If there is one thing I am reminded of daily in the Security Industry, it is that working with other manufacturing partners to provide a complete solution for you (the Integrator) and your End Users is the key to keeping this industry strong and thriving!

Each of my articles are an effort to help you broaden your service offering with Dotworkz Products such as "Live Outdoor Broadcasting," "Live Training for your Customers" and "Live Outdoor Web Cams." Do you see a trend here?

Instead of just telling you I want to show you what I am talking about.

While looking at this live camera I want you to think about your security customers who already have this infrastructure in place and how they can create a new revenue stream by just adding a Dotworkz XERO for digital signage!

I think this is the coolest thing on the internet! And all it takes is a Dotworkz XERO, an HD IP camera, an internet connection, HD Relay Service and the largest LCD or Plasma display you can find.

Systems engineer Quang Trinh explains that the Dotworkz XERO NVR can be used for more than just running IP cameras:

For more information about using dual purpose live streaming for security and marketing, contact us and we'll answer any questions you have.

Most people in the industry are familiar with how the NVR has changed the face of security video projects worldwide. As security hardware professionals, you may have been asked, "Aren't NVRs just servers?" or "Can we use one of our extra e-mail machines as an NVR?" You might answer with a reserved, "Yes, but..."

As with almost all leading-edge technologies, few product sectors ever sit idle without introducing new advancements, and security video recording is getting ready to make some giant leaps forward. Let us look at the next big thing in NVR technology: virtual machines.

The Next Stage

The requirements for an advanced IP video management system are simple: a group of IP cameras, a live recording NVR server machine and a storage server if long retention times are needed. Most security video projects require IP-based video systems to be scalable and capable of growing with the client's evolving needs. These demands often call for the strategic placement of multiple live-recording NVR servers and storage servers across the network.

Continuing with this scenario, system managers need to be focused on securing the servers, managing networks and overseeing updates and other issues across the NVR array. Virtualization is the next evolutionary stage of the IP-based video management system. It can provide great benefits when used correctly.

Preparation is vital to properly deploying a virtualized environment. The key component to a successful deployment is to use qualified hardware that can leverage the software and hardware technologies together.

A New Standard

Virtualization will become the standard when deploying medium- and large-scale IP-based video management systems and long-term storage. Virtualization allows IP-based VMSs to do more with less.

Instead of five to 10 live NVR servers taking up 5U to 10U worth of rack space in a server room, virtualization needs only a 1U to 2U form factor, which reduces hardware costs and energy use. The sustainability factor in energy use and reduction in materials is immediate and continuous throughout the hardware life cycle.

Hardware downtimes can benefit from virtualization through quick and easy backups and restoring of virtual server instances. In addition, it can create server clusters that act as a fail-safe mechanism that automatically takes control of a failing server. By combining virtualization with a solid VMS, the road to efficient, reliable and sustainable systems can be achieved now and scaled for the future.

This downtime can range from days to weeks, based on the availability of the new replacement unit. With an NVR virtualization plan that will allow for a local and global fail-safe server environment on their internal cloud, each local server would have two virtual server instances. This allows for a local fail-safe environment that improves the efficiency and reliability of the system.

The second piece to the virtualization is an external environment that resides within the internal cloud of their network.

The creation of a virtual server cluster environment will allow these server clusters to be queued to take control of failing servers on the internal cloud network.

This type of environment will give them the assurance that if the local environment fails altogether, there is a contingency plan to keep the system alive.

Benefits of Virtualization

• Sustainability for public and private institutions -- ease of use and maintenance leads to more systems being purchased and installed over the long term.
  
• Immediate impact on energy use -- By going from 10 physical NVR servers to just one, an institution can save approximately 135 kW a month on energy use for the extent of its hardware life cycle.
  
• Substantial cost savings -- In the current economic climate, virtualization is an attractive option not only to secure your business or institution with an IP VMS, but also to cut energy and hardware costs that are required to deploy a medium- to large-scale IP-based system.

With many companies jumping into the security product space, it is important to research carefully, as not all machines are built with this technology in mind. Performance and reliability are vital to NVR design philosophy, so it is no surprise that very few manufacturers can refresh their perspective hardware monthly to keep the end product current with hardware technology advancements.

Future advancements will allow even smaller form-factor, edge-based NVRs with the upcoming embedded OS version of Server 2008 R2 to further reduce energy use and increase efficiency of newer VMS updates.

This article originally appeared in the October Issue of Security Products Magazine: http://secprodonline.com/Articles/2010/10/01/Going-Virtual.aspx

In June 2010, the Group of Twenty (G-20) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors met in Toronto, Canada for what is known as the G20 Summit. Historically, the G20 Summit attracts a large contingent of demonstrators. Although many of the demonstrators are peaceful, this event draws factions of violent protestors. These violent protestors are intent on disrupting the Summit with riots, property damage, traffic disruptions, and any other tactic to attract attention or overwhelm law enforcement.

Ken Kurz, President of Precision Camera Inc. (PCI) was the one responsible for integrating and deploying the video surveillance system for this crucial event. Here's what Kurz had to say about the successful project:

Local Police deployed an additional 71 IP cameras to their existing 18 camera network to help them keep a watchful eye on the city before and during the G20 summit which took place June 26 to 27. The cameras allowed the local police and their federal counterparts to follow protests and marches. The information gained was used to help direct and deploy the officers in the field. Recorded footage was reviewed only by authorized personnel and only in response to a reported incident. The authorized personnel had the task of determining if the acquired assets (video) could assist in identifying offenders. Images depicting evidence of a crime may be used in a court of law for the prosecution of the offender.

A special G20 Investigative Team has been slowly looking over the thousands of images it has complied -- in addition to photo and video graphic evidence it has solicited from the public -- and has released periodic G20 Most Wanted lists.

To protect the IP cameras, the local integrator selected the Dotworkz D2 enclosure. From an installer's perspective, there is simply nothing comparable. The design is versatile, easily mounted and perhaps most important in this application - easily serviced. Other enclosures tend to be cumbersome to work on, especially when the technician is on a ladder or in a bucket truck.

Vandal resistance was also crucial and as this integrator can fervently attest - they really don't come any tougher!

The individual cameras were connected via aerial fiber and data was transported back to a central location for recording & viewing. The additional available real estate within the D2 is perfect for housing and protecting the media converters required to change copper to fiber.

Furthermore, in anticipation of future redeployment in other areas around the city, the integrator elected to use the "Ring of Fire" model. Winters in Toronto can be quite brutal, and this is the only enclosure they recommend for outdoor applications.

In the end, the summit was largely a peaceful event. Thanks largely to the proactive efforts of local police and the additional "eyes" deployed throughout the city.

The creation of the Dotworkz Enclosures was for these types of deployments. Deployments which require specific cameras or multiple types/brands of cameras. Cameras combined with other necessary equipment like Fiber Convertors, Wireless Radios, NVR's, Encoders, etc. All packaged in an easy to deploy, easy to service package. While being vandal protected and environmentally protected.

If you have any questions on how these enclosures could work for your next project, please feel free to contact me at
stever @ dotworkz.com.

At Dotworkz, when we have an idea we love we run with it. That's how our signature accessory, the DomeWizard, came to be.

A few years ago, our CEO Will Ferris was brainstorming ways to keep our camera enclosure lenses clean from dust and water spots. He wanted a low tech solution for cleaning high tech hardware; something effortless and versatile that anyone could use.

It was the break of dawn when Will woke up with an idea. He drew up the design, wrote a short list of affordable materials, and shared his dome cleaner idea with the staff. Within days a prototype was produced, and the rest is history.

You've probably looked at the DomeWizard and thought, I don't need this -- I have a solution that works just fine, but if you have several outdoor security cameras it can take hours to get them clean for optimal surveillance. And it can take even longer to keep them spotless if you have to deal with severe weather conditions like snow, frequent rain or dust storms. With our dome cleaner you can take the ladder, cleaning cloths, and cleaning spray out of the equation.

What attracts tech and maintenance people to our DomeWizard is its simplicity. Just slip the washable mitts onto the four prongs, put a little cleaning solution on the cloth, attach the head to an extension pole and you're ready to wipe away the grime, leaving a streak-free D2, D3 or S-Type enclosure lens.

Want to see the DomeWizard in action? Our DomeWizard Girl Shannon will be demonstrating how it works at ASIS 2010 - Hall D | Booth# 3661

Learn more about the Dotworkz DomeWizard at www.DomeCleaner.com and visit our ASIS Page for more info.