Fredrik Nilsson is general manager of Axis Communications and an authority on IP surveillance.

As IP surveillance is quickly becoming the most flexible and future-proof option for security and surveillance installations, it is important for users to understand common pitfalls, customization options and the advantages of a fully digital system.

Starting with the first step in February and continuing through November - and published jointly via SecurityInfoWatch.com and in Security Technology & Design magazine -- we will examine 10 steps that security professionals can take in order to implement a successful IP Surveillance system. These include:

Step 1: Choosing a network camera

It is important to select cameras that meet the needs of your organization and installation. This includes cameras that can be pan/tilt/zoom, vandal-proof, weather-resistant, or fixed-dome products. Each type of camera can be blended into an IP-Surveillance system to create a total package that solves your security needs. Also, we have to consider that not all network cameras are created equal. Some low-cost network cameras may look appealing at first, but security professionals need to understand how the components of a network camera affect the camera's performance and durability.

Step 2: Compression

All digital video surveillance systems use some type of compression for the digital video. Without effective compression, our networks would grind to a halt due to the size of the video files. Selecting the right compression is vital, and includes choices between proprietary or industry standard modes such as Motion JPEG or MPEG-4. Compression can also determine whether video is admissible in court cases, an important consideration for security and surveillance installations.

Step 3: Video Management

These days, video systems can evaluate situations and take the appropriate action, rather than just passively recording video. Video management tools are dependent on the application and many factors have to be considered. We'll look at considerations of available bandwidth, storage capabilities, scalability, frame-rate control and integration capabilities.

Step 4: Storage

The ability to use open storage solutions is one of the main benefits with IP surveillance. Considerations when determining storage requirements include frame rate, the amount of time the video needs to be stored, the required redundancy, and which type of storage that fits best, e.g. a storage area network, or network attached storage.

Step 5: Incorporating Analog Cameras

So you have analog cameras? These also can be integrated into a network video system using video servers. The analog camera is simply connected to a video server, which digitizes, compresses and transmits video over the network. Many times, this is useful in reducing installation costs because older equipment can continue to be used. However, there are instances in which it is not sufficient to simply convert an analog camera video stream into digital due to limitations in video quality.