Protecting the learning environment – Security
Robert Ellis
As criminal threats and societal violence escalate, the need to protect our schools becomes more urgent than ever. Recently, a sad litany of school violence, child abuse, intrusion and burglary has joined the more familiar concerns of behavior problems, graffiti, vandalism and “duty of care” issues.
These concerns have made security a rising priority with school boards and administrations across the country. This new priority is clearly reflected in the growing allocations for security in school budgets.
In this emerging environment, IP surveillance plays a key role. IP surveillance enables remote monitoring at multiple sites–a crucial advantage over conventional, Closed Circuit TV. And IP surveillance can help police make prompt and appropriate judgments to resolve emergencies with minimum loss to persons and property.
To appreciate the enormous potential of IP Surveillance, compare it with the analog world of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and the “analog to digital” approach of connecting analog cameras to Digital Video Recorders (DVRs).
Analog CCTV depends on single-purpose cameras, cables, recorders and monitors. For example, the cameras output a video signal over dedicated coaxial cables. The cables connect to dedicated analog video equipment, including multiplexers, videotape recorders (VTRs) and video monitors. Analog CCTV involves a host of limitations:
Limited monitoring: Local monitoring only, limited by analog video cable runs and line amplifiers
Limited scalability: Systems are typically limited by the input capacity of the analog multiplexer
Labor-intensive recording: To maintain an archive, users must eject, shelve and replace videocassettes that are easily lost, stolen or accidentally rerecorded
Limited recorded picture quality: VHS recording can be a major limiting factor and the picture quality degrades with every generation of copying.
The Analog-to-Digital approach does offer access to surveillance images over the IP network; but it depends on DVRs for both recording and IP access. Sony has made DVRs since 1998 and understands their advantages–as well as the significant limitations that they impose on the Analog-to-Digital approach.
Complex cabling: The Analog-to-Digital approach still requires an individual video cable from each camera–a complicated arrangement.
Limited scalability: DVRs limit your growth to a typical maximum of 16 camera inputs at a time. An external server with management software may be required to control multiple DVRs or sites.
Limited remote monitoring/ control: You cannot access any camera from any client; you can only access cameras indirectly through the DVR.
Risk of hard disk crashes: The Analog-to-Digital approach exposes your surveillance recordings to loss, compared to the RAID redundancy and tape backup of IP Surveillance.
Compared to either of the two earlier approaches, full IP Surveillance is dramatically different. The system takes advantage of cameras with built-in Web servers and Ethernet ports. Instead of generating images as a continuous analog video signal, these cameras generate JPEG data files, which can be accessed, monitored, recorded and printed anywhere on the network by any authorized client. The benefits are enormous.
Simplicity: All cameras connect to the network via simple, cost-effective Ethernet or wireless Ethernet. This can leverage the LAN infrastructure you may already have. A single CAT-5 cable can accommodate both camera output files, pan/tilt/ zoom commands and in some cases DC power to the camera.
Powerful centralized control: One server with one software application can run the entire system.
Easy upgrade and full scalability: Adding additional cameras is easy; the central server is fully open to future upgrades with faster processors, larger disk drives and more.
Full remote monitoring: Any authorized client can have direct access to any camera. You can also access surveillance images through the central server.
Robust, redundant storage: Your surveillance images are protected against hard disk drive crashes by RAID redundancy and the option of tape backup storage via SCSI connectivity.
Why IP Surveillance?
* Manageable: To operate with minimum administrative burden and minimum administrative cost.
* Affordable: To save you money not only in the initial investment but also operating costs down the road.
* Reliable: Sony IP Surveillance is built with proven, high-performance components from two world leaders in technology.
* Scalable: The system accommodates extraordinary growth in cameras, growth in storage capacity and flexible choice of video archiving software.
Manageable
An IP Surveillance system uses Sony’s industry-standard data networking, industry-standard JPEG data files, servers based on the industry-standard Windows 2000 Server operating system and backup storage based on the industry-standard SCSI interface. In this way, system installation and operation is extremely familiar. The components are easy to install on your existing network and the server is easy to install in your existing 19-inch rack.
To make life even easier, the Sony Real Shot software is pre-installed, combining the functions of a video multiplexer, a Digital Video Recorder and a system administration control console. Features include configure-on-the-fly monitoring screens for one to 16 simultaneous feeds with “hot spot” capability. You get centralized control for time-lapse recording, real-time recording, pre- and post-alarm recording, manual and snapshot recording. All recorded images are automatically stored as data files in user-customized folders. Because they’re data files, the images are easy to print, attach to e-mails or include in documents and presentations.
Up to 50 authorized clients can simultaneously access any camera. Clients need no installed software other than the standard Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator Web browsers. All Sony network cameras feature remote administration. For added manageability, the cameras also support the major networking protocols, including TCP/IP, ARP, ICMP, DNS, NTE, HTTP, DHCP, File Transfer Protocol, Simple Network Management Protocol and Simple Messaging Transport Protocol.
With easy installation, easy software and easy remote monitoring from a Web browser, IP Surveillance is supremely manageable. It delivers the benefits of increased security without exacting the penalty of increased staffing.
Affordable
* Aggressive price point lowers your initial investment, compared to other IP systems.
* Reduced losses from criminal and accidental damages, thanks to faster, more targeted, better-informed response by security staff, police and emergency services.
* Ongoing investment protection thanks to strict adherence to industry standards from the cameras to the networking equipment to the server and backup storage. With Sony IP Surveillance, the technology roadmap is clear.
Reliable
Sony’s network cameras include a built-in Web server, cache memory and 10/100 Base-T Ethernet port. And they output pictures as industry-standard JPEG data files. Consider picture quality: The SNC-RZ30N supports color pictures at up to 736×480 resolution and up to 30 frames per second (at VGA resolution). Depending on network bandwidth, you can enjoy high-quality, full-motion video. Consider zoom: The camera offers the resolving power of 25X optical zoom, with an additional 12X digital zoom, to pick out even the most distant objects.
Pan and tilt are accurate, flexible and fast. Accurate, because you can control camera angle within 0.08[degrees]. Flexible, because you get 340[degrees] of pan coverage, plus 115[degrees]of tilt. And fast, because the camera can cover the entire 340[degrees] range in just two seconds. You can even preset 16 specific areas of interest and “tour” them automatically.
The SNC-RZ30N supports simultaneous access by up to 50 client PCs, each using standard Web browsers. A PC card Type II slot accepts additional flash memory or a Cisco Aironet 802.11b wireless LAN card. Other features include activity detection and external alarm trigger. The camera even presents a transparent interface from RS-232C/485 to Ethernet for network-based remote control of external equipment connected to the camera.
For applications where cameras will be set at a fixed angle, Sony offers the SNC-Z20N network camera with zoom. Features include 18X optical zoom, 12X digital zoom, Power Over Ethernet, a PCMCIA Type II slot for 802.11b wireless networking or flash memory storage and a clever E:Flip function for correct images in ceiling mount applications.
Sony’s FSV-M5 Network Attached Storage server is powered by a 2.40 or 3.06GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor running the Windows 2000 Server operating system. Reliability comes from redundant fans, redundant Gigabit Ethernet ports and four, hot-swappable hard-disk drives with a choice of RAID-5, 1 or 0 redundancy, Each hard drive offers 180GB capacity, for 720GB total, more than 30 days of video images.
Scalable
As your security needs change and grow, the Sony IP Surveillance solution can grow with you.
Thanks in part to industry-standard data networking and industry-standard computing platforms, Sony IP Surveillance is adaptable to new enhancements. For example, the system will support wireless networking to a PDA or handheld PC, enabling police and security staff to respond to incidents while tracking events in real time. Cisco Aironet 802.11b wireless LAN PC cards can plug directly into Sony network cameras.
You can supplement Sony’s own Real Shot software with third-party video management including the JDS SoftSite 32 and ONSSI NetDVR, NetPOS and NetAlarms applications.
Sony adapts conventional, analog security cameras to the new world of IP Surveillance, with the SNT-V304 server. It converts synchronous analog video inputs into JPEG images for output as data files. The SNT-V304 incorporates a Web server, on-board storage for pre/post alarm images and an Ethernet port.
Sony makes it easy to store and retrieve images from previous weeks, months and even years. The onboard storage capacity of the FSV-M5 server can be implemented with optional high-end work stations, backup tape library and virtual storage, for a mix of online disk and nearline tape capacity. Sony Virtual Network Attached Storage (NAS) can integrate the entire system with seamless Hierarchical Storage Management. At the high end, Sony’s SAIT PetaSite automated data tape libraries can deliver modular growth to 1.2 petabytes of data.
Sony IP Surveillance delivers a dramatic improvement in the security of your facilities, the safety of your people and the safety of the students entrusted to your care. IP Surveillance enables remote monitoring, wireless monitoring and comprehensive recording, archiving and retrieval of security images. With Sony IP Surveillance, you can react to incidents more quickly and with better information. It’s a new world of surveillance–and Sony takes you there, while meeting four fundamental objectives: Manageable, Affordable, Reliable, Scalable.
Table 1: Camera performance comparisons.
(All specifications subject to change without notice)
Sony Canon
SNC-RZ30N VC-C10/C10R
Imager 1/6type 68K 1/4type 38K or 44K
Zoom 25x 16x
Pan +/- 170 degrees 200[degrees] (VB-C10)
340[degrees] (VB-C10R)
Tilt -90 to +25 degrees 120[degrees] (VB-C10)
100[degrees] (VB-C10R)
Image size 736×480, 640×480, 640×480, 320×240
320×240, 160×120 160×120
Data Transparency Yes No
Steady Shot Yes No
Compression JPEG JPEG
Frame rate 30fps max (NTSC) 30fps max (NTSC)
Position setting 16 8
Video out Composite No
Interface 100Base-TX/10Base-T 100Base-TX/10Base-T
Video output, Alarm I/O, External device I/O
PCMCIA slot Yes and Wireless No
Protocol DHCP, TCP/IP, FTP TCP/IP, HTTP, FTP,
SMTP, ICMP, SNMP BOOTP, NTP
Image buffer 8MB 5MB
Viewer IE, NS and Application IE NS and Application
Activity detection Yes No
Day/Night Yes No
(0.18 lux at night mode)
Access Number 50 20
JVC
VNC30U
Imager 1/4type 38K
Zoom 15x
Pan +/- 160 degrees
Tilt -90 to 0 degrees
Image size 640×480, 320×240
160×120
Data Transparency No
Steady Shot No
Compression MPEG1/JPEG
Frame rate 30f_s(MPEG)/15fps
(JPEG)
Position setting 10
Video out No
Interface 100Base-TX/10Base-T
Alarm I/O
PCMCIA slot No
Protocol UDP/IP, TCP/IP,
HTTP
Image buffer No
Viewer IE NS and Application
Activity detection No
Day/Night No
Access Number
Table 2: The Sony SNC-Z20N zoom camera features and performance.
(All specifications subject to change without notice.)
Sony AXIS
SNC-Z20N 2420 w/ lens
Lens X18 Zoom lens X4.3 Vari-focal lens
with AI and AF with AI
Image device 1/4″ Exwave HAD[TM] CCD 1/3″ Exview
HAD CCD[R] chip
Min. Illumination 0.7lux(C), 0.01lux(B) 1.0lux at F1.0
at F1.4
Compression JPEG JPEG
Max. FPS 30fps (640×480) 30fps (352×288)
Square Pixels Comp. Available No
Wide D No No
Day/Night Available No
Slow shutter Available No
PCMCIA slot Available Wireless No
Power supply AC24V/DC12V From AC adaptor
or In-line power
POE Yes No
Dimensions 80 x 77 x 184 mm 86 x 57 x 192 mm
Panasonic Sanyo
WV-NP472 VCC-WB2000
Lens Not supplied (CS mount) Not supplied
(CS mount)
Image device 1/3″ IT CCD 1/3″ CCD
Min. Illumination 0.4lux(C), 0.05lux(B) 1.0 lux at F1.2
at F0.75
Compression JPEG JPEG2000
Max. FPS Up to 30fps Up to 30fps
Square Pixels Comp.
Wide D Available (46dB) No
Day/Night Available No
Slow shutter
PCMCIA slot No Available
Power supply DC12V AC24V/DC12V
POE No No
Dimensions 70 x 55 x 118 mm 85 x 57 x 126 mm
Table 3: Sony’s FSV-M5 server and comparisons.
Sony FSV- HP HP
M5/720W DL360 DL380
O/S Win 2K server Win 2K server Win 2K server
CPU P4 / 2.4 Ghz Xeon / 2.4Ghz Xeon / 2.8Ghz
Memory 512MB 512MB 1GB
HDD Type ATA SCSI SCSI
HDD Cap. (GB) 720 293 432
Size (unit) 1U 1U 2U
HP Dell
ML360 PE2650
O/S Win 2K server Win 2K server
CPU Xeon / 2.8Ghz Xeon / 2.4Ghz
Memory 512MB 1GB
HDD Type SCSI SCSI
HDD Cap. (GB) 288 438
Size (unit) 5U 2U
Robert Ellis is general manager, IP Solutions Business Solutions Division, Sony Electronics Inc. (San Jose, CA)
www.sony.com
COPYRIGHT 2003 West World Productions, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
