Adding a Razberi to the Mix

Including proper technologies in security solutions enhances overall application

• By Mig Paredes
• Jun 30, 2014

Throughout Mexico, residents trust Presta Prenda de Banco Azteca for short-term, secured loans on jewelry, electronics and other valuables. Much like the pawn shop business model in the United States, Presta Prenda customers obtain immediate cash with various repayment options.

Because Presta Prenda has an obligation to protect employees, customers, money and valuables, it is essential to have the most stringent security solution in place, including video surveillance cameras with access to live and recorded video.

Having always provided security, company leadership determined it was time to implement a comprehensive and coordinated security solution that would one day include all 750 stores across the country. While such an endeavor can often be more costly than a business can afford, Razberi Technologies—with the assistance of Mexican system integrator Virtual & Osmosys, S.A de C.V and global distributor Anixter—implemented a solution for Presta Prenda that gave them all of the benefits of a centralized security solution without the exorbitant cost and network hardware investments that typically accompany vast centralized video surveillance system deployments.

It’s on the Razberi

Razberi Technologies develops open platform server switches that combine a network video recorder, a PoE switch, storage and video management software (VMS) into one easy-to-use and easy-to-install appliance. Rather than employing the use of traditionally large and expensive network servers, VMS runs directly on the Razberi. This allows system integrators to assemble smaller, more compact systems that don’t require a large IT infrastructure. By combining these functions into one device, the installer saves a tremendous amount of time, and the risk of purchasing a component that can’t support the demands of a megapixel environment is eliminated.

As the system integrator for Presta Prenda, Virtual & Osmosys of Mexico City was asked to provide a comprehensive and affordable video surveillance solution for its stores. Presta Prenda wanted a centralized solution that could manage cameras along with live and recorded video from within each store while being accessed by headquarters, when needed. And, because Presta Prenda has more than 750 units that will eventually need this type of security overhaul, the solution had to be affordable, scalable and easy-to-use, as it will be managed from within each store unit.

“What Presta Prenda needed in their security solution was simplicity,” said Mig Paredes, Razberi Technologies’ director of sales for Latin America. “But, it’s important not to confuse simplicity with being simple. The application they choose offers a solution that provides simplicity in adapting to growth and customization. The switch is a robust combination of all of the elements needed to install and manage a total security solution.”

Bernardo Yeverino, CEO and general manager of Virtual & Osmosys, chose the Razberi M-Pro ServerSwitch NVR, Milestone Systems XProtect Corporate VMS and Axis IP video surveillance cameras for the customized Presta Prenda security solution.

“We wanted to choose the best server switch available to meet Presta Prenda’s needs,” Yeverino said. “You get the most affordable cost-benefit that is an all-inone solution, is easy to configure and set up, is reliable and robust, and integrates with all of the essential elements of a security solution.”

All about M-Pro

The Razberi M-Pro ServerSwitch NVR replaces the traditional server, storage devices, network switch and camera power supplies with a single appliance designed for IP video recording. Razberi works seamlessly with the Milestone XProtect Corporate VMS to deliver a robust solution that provides easy-to-use yet powerful software for controlling video surveillance. XProtect enables users to access live and recorded video to gain real-time situational awareness and investigate incidents, control PTZ cameras to investigate suspicious activity and export recordings as evidence.

The M-Pro ServerSwitch has been purpose-built for recording and managing megapixel network video. Its embedded SmartSwitch has been designed to move more than 1,000 megapixel frames per second to internal audio/video-rated hard drives. A web interface enables remote control and measurement of PoE consumption and data transmission.

So far, the security deployment has been implemented at more than 50 Presta Prenda stores and will serve as the model for a company-wide security solution.

“The all-in-one solution is just perfect for a company like Presta Prenda,” Paredes said. “We’ve worked to provide all of the benefits of a security solution with as little complexity as possible.”

This article originally appeared in the July 2014 issue of Security Today.