IP Surveillance – Another Piece of the Converged Network

IP Surveillance – Another Piece of the Converged Network

IP surveillance, has emerged as a new leading security solution that combines networking infrastructure and video equipment to provide a more holistic and efficient approach to security. It is a logical step in the quest for completely converged networks.
Most security imperatives from an IT perspective have been focused on firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection and a host of similar components of network security. But more recently, with an increased focus on both physical and network security, IP surveillance has become a solution in the minds and desks of security officers nationwide.
IP surveillance is an attractive alternative to current methods of video surveillance for several reasons:
Easy integration into any IT infrastructure
Ability to scale quickly and easily
No dependence on specialized cable networks or analog electronics
Increased amounts of digital images can be collected
Increased efficiency over analog tape
Faster audits when reviewing incidents
Ability to monitor from anywhere using web technology software
It provides real-time, remote-accessible views into the organization, affording companies 24/7 security and enhanced insight into their daily operations. IMS Research said in March 2004 that network cameras and video servers are the highest growing sectors of the closed-circuit TV market.

The largest obstacle seems to be the integration of the groups who are responsible for the business security. Traditionally, a facilities or physical security group is responsible for video surveillance. With IP surveillance, they are asking IT to share its most important asset, the network. From the network perspective, it is essentially no different than a new accounting program or inventory tracking system.
Here is a short list of considerations that will be important to IT when considering implementation of IP surveillance:
Network Utilization – What’s the worst case scenario?
Quality of Service – Are there typical measurements to track QoS?
Security Precautions – Does the video data need to be secured? How?
Physical Locations of Components – Where and how many components?
Network Connections – Will additional ports or switches be needed?
Protocols – Will this affect any other applications on the network?
Operations – Who’s responsible for what?
One of Inacom’s strategic partners, Cisco, has provided the following case study highlighting how the police departments in Seal Beach and Los Alamitos, California, use this tool, a wireless, real-time video management network, to help them fight crime.
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Larry Boettger GIAC, MCSE, CHA, CHP, CHSS, is an Information Systems Data Security and Business Technology Specialist with Inacom Information Systems in Madison, Wisconsin. He can be reached at larry.boettger@inacom-msn.com.