Taking The Next Leap In Security Surveillance

Transcript

Taking the next leap in security surveillance by Glen R. Tunnell Jr. Published in Health Facilities Management Magazine / September 2008 I n health care facilities, where dependable surveillance is essential but price is often an object, some facilities professionals may debate the necessity of upgrading an existing closed circuit television (CCTV) analog system to match the digital equipment in a new addition. However, one must consider the importance of reliability and maintenance when making the analog-to-digital decision. Moreover, one must keep in mind that it gets harder to fi nd replacement parts  for analog systems as they get older, and technicians trained to work on these systems also get harder to fi nd. Sooner the better Typically when a new surveillance system is installed, the old system becomes a relic. There will be a transitional phase of two equipment rooms and two security command rooms, with everyone begging to be excused from the relic. With two systems functioning temporarily in one space—as is often the scenario—elbow  room is at a premium. The sooner the process moves out of the transitional phase, the better. No matter how you slice it, compatibility between technologies will make the facility professional’s job easier. Planning for change Once the decision has been made to upgrade an analog system to a digital platform, the important work of fi nding  an appropriate system begins. The planning phase for this type of project usually consists of the following steps: Assess the existing assets. First, fi gure  LEFT A digital camera and mounting arm capable of pan/tilt/zoom requires as few as two pieces of equipment to operate and it uses only one CAT5 cable for power, control and signal. RIGHT An analog camera with zoom lense in a housing on a pan/tilt mount requires several pieces of equipment to operate as well as a power wire to the auxiliary camera power supply, a control cable and a signal cable. out what is available in terms of equipment, capabilities, time and money. Much of the peripheral equipment from the analog application—such as housings,  some power supplies, a recording device and equipment racks at the head end— can be used again. Be sure to assemble a well-informed team that is familiar with the requirements of the facility and the 1 capabilities of various digital systems to carry out the assessment. Communicate. Keep everyone who will be affected by the upgrade aware of plans and progress. Prioritize tasks and goals and categorize who does what and when. A surveillance system upgrade should be approached like any other construction project. All parties should THE DIGITAL DECISION: JUSTIFYING CAPITAL COSTS T he benefi ts of digital surveillance are many. Technology that can send alerts and alarms to receivers around the world  through Internet or wireless means, the pinpoint accuracy of digital cameras and the ability to record a security breach or identify a suspect and alert authorities before the perpetrator leaves the parking lot are all reasons to bridge the analog-digital gap. As with any new equipment upgrade, cost must be considered. The budget that includes a new digital system in a hospital’s new tower may not include upgrading the existing system. However, the cost of plugging into the digital future in many  cases is less than the future costs of repair and maintenance of an aging analog system. Consider the following cost-saving advantages: • Digital conversions do not usually require much additional staff. Once an existing analog system is scrapped, there’s  the luxury of one central security command location: one bank of monitors and one set of controls. Digital equipment is software-heavy, so the facility manager will likely gain a partner from the IT world to share cost burdens. In most cases, staff growth will be minimal due in part to support from IT, increased system functionality and a single point security location. • Maintenance of digital systems is relatively low. As an analog system ages, it will require more maintenance. As digital systems become more mainstream, analog equipment will eventually not be supported by manufacturers. On the other hand, an installer’s warranty typically covers the fi rst year of a digital system, and a manufacturer’s warranty covers the  next two to three years. Software upgrades are covered by the IT department. The biggest aid to facility professionals is the “plug­and­play” ability of digital equipment. Every bit of analog equipment has signal and power connections. In an equip­ ment-heavy system, everything is suspect in case of a fault and everything can go bad. A digital system is more reliable, and when there is a problem it’s easier to diagnose and easier to repair.  • Maintaining analog systems is relatively costly. Older analog closed circuit television systems require an abundance of power-hungry devices to deliver functionality. A typical analog system requires coaxial cable, power and control cables, auxiliary power, distribution amplifi ers, signal amplifi ers, signal splitters and a matrix switcher. Older systems still use  magnetic tape and a VCR. In comparison, a new digital system has a CAT5 cable running to a network switcher to a server. Images are saved to a digital video recorder and can be sent anywhere when connected to a local area network.—G.R.T. be mobilized to start taking action toward their scope of work. All parts should be inventoried to determine what will be removed and what, if anything, will be salvaged. Test the method. Many of the best professionals miss this step. Use scientifi c methods to prove theories. Change  things around and prove them again. A few tests at the front-end will make the whole process go much smoother. Starting the upgrade The equipment required in a digital security setup is different than what likely exists in an analog scenario (see graphic at on page 3). Although both systems are controlled by software, an analog system uses more equipment, with software dealing with the image once it is on screen. A digital system, on the other hand, is software dependent. Everything happens through a server, with the signal usually saved along the way. Analog systems are typically installed in a “home run” confi guration. Each cam­ era has an auxiliary power supply and the coaxial cable that carries the video signal runs to the head end. The coaxial signal cable plugs into a recording device or matrix switcher. Signal and power boosters deliver the signal for cameras located far from the head end. The head end has an equipment rack rich with wire and equipment. A digital system is more streamlined. It can be constructed with minimal wiring—usually four 22­gauge wires or  CAT5 cable. These wires run to a collection point where they plug into a network switcher and then into a local area network (LAN). Longer distances may be conquered with fi ber optic cable. The  digital head end is much less equipmentintensive than the analog one. However, digital systems usually have a premium on the licensing and client software. Abandoning the existing head end will allow for more space, but wiring can present a convoluted situation. Unless the new head end is located with the old head end, new wire routes and LAN connections will have to be incorporated. Additionally, building codes may require the removal of all abandoned wire and cable. 2 Existing coaxial cable, on the other hand, can be reused in the digital installation. A digital video signal can easily be transmitted through the coaxial cable used by analog cameras. By utilizing a reverse balanced/unbalanced connection (balun) procedure, it is possible to use this cable in many applications. Typically, a balun takes camera coaxial output in one end and outputs four-wire or CAT5 cable to the other at the camera. The CAT5 routes to a switch. In a reverse balun confi guration, the installer will plug  a CAT5 input from the digital camera into existing coaxial cable, which routes to the switch. A second balun converts the cable back to CAT5. Existing camera power is still required. Keeping fi xed housings in place and  only rewiring signal cable is also a timeand money-saver. Housings are manufactured to receive a camera body and lens. If the housing is positioned properly and not damaged, new digital camera bodies should fi t in the old camera’s location.  The best way to retrofi t equipment is to  use parts and fi xtures made by the manu­ facturers of the existing system. CCTV manufacturers are working today to make their digital offerings as “analog friendly”  as possible. They have a lot invested and are very willing to help guide analog-todigital transitions. Step-by-step installation Going deeper into the details of such a project, a step­by­step retrofi t installation  would look like this: • Upscale new equipment to handle   increased capacity; • Decommission all existing head­end  equipment; • Disconnect and remove all old  cabling from each location; • Decommission auxiliary equipment  such as receivers, patch panels and power supplies; • Disconnect and remove all cameras  and housings; • Run new cabling from each camera  location to the new head end; • Install and connect new cameras;  • Patch and paint camera locations;  • Connect new cabling to new head­end  equipment; and • Power up, test, set focal points and  presets. COMPARISON OF ANALOG AND DIGITAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Analog system requirements Digital system requirements Matrix switcher to control camera input/output; Signal splitter to determine number of camera views per screen; Amplifi er to provide signal boost over  long cable distances; Monitor (cathode ray tubes are being replaced by liquid crystal displays); and Keyboard/joystick controller to provide human-machine interface. Server (on-site or off, dedicated or shared); and PC work station (all functions handled by PC). Recording device (video cassette recorders are being replaced by digital video recorders). Recording device (digital video recorder). Six-conductor, 22-American wire gauge (awg) control wire; Two-conductor, 18-awg power wire; and RG59 U-type coaxial cable for signal. CAT5 cable (all functionality and power is delivered through one cable). Camera lens; Enclosure; and Pan/tilt mount. Camera (commonly housed in a dome with pan/tilt/zoom on board). Power supply (cameras typically run on 12/24-volt direct current power). Network switcher (interface with local area network, collecting points and power to camera). This process is great for a facility with a no-strings-attached budget and the ability to suspend hospital operations during the often weeks-long installation process. More realistically, most health care facilities will decommission and replace one camera at a time. Such an installation schedule would utilize the following steps: • Upscale the new equipment to handle  increased capacity; • Determine which camera will cause  the least amount of disruption to operations and run new cable to it; • Disconnect camera power;  ABOVE An analog system with a central processing unit, local matrix switcher, satellite switcher, keyboard controllers, multiple cameras and monitors. RIGHT A digital system with a server to clients all receiving the camera signal. • Disconnect the camera signal wire;  • Disconnect the camera control wire;  • Remove old wiring;  • Remove the old camera;  • Install the new camera;  • Connect new cable to the camera;  • Connect new cable to the network  switch; • Set lens, focal point and presets;  Digital pitfalls • Test the camera; and  While entering the digital realm is likely the wisest choice, the transition is not always easy. A number of issues can put a well-planned project behind schedule and over budget. Some pitfalls include the following: • Move to the next camera.  As cameras are reworked, remove respective power supplies and head-end equipment. 3 3 CASE STUDY: PROVIDENCE EVERETT MEDICAL CENTER P rovidence Everett Medical Center in Everett, Wash., digital cameras are also routed through the hospital server, has been in operation for more than 150 years. which will remain in place until the new facility is complete. Reconstruction and technological advances are nothing At that point, all cameras will be served by dedicated new to the facility’s leaders. Providence’s latest project  equipment located in the new building. Any old equipment includes the construction of a new parking garage, and in will be repaired and/or replaced with digital as it fails, thus the place of the old garage, a new squeezing the functionality out of 386-bed, $500 million medical tower. any remaining equipment. Groundbreaking for the patient- and This venture into the digital realm family-friendly tower is scheduled for brings along another benefi t for  this fall. Hoffman. He now enjoys increasing The existing hospital facility interfaces with the Information uses an analog surveillance system Services (IS) department. Many consisting of head-end equipment, times managers like to retain a security command room and 120 their autonomy and view a closer cameras. The newly completed garage relationship with the IS department New construction at Providence Everett added 40 cameras, which are tied as losing control over security Medical Center, Everet, Wash., has triginto the network server. The new functions. Hoffman welcomes this gered the conversion of the hospital’s anamedical tower security cameras will commingling of responsibilities. log security system to a digital platform. be digital and will double the present “There is a philosophical  capacity. The job of keeping everyone safe and secure—and  difference between ‘facilities’ and ‘IS,’” says Hoffman.  overseeing the analog­to­digital conversion—fell to Matt  “Facilities is a reactionary department—acting when  Hoffman, head of physical security. a problem arises. The IS department lives on software Hoffman’s fi rst step was to convert the analog camera  upgrades and revisions—a very proactive approach.”  signal to a digital signal through a converter device and In the case of Providence, this cohesion is embraced.— route it to the digital video recorder. From there it goes to G.R.T. the hospital’s server, presently located off­site. The new  Inaccurate as-built documents. Oftentimes documents are not updated as subsequent changes to equipment occur over the life of a system. It is imperative to have a clear understanding of a building’s existing infrastructure and  equipment before the journey begins. Vague work orders. The job must be managed, bid and scheduled; not treated as a change order. Ensure that the job is a bid process and all work is scheduled properly. Unspecified staffing issues. As with any new equipment installation, staff will need to be expanded and trained. They may also want salary adjustments. Know ahead of time how training and salary upgrades will be handled. Unplanned installation. It is critical to properly plan installation around intensive care units, operating units and hazardous areas. Working in a quiet corridor is much better than installing cameras in an emergency room on a Friday night. minimum and work with a contractor who understands the special requirements of health care facilities. Existing conditions. When walls and ceilings are exposed, past mistakes may also appear. Check current building and electrical codes. If anything has changed, research the possibility that the facility may be “grandfathered” under previous  codes. If a code adjustment cannot be avoided, make sure there’s money to pay  for the fi x. Reliable and functional While converting from an analog to a digital surveillance system requires a high degree of foresight and planning, the end result is a camera system that will be more functional and reliable. The knowledge that a new digital camera system will take the health care facility into the future with minimal maintenance will be worth every penny. Excess noise. Understand the importance of keeping hospital noise to a 4 Glen R. Tunnell Jr. is project designer at Sparling in Seattle, Wash. He can be reached at [email protected].