Network cameras and blade servers from Axis Communications, the global leader in network video, have been installed by one of the UK's leading IT equipment distributors, Micro-P. The distributor recently embarked on an extension and upgrade of its ageing CCTV system following a review of security inside the 120,000 square foot warehouse in Altham, near Accrington, Lancashire.
Micro-P has deployed a total of 10 new Axis network cameras and moved 14 existing external CCTV cameras onto a dedicated Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) set up to carry the warehouse's surveillance data traffic. This has been achieved through the deployment of a total of six AXIS 241Q (Quad) Blade Servers, which convert the analogue CCTV output into digital images for display and storage on the network using AXIS Camera Station.
Micro-P's new IP-Surveillance system has also been extended to provide coverage inside the warehouse in the high value goods sections, loading bays and along the aisles of the warehouse. One AXIS 216 FD (Fixed Dome) Network Camera, one AXIS 211 PTZ Network Camera, three AXIS 207 Network Cameras and five AXIS 207W (Wireless) Network Cameras were installed in the first phase. Further cameras are likely to be deployed on the sophisticated forklift trucks used to deliver and collect goods.
All surveillance images are now transferred to a new four Tera Byte (TB) 2x Core Duo server located in Micro-P's own dedicated monitoring office. This device currently holds forty days of video recordings at 4CIF (704x756) or 640x480 resolutions at one frame per second. Live viewing is now available at up to 15 fps. With the progressive deployment of motion detection on cameras Micro-P aims to dramatically increase this recording capacity.
The total cost of the upgrade and extension of the system was half that of estimated investment required to extend the old analogue-based CCTV system.
Steven Aldred, facilities manager for Micro-P, explained: "I used to dread being asked to piece together the sequence of an incident that had taken place within the warehouse. I would need to find CCTV images covering the start point of the event and then try to track its movements around the warehouse. I couldn't view images from different cameras at the same time, and all this made it difficult and time consuming to collate information and report back."
"Through the use of the new system and AXIS Camera Station it is possible to set up a split screen of recorded images from up to four cameras covering the same time period. I can view multiple recordings from a specific timeframe to ensure that I capture all activities from various angles. Within minutes you can show someone what has happened and use the images almost instantly to help identify areas for improvement."
Steve Gorski, managing director, Axis Communications (UK), commented: "For Micro-P opting to extend its surveillance system onto the network has opened up a world of benefits including extending surveillance inside the warehouse, thus helping to prevent theft; ensure compliance with health and safety rules; and even stimulate higher productivity. They have also created a system which makes it much easier to view and analyse recordings. It is also more scalable now that new cameras can be added onto the network in minutes at very little cost... and they have been able to achieve all this at about half the cost of extending the much more limiting, analogue-based system."
