See how video surveillance security can pay dividends!
Historically limited to areas where the need for tight security or significant monetary concerns could justify the cost, Video Surveillance has found its niche´ in a post-911 world. Since 911, the need for security has become paramount in a variety of everyday venues.
Video Surveillance is expanding beyond the traditional transportation areas – such as airports and train stations serving tremendous numbers of people, government installations – to guard against intrusions, and casinos and banks – to recognize and prevent theft. Commercial enterprises and Utilities are now beginning to recognize that an investment in work-place security can pay dividends.
This changing environment has forced federal, state, and local officials to recognize and budget for enhanced security services. Security planners, responsible for implementing these new requirements, are finding that new, cost-effective, video surveillance systems can help them multiply their security assets – allow them to be many places at once. Recent examples, such as the use of video in response to the bombing attacks in London highlight the efficacy of live video records.
At the heart of these new initiatives is a network enabled, inexpensive video infrastructure. This fourth generation architecture makes use of common network technologies for transport, re-utilizing existing network infrastructures. Encoding the signals in IP packet traffic for transport eliminates the need for a costly, centralized video switching matrix as in prior CCTV installations. Security forces can now be mobile, flexible, and responsive, accessing the video signals from anywhere and from a variety of user devices. The final enabling factor for video surveillance is cost – even low-cost cameras can now support sophisticated video delivery and pan-tilt-zoom functionality. Some even have advanced encoding capability (MPEG-2/MPEG-4) baked in – they can be connected directly to the network.
Network
designs
The video surveillance boom for the security industry is fostering a demand for network resources. Networks designed to carry data and other low priority signals are being expanded to carry high-bandwidth video signals that are sensitive to jitter and latency. Several common network “designs” are commonly encountered in the quest to support video applications.
Multi-service SONET network.
The staple of many service providers today, this network architecture efficiently transports, multiplexes and de-multiplexes TDM traffic (DS-1’s, DS-3’s) utilizing SONET’s capabilities.
Next generation SONET add/drop/multiplexers (NG-ADM’s) also have features allowing for efficient transport of packet data. Improving on rudimentary Ethernet over SONET (EoS) capabilities, these “next generation” units support features such as: built in layer-2 switching, packet rings and Resilient Packet Ring (RPR), and multicast. These technologies can provide high quality transport for video services.
WDM
The huge bandwidth generated by video applications can easily swamp even the largest networks. In these situations, adding more capacity through the use of SONET can become cost prohibitive. Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) can be used to effectively overcome bandwidth limitations in video applications.
WDM utilizes multiple channels (colors of light) to provide bandwidth, rather than increasing the bandwidth (speed) of the network equipment. Using several lower speed signals (2.5G/10G) is significantly less expensive than today’s 40G equipment. Additionally, it provides significant room to grow in the future. DWDM Systems today can cost effectively supply up to 40 channels of 10G traffic (+400 Gbps), enough to satisfy even the most hungry network application.
These systems can carry multiple SONET signals or, discussed next, Ethernet/IP signals directly on the optical signal.
Ethernet on a Wavelength
In evaluating technologies to deliver video traffic, many designers find that they have sufficient functionality to deliver high Quality of Service (QoS) levels in their existing data gear -switches and routers. What is lacking is the ability to extend electrical Ethernet past its 100m distance limitation for use in a city-wide (metro) application. Optical Ethernet can be an effective solution
Using optical interfaces available on mid-to-high-end routers and switches, Ethernet traffic can be directly bridged onto a metro-area optical transport system. Eliminating the SONET layer found in a multiservice SONET network lowers costs, decreases complexity, and (in may case) increases network performance. Many users are finding that running Ethernet signals natively on an optical fiber provides the best of both worlds.
There are many options to choose from when creating a video-enabled network infrastructure. High bandwidth requirements are stretching even the most advanced systems. The need for high Quality of Service (QoS) to deliver usable video quality is taxing traditional network management features. Each implementation is different – there is no single solution. Let LightRiver assist you in creating a video network infrastructure tailored to YOUR needs.
