ADDICTIVE Technology Solutions has installed an integrated access control and video surveillance solution with IVA for a large storage facility in Queensland.
The system incorporates seven 3MP HD Avigilon bullet cameras with integrated video analytics, a Cisco switch and an HP micro server running Avigilon Control Centre Server, with video surveillance integrated with Integriti Professional software using the CCTV integration module to trigger virtual inputs reporting via an Inner Range 3G T4000 communicator.
A LARGE distribution business in Queensland required an integrated electronic security application to assist in the 24-hour operation of its facility. This solution allows monitoring and access to be handled by a remote monitoring station out of hours at a considerable cost saving to the client. Integrator, Addictive Technology Solutions, combined Avigilon cameras and management software with an Inner Range Integriti Professional system to meet the needs of its customer.
At 9000 square metres, this is a large site and includes one huge warehouse building, as well as outer storage facilities. The customer stores vehicles waiting preparation for sale and incorporates an onsite workshop that provides support for other locations needing the same services, so stock values are high and there are plenty of access control events day and night.
The way the new electronic security system works is that video footage and access events are linked and internally monitored live, as well as being associated with relevant recordings. After-hours the Securecorp monitoring centre takes over the task of live monitoring of the facility, including managing the ability to allow access to authorised vehicles remotely. Accessibility via mobile devices after hours by management is also an attractive feature used regularly to check in on the site.
In terms of operational capability, the most important aspects of the system are its ability to enable an efficient review of previous events overnight, during the previous day or over weekends. The solution means that in a few minutes an entire weekend’s activity can be scanned and viewed and any activities that went unnoticed can be addressed. Daily operations can also be reviewed moments after an incident occurs, which allows strict controls over previously difficult to manage situations. The site manager and front line staff all have access to the system and use it regularly throughout the day to review activity and staff movements and the company has found the ease of access and review of data very useful for investigating injury and accidental loss of items.
Another big advantage of this solution is its efficiency and the client says it has saved a significant amount of money while enhancing system capacity.
“Our security savings and confidence in this system have been a major factor in recommending this system to other areas in our company and we will be looking to expand on the current coverage on our site having seen the true benefits and time saving it provides,” Addictive’s customer says.
An integrated solution
According to Rob Marsden, managing director at Addictive Technology Solutions, the customer needed a solution to replace static guards responsible for monitoring the site to ensure there was no damage or theft of its inventory of high value vehicles.
“The environment was very challenging as it was outdoors over multiple car yards and had neighbouring farms with roaming animals that we had to make sure did not cause false alarms,” Marsden explains. “We also had to allow for security patrols to come through the site in vehicles without causing false alarms at multiple points throughout the nights. Additionally, the communications path was unreliable 3G Internet and there was no access to a hardwired broadband connection – this meant alarm activations from video analytics needed to work regardless of connectivity problems.”
According to Marsden, this is a greenfield site and all the systems, software and hardware at the site were installed new by Addictive Technology Solutions. The system consists of 7 HD 3MP Avigilon bullet cameras with analytics, a Cisco gigabit POE managed switch, an HP ProLiant micro server running Avigilon Control Centre Server and Integriti Professional. Using the Integriti CCTV integration module,the analytics alarms triggers virtual inputs on the Integriti and reports via the Multipath-IP T4000 to the Securcorp Multipath-IP receiver.
“All the equipment is remotely monitored and managed by Addictive Technology Solutions under its IT RMM (remote management and monitoring) platform Autotask, while the 24×7 security monitoring and video verification are handled by the Securecorp control room,” says Marsden. “This topology allows for video analytics-based alarm events to be reported if the broadband is offline via the Integriti Multipath-IP network.”
Importantly, the video analytics alarm events are programmed to arm and disarm automatically via a schedule and are set to ignore motion and cars and only report alarm events when humans are detected. Various rules and events for Avigilon Video Analytics are set within multiple areas and are configured to detect people with varying degrees of sensitivity and other variables. Alarm events generate an immediate patrol response in the event of loitering, or a police response if operators are alerted to an intrusion event.
The installation
Because this was a greenfield site, it wasn’t just the security gear that needed to go in – there was no infrastructure at all for access control or cameras and that meant installing new cabling in conduits to support the system.
According to Marsden, the customer contacted Addictive Technology in early December of 2015 and needed a solution installed and operational before the 24th of December. Time is always a key challenge but the parameters of this installation meant time constraints were tougher than usual.
“Because of tight deadlines for operation and many parties involved communication with all was the key as many people were starting to go on annual leave, or had very little resources to rely on being an installation in the final weeks of 2015,” said Marsden. “Addictive Technology Solutions delivered to this tight deadline but we had to be especially careful with the work because if the system did not perform as expected, issues may not have been able to be resolved until well into the new year.
“This meant the Addictive Technology team had to ensure that the monitoring station was ready for the alarm inputs and video feeds and that all parts would arrive on time from the distributor. Customers requesting security patrol operators had to be informed of the job and Addictive had to make sure that the customer’s IT department had correctly configured the required TCP/IP ports for outbound and inbound connectivity and switching VLAN requirements within days of project acceptance.”
Another part of the installation that required care was associating video streams with alarm events, as well as commissioning the integrated video analytics. In operational terms, Avigilon Control Centre reports camera events direct to Securecorp’s Patriot Systems monitoring software, as well as to Integriti, which reports via the Multipath-IP network allowing for complete redundancy. It’s from within Integriti that all cameras are assigned to their respective areas and treated as alarm inputs.
Conclusion
Marsden says he’s delighted with the way the Addictive Technologies team, with support from Securecorp and distributor CSD, worked together to ensure the best possible outcome for the customer in a very short space of time.
“One of the great things about integrating the latest networked electronic security technologies is that this allows us to meet customer requirements in a way never possible before,” he explains.
“Allowing local and remote management of the system, and having alarms generated by IVA, makes management of the system much more proactive, as well as more efficient and economical. Being able to give our customer access to the system remotely is another excellent capability.”
Most importantly, Addictive Technologies’ customer is pleased with the system and the installation process.
“Our new security solution gives us all the capabilities we were told it would,” the customer says. “In fact, the functions have outperformed expectations. And the support on offer from Addictive Technology has been of a very high standard, with access to advice being instantaneous. The system is so easy to self-teach there’s been little need of assistance but knowing it’s available is important. During installation and commissioning any adjustment and system-learning procedures were carried out rapidly without question and the emphasis was always on providing a high quality service.” ♦
