Selecting an IP Video Management Solution: A Checklist Honolulu HI

Not all IP surveillance systems are the same. The rush to embrace IP technology has brought many products with a mix of IP and analog technology patched together, resulting in gaps between what is being claimed and what can actually be delivered.

To systematically evaluate IP video management solutions, there are some key criteria to consider.

The core functionality of the ideal IP video management system should include:

• Simultaneous management of IP and analog cameras to capture live video;
• Basic video processing like motion detection;
• Recording in response to triggers such as motion detection, doors opening and rules in the software interface;
• Remote access for users in different locations which enables them to see live views with complete control, and to retrieve and play back video from the archive;
• Integration with third-party systems like access control and video analytics; and
• Easy searching in the video archive for exporting of secure evidence.

Reliability

• Check the installed base and customer testimonials as proof of solid performance.
• Ask for data to support system claims — it must be stable in operation at all times.
• Verify robustness — does the solution perform in different network environments (100MB or 1GB networks, as well as a WAN) in real situations?
• Smooth software upgrades are important for the system's life cycle to keep up with new devices, drivers and operating systems. Can upgrades be implemented without requiring all hardware components to be reconfigured?

Openness

• Can the system integrate many technologies based on an open software platform and industry standards?
• Does a well-documented Software Development Kit support the most common programming languages?
• Can you measure inputs in the software and react on those to trigger events and alerts, and to activate outputs?
• Event management must have custom settings for image uploads, alarm notification, recording, I/O control and other features.
• Support for standard protocols is key for maintaining independence — proprietary systems exclude future technology innovations that you cannot envision now.

Easy to use

• Employees need less time to get into operation if the software is easy to learn. This is important where turnover is high to reduce training costs.
• Ask for a demo that shows installation procedures. Make sure they do not require many manual steps on individual servers. Look for deployment options that streamline the process of updating servers and clients.
• Your administrator should be able to control the system from a central location, not from station to station.
• Check for simple, clear technical documentation. Is it understandable? Are there user guides and reference manuals?
• Ask to meet with the people who will support your solution — verify that they are well-trained and technically certified.
• Verify that common functions have one-click access and simple navigation.

Independence

• Avoid hardware and software limitations. A vendor may not have top quality in all categories, offering lesser quality to compete on price. The ability to mix the best components for different needs helps to achieve optimal performance.
• Look for an open platform. If you choose a single-supplier offering, you get locked into a "proprietary jail" that limits your options.

Flexibility

• Expansions, relocations, mergers, new regulations or advances in technology force change on your security. A solution that's flexible can adapt, save money and increase ROI in the long run.
• Select standard servers, switches, storage hardware, software and surveillance hardware.

Innovation

• IP technology is the future standard for security, so a successful solution requires a vendor with skills in both physical security and IT/network infrastructure. Look for a leader actively building this new channel by helping their partners acquire these skills through certification and training.
• Protect your company's future and avoid legacy solutions by verifying the supplier's investment in research and development.
• Pace of development: Does your potential supplier have a documented roadmap of future upgrades?
• Product maintenance agreements reduce the cost of keeping up-to-date as new software upgrades are released and extend the life of the solution.

Scalability

• Can the system expand in synch with your company's needs, like upgrading from a single-server localized solution to a multi-server solution?
• Implementing a single-server system limits your growth options — can you scale from one to an unlimited number of devices?
• To protect your investment in hardware, your solution must incorporate existing devices along with new technology when it is available.
• To maintain overall performance and fast response, can the system manage a distributed solution with the load shared across multiple servers?
• Plan for overcapacity — can you accommodate several types of storage?
• Ensure the licensing is simple and easy to manage as you add new devices.

System performance

• Fast, reliable remote access depends on the server — how quickly it serves clients and how fast the client decodes video. Ask for a demo that shows how many cameras can be viewed on the same server in simultaneous, time-synchronized playback.
• With many megapixel cameras, the server's network adapter can become a bottleneck, so verify easy system configuration to share the load across multiple servers, switches and interfaces.
• Make sure the server can provide better performance to multiple users than connecting individual users directly to each camera.
• For low-bandwidth requirements, be sure the system can be optimized manually or automatically to reduce image size and adjust frame rates.
• To reduce storage costs and capacity demands, can you store the most recent video on fast-access storage devices and migrate older archives to slower disk systems?

Integrity

• Look for role-based system access based on authentication to verify users and authorization to manage/restrict access.
• Is there a continuous log with timestamps to trace activity and system use?
• The solution must encrypt all data transmitted across unsecured networks.
• Can a demo show video evidence exported from the system is both encrypted and access-protected by passwords? It must validate whether evidence has been tampered with.

Kim Macallan is head of product management at Milestone Systems. This article was excerpted from a white paper — see the full document with more criteria and details at www.milestonesys.com.