Making the Most of Megapixel Marvels
Find out how to select, apply and connect IP cameras, as well as store the data and build an infrastructure to support it all.
PoE, Wireless Play Well on Networks
There was a day when the mere idea of connecting video cameras to a LAN caused IT managers to break out in a cold sweat. Today, however, sharing bandwidth with IP cameras on a facility’s network is commonplace and it’s easily done with forethought and proper planning.
“The advantage of recording video on the edge is you only bring the changes [down the wire], or you can do that between certain hours,” says Testani. “You have control of what you want, or you can record at the edge and then periodically pull all motion generated alarms. You also can pull that data down according to schedule.”
As mentioned earlier, one of the most significant advantages of a network-based video surveillance system is the ability to provide camera connectivity at almost any hardwire access point in the network. And, where it’s impractical or impossible to run a wire, wireless offers integrators with an excellent alternative. When using this method of connectivity, be sure the wireless access point is secure using a common security protocol, such as WPA/WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access).
Another consideration is PoE (Power over Ethernet), a feature that allows you to power the IP cameras in a video surveillance system using the same Category-5e or -6 that carries data. This helps simplify installation while reducing overall maintenance costs. Using PoE, IP network devices, including cameras, receive their operating power from a PoE-enabled switch or midspan.
Every IP camera has a different power rating. The PoE standard supports 15.4W of power, which is sufficient for most network camera applications. When utilizing a pan/tilt/zoom (p/t/z) IP camera, which is designed to detect and mechanically respond to physical movement, it’s important to accurately calculate the power requirements of these devices because it’s not at all uncommon for a p/t/z to require up to 30W of power. Where the amount of power required exceeds 15.4W, some integrators will turn to a standard called PoE Plus, which will provide up to 30W of power per port.
When you compare the use of IP cameras using network technology to the older analog camera method that requires the installation of a separate power and coaxial (data) cable from the head-end to every camera in the system, or where an individual plug-in transformer is needed for each camera, the IP advantage should be apparent.
Sorting IP Video Storage Solutions
There are also several choices for data storage integrators must consider, and all of them must include a huge amount of storage capacity when dealing with an all-IP camera network. For example, a simple 10-camera system can require more than 2TB of storage capacity in order to retain a week’s worth of video.
DVR technology exists that will accommodate IP cameras. Your selection also includes NVRs as well as Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices.
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DVRs, for example, provide the added ability to quickly and intuitively add IP cameras to a video system, but the maximum number of cameras is limited. This is because DVRs have a specific camera capacity, such as eight, 16 or 32 channels. DVRs, how-ever, have the advantage of providing a black-box solution where operation is relatively easy and intuitive. This recording solution is typically found in smaller IP video surveillance systems featuring IP cameras exclusively or in a hybrid manner using a mixture of analog and IP.
For larger applications, the NVR and NAS offer the most capacity for the money. These systems can easily be expanded to incorporate almost any number of IP cameras now or in the future by simply adding hard drives to the array.
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About the Author
Al Colombo
Al Colombo is a long-time trade journalist and professional in the security and life-safety markets. His work includes more than 40 years in security and life-safety as an installer, salesman, service tech, trade journalist, project manager,and an operations manager. You can contact Colombo through TpromoCom, a consultancy agency based in Canton, Ohio, by emailing [email protected], call 330-956-9003, visit www.Tpromo.Com.
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