IP Surveillance: Smarter Solutions for Safer Schools

K-12 IT directors are increasingly on point as they gain responsibility for physical security in addition to the network security that has always been their bailiwick. Many are responding with a unified IT solution that coordinates not only IP Surveillance video but also VoIP phones, building access control and emergency response systems that can improve effectiveness of surveillance as well as the alerting and notification that makes all the difference in an emergency.

What's behind the shift? In part, necessity. Over the past ten years, security and safety of children on school campuses have become huge priorities. Modern social ailments have leaked into our schools and affected the way teachers and administrators must manage the safety and security of our school facilities. A technologically advanced solution is the best response, particularly given how stretched K-12 staffs tend to be. Only automation can increase the level of security despite flat or decreased school staffing levels.

Basing physical security on the IP network can put extra sets of eyes everywhere without tying up staff. Automation of security breach detection and response starts recording video or brings help quickly as appropriate. Backtracking to the time of an incident is simplified by intelligent search through many digitally recorded video streams, far surpassing the ease of search based on analog tape archives. And unlike analog CCTV security video systems that lack the resolution required for identifying people, high-resolution IP cameras can be set up to su pport recognition that will even hold up in court.

Requirements for Keeping Campuses Safe The robust network you put in place to support streaming video and other engaging educational content is more than sufficient to handle surveillance and other safety-related traffic. But what else does an IT director need to think about in order to take on this tremendous responsibility?

To meet the goal of helping students thrive and learn in a safe environment, protect school district property, and even help prevent a tragedy, these professionals should consider:

  • VoIP to every classroom
  • High resolution video, both sweeping views and for individual identification
  • Two-way audio to cameras
  • Integrated control of exits
  • Motion detection to trigger recording
  • Security to prevent video's misappropriation or circumvention

All of the above is easy to put in place working with a vendor like D-Link, which offers a full lineup of end-to-end business solutions, as well as proven experience in security solutions. With the right solution, today's school campuses will be prepared for everything from encouraging better student behavior to defusing a bomb scare to coping with a natural disaster.

Where to start? In elementary school, the first safety concern is usually monitoring entries and exits to help ensure that unauthorized adults do not enter or leave with a child. In the middle school and high school environments, the focus shifts toward preventing theft and vandalism and spotting fights in order to stop them quickly. Remember that cameras backed by network storage alone are effective for:

  • Encouraging better behavior among students, who assume they're always on camera.
  • Monitoring stairwells and other hard-to-supervise areas.
  • Documenting disruptive behavior, fights, graffiti, theft, destruction of property, and even arson, as well as identifying the culprits.
  • Providing reconnaissance footage to law enforcement and fire personnel before they enter the school and as they address a bomb threat, hostage situation, or building disasters such as fire.

Proper network security is essential, both in terms of hardening the network so that video cannot be hacked, blocked or corrupted and also in terms of controlling access. On the access front, great thought must be given to allowing anything other than your eyes-only-viewing, because even authorized insiders can innocently pose a threat by e-mailing copies of recorded incidents to friends and colleagues. An admittedly bad situation can cause a district much more trauma should it be posted out-of-context to YouTube.

Why D-Link

D-Link combines IP Surveillance expertise with K-12 security experience for putting together a unified system that includes all elements of a safe learning environment.

Our end-to-end video surveillance solution includes IP network cameras for image/video capture with fast and easy search and appropriate sharing. By providing a one-stop shop for the entire IP surveillance network infrastructure including PoE and wireless switches, network storage, and best-in-class viewing and recording software, D-Link enables you to get security solutions up and running quickly and smoothly. And it's all supported by a leading global supplier known for its ability to deliver high quality and leadership in price performance.

Learn More

Read how one Texas School District tightened campus-wide security with an end-to-end IP Surveillance network. Download our Blanco Independent School District case study now.

Featured

  • The Business Case for Video Analytics: Understanding the Real ROI

    For security professionals who may be hesitant to invest in video analytics, now's the time to reconsider. In a newly released Omdia report commissioned by BriefCam (now Milestone Systems), the research firm uncovered a compelling story: more than 85% of North American and European organizations that use video analytics achieve a return on investment within just one year. The study, which surveyed 140 end users across multiple industries, demonstrates that security technology is no longer just for security — it's a cross-organizational tool that delivers measurable business value far beyond traditional safety applications. Read Now

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

  • Study: Only 35 Percent of Companies Include Cybersecurity Teams When Implementing AI

    Only 35 percent of cybersecurity professionals or teams are involved in the development of policy governing the use of AI technology in their enterprise, and nearly half (45 percent) report no involvement in the development, onboarding, or implementation of AI solutions, according to the recently released 2024 State of Cybersecurity survey report from ISACA, a global professional association advancing trust in technology. Read Now

  • New Report Series Highlights E-Commerce Threats, Fraud Against Retailers

    Trustwave, a cybersecurity and managed security services provider, recently released a series of reports detailing the threats facing the retail sector, marking the second year of its ongoing research into these critical security issues. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3