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Network Video Doesn’t Have to Burden IT
Have you seen that vein bulge on your IT director’s forehead when he hears you say “network video?” Learn to feel his pain and ease his mind with these tips.The Latest from SIW
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By Randall R. Nason, PE, CPP
Security Technology & Design
The IT transformation of the electronic security industry is evident in practically all recently completed and ongoing projects. What started out as a communication protocol to link a few research computers together has resulted in an essentially universally accepted digital communication standard.
The early adopters, the information technology (IT) professionals providing networked business services to their organizations, became the owners of the IT network landscape. Security departments, accustomed to owning and operating dedicated and isolated communications networks, quickly found themselves tenants on the corporate network. This carries a number of clear advantages, not the least of which is the luxury of having, on someone else's payroll, a trained staff dedicated to keeping the network healthy.
At the fundamental level, the goals of the IT and physical security groups are identical. My IT associates have three goals for their networked systems. First, availability: IT professionals pride themselves on maintaining downtime benchmarks that are measured in minutes per year. Second, integrity: The data that leaves the source must arrive at the destination quickly and intact. Third, confidentiality: Transmission paths must be secure from unauthorized access, interception, observation, and interruption.
As security professionals, we would list all of the above attributes as non-negotiable requirements for our system communication networks. Sounds like a great marriage.
Still, the waters often churn when the prospect of a new or expanded network requirement is presented to the IT department by the security group.
IT's big concerns are always associated with the video portions of the proposed system. Network cameras are getting better, less expensive, and therefore more dominant in new and upgrade projects. They also place a big demand on the network's bandwidth and storage.
How Much Bandwidth Do You Have?
Bandwidth is the first discussion point when a new or expanded security system is in view. Security designers must understand the finite nature of the existing IT infrastructure and the need for the IT group to continue to provide existing services to the using community without performance degradation or lapses.
