country, city or branch.
Currently, many companies and organizations find themselves with a surveillance system that is almost impossible to manage. In these cases the systems are not completely based on a network, they have numerous 'islands' of video from different and inaccessible analog systems.
Since most of the administrative area in terms of security of an organization is managed centrally, it is imperative that the system is centralized, that all cameras are controllable and visible on a single platform.
IP video compression technology allows these projects to materialize and has become one of the key factors to achieve true security with remote monitoring.
A project is currently being developed in the city of La Ceiba, in northern Honduras, in which the IP video system monitors a small part of the city, in order to monitor special events such as Easter, Carnival, among others that take place on San Isidro Avenue.
Likewise, on the island of Roatan, work is being done on a project to monitor the interior of the city's mayor's office, providing evidence in the main hall, the box and the most used public accesses.
Upon completion of the Ceiba city project, the mayor's office will have video stations located in a surveillance center but the centralized architecture of the IP system allows video management stations to be distributed throughout the network if necessary. This also includes access to remote devices such as iPads and 3rd generation mobile phones.
These projects begin in Honduras the era of remotely monitored security that will surely echo in other cities, making the country a safer and more comfortable place for residents and visitors.
*Andrew Hodges is the general manager of Man Consulting.
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