The Logistics of Security

The Logistics of Security

Company seeks means to take advantage of IP-based system

Navarre Corp., a distribution and retail support operation in Minneapolis, previously relied on an analog-based surveillance system as a way to increase security and aid in investigations, but the company found the system unreliable for capturing high-quality video when incidents occurred. Even if the system recorded relevant footage, searching through it was an arduous task.

Sam Hildebrandt, director of operations for Navarre, was given with the opportunity to upgrade the company’s existing technology and immediately set forth on a search for a security management platform that would enable Navarre to migrate to a completely IP-based system.

Specifically, the company required a system that could take advantage of its robust IT backbone, enable multiple users to access the system from remote locations and streamline investigations through the use of intelligent search functions and video analytics.

“Security is a priority for the company, and it is a cornerstone of our business,” Hildebrandt said. “I knew a platform that would enable us to capture and easily manage video and integrate with other IP systems would provide a high return-on-investment.”

The operations team at Navarre was specifically looking for a solution that would help the company correlate data from multiple systems through a single user interface to maximize security operations. It also wanted to have the capability to remotely access and share surveillance footage with other departments within the organization.

Finding the Right Mix

Hildebrandt, along with Mark Sargent, security manager at Navarre, reviewed various management platforms, including the NLSS Gateway from Next Level Security Systems. The NLSS Gateway is a security management system that integrates networked video management, IP access control and video analytics in a single unified solution. This approach allows data from the traditional separate subsystems to be correlated without custom integration, while combined data is available to users through a single, intuitive user interface. The combination of these applications into one platform provides users with a comprehensive view of their entire security operations.

“There were a number of things about the system that intrigued me,” Hildebrandt said. “The size and space requirements of the platform are extremely minimal. But it was the incorporation of multiple subsystems into one, unified solution that I thought could provide the most value to the organization.”

Furthermore, the NLSS Gateway met the other stringent requirements of a new solution as it included video analytics and integrated access control, providing a Web interface for off-site user access including integrated video analytics and remote managed services. Sargent decided to put the solution through a rigorous testing process to make sure it was the right choice and subsequently chose a Navarre facility in the southern United States to begin the deployment of the unified, networked security platform.

Through the Paces

Navarre installed the NLSS Gateway in its Texas facility in place of its prior DVR solution. Sargent said the system was easy to deploy and its auto discovery function immediately discovered available camera feeds.

“It was truly plug-and-play. We didn’t need IT support,” Hildebrandt said. “Overall, the installation process took only 30 minutes.”

At the facility, the Gateway manages video feeds from digitally encoded GE Security surveillance cameras and two PTZ network video cameras (P5512 indoor and P5512-E) from Axis Communications. The site also incorporated the Sony M3205 HD fixed-dome camera, as well as Axis encoders (Q7406) and Dlaltel PTZ cyberdome cameras. Facility managers with no prior experience using traditional security technologies manage the system onsite. Even so, Sargent said the team was able to quickly get up-to-speed because the user interface on the system is based on technology interfaces found in the consumer market.

“The system is ideal for users that have limited experience with security technologies,” Sargent said. “It is incredibly user friendly, and those with no experience with the system have no problem using it.”

The combination of video management, IP access control and analytics provides an enhanced view of security operations as data from these systems are correlated and presented in a unified manner. Also, these systems run on the same hardware as the other software components, and the user interface is fully integrated with the other integrated components. The power of the separate systems is greatly enhanced when alarms or events are correlated with those from other functions.

“The ability to gather information from these systems in one interface is beneficial,” Hildebrandt said. “If this is not the way the industry is going, it should be. We now have much more awareness over our security operations than possible with prior technologies.”

Navarre has been able to lower the cost of investigations by leveraging the intuitive search capabilities that allow security staff to pinpoint relevant video rather than search manually through hours of footage to investigate an incident. Furthermore, video analytics “make our jobs easier, whether a simple tripwire is tripped or multiple alerts show I am having issues in a particular area,” Sargent said. “Before we had analytics, we were working off our best guess of when a particular event occurred.”

Remote Management Services

Companies like Navarre that manage multiple facilities require mobility from their security systems. The Gateway system makes day-today tasks more efficient and more secure through its NLSS Remote Management Service. This service offering provides users with the ability to access, configure and monitor all features of their security system from anywhere and at any time through Web browsers and mobile devices, eliminating the need for on-site support.

“The remote service is beneficial to our group as it enables us to access and share video with other departments or sites quickly and easily,” Hildebrandt said. “For example, our maintenance department uses video to monitor diagnostic issues and maintenance problems remotely. This capability limits unnecessary travel, and therefore saves money and time.”

The ability to share video provides the asset protection team with more freedom and flexibility, he said, because the ability to access relevant video streams enables management to quickly diagnosis what is occurring in a given moment.

The Navarre team was so impressed with the results from the NLSS Gateway that it has initiated a rapid roll-out of the system at a distribution facility at its headquarters in Minneapolis and a warehouse in Toronto. When those installations are complete, approximately 100 camera feeds will be controlled by the platform.

“I always look for innovation and creative approaches to new technology, and I found both with Next Level’s solutions,” Hildebrandt said. “The decision to implement the NLSS Gateway in our organization is the best long-term decision for us.”

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

Featured

  • Accelerating a Pathway

    There is a new trend touting the transformational qualities of AI’s ability to deliver actionable data and predictive analysis that in many instances, seems to be a bit of an overpromise. The reality is that very few solutions in the cyber-physical security (CPS) space live up to this high expectation with the one exception being the new generation of Physical Identity and Access Management (PIAM) software – herein recategorized as PIAM+. Read Now

  • Protecting Your Zones

    It is game day. You can feel the crowd’s energy. In the parking lot. At the gate. In the stadium. On the concourse. Fans are eager to party. Food and merchandise vendors ready themselves for the rush. Read Now

  • Street Smarts

    The ongoing acceptance of AI and advanced data analytics has allowed surveillance camera technology to shift from being a tactical tool to a strategic business solution. Combining traditional surveillance technology with AI-based data-driven insights can streamline transportation systems, enhance traffic management, improve situational awareness, optimize resource allocation and streamline emergency response procedures. Read Now

  • The Progress of Biometrics

  • Next-Gen AI for Smart Cities

    The future of smart city technology is not being shaped in Silicon Valley — it is taking root in Dubuque, Iowa. With a population of about 60,000, this mid-sized city has become a live testbed for AI-driven traffic management thanks to a unique public-private collaboration led by Milestone Systems. Project Hafnia demonstrates how cities can transform urban mobility and safety through Responsible Technology—without costly infrastructure overhauls. Read Now

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • 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.”