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

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • 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

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • 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.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.