Replacing the Hodgepodge

School district reaches into the future with software and IP cameras

Covering 250 square miles in northern Brazoria County, just north of Galveston Island, Texas, Alvin Independent School District has 17,500 students and 23 schools. Its multi-building video surveillance system consisted of a hodgepodge of analog DVRs and cameras, according to the district’s technology services coordinator, Charles Colwell. While evaluating its goals for maximizing school security, the district began implementing a comprehensive video surveillance system in 2010 that was affordable, could integrate easily into its existing technology infrastructure and would be able to work with its preferred camera provider, SC Black.After coming across Video Insight at an education trade show, Colwell went to the Internet to further research the company’s VMS. Colwell evaluated case studies on the company’s website and said he was particularly impressed with Video Insight’s success in nearby Pearland ISD. Delving further into what the company could offer, Colwell discovered that it would meet Alvin ISD’s pricing and feature and expansion capability needs.

After determining this, the district selected Video Insight through a competitive awardprocess. Once the implementation began, software developers worked with SC Black to integrate the software so that it would work with the district’s video cameras: the 2.0MP BLK-IPS102M CS-mounts (including megapixel lenses, enclosures and mounting brackets) and 34x indoor IP domes.

“Video Insight currently supports more than 970 cameras from more than60 manufacturers,” said James Whitcomb, chief technical officer at Video Insight.“If we don’t support a certain camera, we will get development on itright away, as was the case in Alvin ISD and what we have done for manyother customers.”

Economical Implementation

After a successful beta-test that beganin February 2010, Alvin ISD began implementing the VMS districtwide in May. It deployed 568 SC Black IP cameras, joining the more than 200 existing analog cameras that easily integrated into the Video Insight IP software with encoders.

“The ability to work with existing equipment saved money on the project,”Colwell said. “If a campus is only 3 years old, there is no need to scrap the analog cameras we have there. We get good quality from these cameras using Video Insight encoders, so we will continue to use them until we can replace them in our next implementation phase.”

Another way the district reduced the project cost from a local contractor estimateof $2.6 million down to less than half a million dollars was using highschool and college student workers topull cable for the project and to install, mount and program cameras.

“We were very impressed by howa sophisticated software product likeVideo Insight is so easily programmed,”Colwell said. “It was so easy that I wasable to use my summer help consistingpredominately of high school studentsto work labor on the install.”

Maximizing Efficiency

Sensibly located in the center of its expansive250-square-mile district, theAlvin ISD technology center has 10 GB of bandwidth toward all campuses. Itsservers are Dual Quad Core Xeons runninginto a 30 TB Promise Array. Accordingto Colwell, “everything pipesout from here with nothing at the campuses except for a network switch and fiber link.”

This backbone effectively supports the VMS all campuses are using. Colwell has installed the monitor station ateach campus administration office and trains staff in the software so principal sand campus secretaries can access the cameras at their campus easily. Cameras are usually placed in high-traffic areas such as doors, parking lots, cafeterias and hallways. Colwell has taken the added step of installing dual display cards and dual monitors at some campus offices so users can always see the monitor station and access cameras without interrupting their work.

For districtwide surveillance, which is monitored by the Alvin ISD Police Department, Colwell has constructed an impressive video wall with 15 large52-inch monitors in the police dispatch center.

Cowell said the district maximizes the efficiency of its servers by sticking to a 10- to 15-day storage period of recorded video from all campuses. The district’s growth plan includes adding two more 15 terabyte storage arrays and servers soon, as well as deploying more SC Black cameras as analog cameras are replaced and as new construction dictates.

This article originally appeared in the November 2011 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.