Florida Video Surveillance Project Uses Pivot3 Platform For Storage

Pivot3 Inc. announced recently its technology has been deployed as the combined server/storage platform for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) video surveillance implementation, which aims to reduce violent behavior, catch repeat offenders and increase security in designated hotspots.

The HCSO chose the Pivot3 CloudBanks to both store captured video images and host the video management system software. The scale-out nature of the Pivot3 solution ensures that the performance and capacity of the system can handle the demands of incoming video streams and offer investment protection over time as the deployment grows.

“The Sheriff’s Office feels video surveillance is a powerful investigative tool as well as a visible deterrent,” said Craig McEntyre, manager of the business support bureau for Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Information Services Division. “The county chose Pivot3 because it is more efficient than traditional storage solutions. HCSO needs to capture critical surveillance data at all times and Pivot3 provides application failover to prevent the loss of captured video. Furthermore, the fact that server applications share storage hardware resources reduces our overall power and cooling costs, which makes the platform very cost effective.”

The camera project, dubbed ‘Eye On Crime,’allows deputies to keep an eye on trouble spots, monitor streets for emergency situations and provide residents with an increased feeling of safety.

SiteSecure, a leading systems integration firm based in Sanford, Fla., was tapped along with Avrio RMS, a surveillance integrator with municipal surveillance expertise, to develop a state-of-the-art wireless surveillance system that funneled video data back to district headquarters without requiring expensive cabling.

The installation includes 20 Avrio cameras PODSS (Portable Overt Digital Surveillance Systems). A Firetide wireless mesh network provides street-level communication and robust Motorola backhaul links connect the local system back to headquarters. Incoming video streams are managed by video management software (VMS) from Genetec while Pivot3 Scale-out Surveillance CloudBanks provide a flexible storage and server platform.

The Pivot3 CloudBanks reduces cost by consolidating server and shared storage functionality in a common appliance. Pivot3 CloudBank appliances deliver both server and shared storage resources in one appliance and provide application failover that protects both storage and VMS applications in the event of a failure. The award-winning innovation of hosting servers in an iSCSI SAN eliminates the need for standalone physical servers resulting in 40 percent reductions in power, cooling, rack space and cost.

“The amount of storage capacity required by video is a major budget item in a surveillance installation since cameras can generate 1TB of data in one day,” said Lee Caswell, founder and chief marketing officer with Pivot3. “A scale-out system such as Pivot3 allows customers like the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office the flexibility to start with as much or as little storage, and then add capacity and performance simply by non-disruptively adding appliances.”

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • 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.”

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.