By John Maxwell Hobbs

IT and security networks are merging and surveillance camera networks are leading the way in this new converged environment. At least a half a million network cameras are in use worldwide and analysts predict that by 2008, more than 50 percent of installed security cameras will be network cameras.

CCTV over IP is one of the fastest growing areas of network-based security. In order to take advantage of all that IP-based security systems have to offer, security departments will need to work more closely with IT departments, and security directors will need to develop more IT expertise.

“The responsibility for protecting buildings and protecting IT is merging,” says Johan Lembre, Vice President of Product Management at Axis Communications. “In many cases it's now being done by the same person.” A recent study done by ASSA ABLOY revealed that six out of eight security managers have an IT background.

Three hundred network cameras have been installed in the subway system in Stockholm, Sweden with plans to install up to two thousand.

The migration of video surveillance systems to IP-based networks is being driven by efficiency. Traditional CCTV networks use coaxial cable and employ a point-to-point architecture. Adding a single camera requires a new cable to be run from the camera to the control room. Additionally, standard cameras need to be added in groups of 16 channels. Because multiple cameras can use a single Ethernet cable, adding a new network camera is as simple as putting it in place and connecting it to an Ethernet outlet. Because most facilities now have extensive network infrastructure, no additional cabling is required in most cases. Additionally, newer network cameras can get their power via the Ethernet cable using the new Power over Ethernet (PoE) standard. In cases where access to network cabling is impossible, wireless LAN (WLAN) can be used for transmission.

Research done by the J.P. Freeman Company estimates that network camera sales will exceed those of analog cameras by 2007 and that network camera sales will more than double those of analog camera sales in the network video market by 2008.  Approximately 25 percent of security users in the U.S. currently use network cameras, while 45 percent have plans to buy the technology.

“Axis has been in this business for 10 years,” says Lembre,” but it's the last 18 months that it has been really taking off. All major security manufacturers are talking about IP, and customers with large camera installations are specifying IP.

Axis’s networked video business grew 55 percent in 2005 and 60 percent in the first quarter of 2006 alone. Industry analysts are predicting that the network video market will grow by 40 percent over the next few years.

The advantages of IP-based CCTV go well beyond simple economy. This system frees CCTV from the control room as well. Video streams can be accessed from anywhere in the network, allowing for remote control, off-site storage, and redundant infrastructure. Because standard data protocols are used, it is possible to use off-the-shelf computer equipment to manage and store video. This makes it possible to work with multiple vendors, create custom-tailored solutions, and helps to protect against technological obsolescence. Converged systems also open the door for system integration. Video surveillance, access control, HVAC, data, and video and voice communications can be managed over a single network with an integrated set of tools.

The security of a security system is always of paramount importance, and the introduction of new technologies always raises many questions. This is another area in which an advantage is gained from convergence. The CCTV network can use the same network security technologies that protect sensitive enterprise data. The firewalls, VPNs and authentication systems used to protect data, email and voice can be used to protect the video stream. Current network cameras have built-in security features such as password protection and encryption. Recorded video can contain the specific hardware number of a camera, known as a MAC address. This can be used to confirm the location of the camera and prevent tampering with the recording.

Network cameras can be used in a mixed network as well, which makes it possible to do a phased migration to an all-IP based system.  One of the largest installations of this type can be found in Australia at the Sydney Airport. The facility had an installed base of analog cameras that numbered in the hundreds. This system was integrated with a digital video server solution from Axis. Because Axis video servers have a built-in web server, they can be assigned an individual IP address and connected directly to the existing Ethernet network in the terminal building. With an IP-based video server in place, it will be a simple matter to replace outdated analog equipment with network cameras.

Fully IP-based systems can make it possible to install video surveillance in difficult locations.  Three hundred network cameras have been installed in the subway system in Stockholm, Sweden with plans to install up to two thousand. “That kind of project would have been very expensive using analog technology,” explains Lembre. “It was relatively easy in this case because they already had a fiber optic network in the tunnels. The money they saved made it a very good thing for the taxpayers.