Axis Communications 31922 Determine your network needs LAN/WAN, wireless, High or low traffic

Preparing your network video project / TECHNICAL CORNER 35

PREPARING YOUR NETWORK VIDEO PROJECT Main considerations

1. Define the scene and type of network video products required

>Scene: What kind of scene do you want to monitor? How important is it?

This will help you determine the features you would like to have in a network camera, such as video quality, light sensitivity and type of lens.

>Lighting conditions: level of indoor and/or out- door light sensitivity required.

Axis offers network cameras for indoor use, as well as models for both indoor/outdoor conditions. In- door/outdoor cameras have varifocal lens that au- tomatically adjust the lens‘ iris. Day/night cameras, which provide color images during daytime and black and white images during night time are also available.

Check details on the network camera‘s light sensi- tivity both in indoor and/or outdoor environments. Lighting conditions are measured in “lux“.

>Distance from position of camera to object being monitored.

This determines the type of camera and type of lens (normal, telephoto, wide-angle) to use, as well as the placement of the camera(s). Choose Axis net- work cameras with fixed focal or varifocal lenses, with or without replaceable lenses, according to the level of flexibility needed.

>Angle of view needed: wide, narrow, general or detailed coverage (Determine how much of the scene you need to see).

Network cameras come with fixed angle and focus, as well as variable ones that allow remote pan/tilt/ zoom capability, which enables a wider area of cov- erage.

>High or low traffic.

The higher the traffic, the more cameras may be needed.

2.Determine your application needs: features, recording and storage needs

>Application: Simple remote viewing, intelligent surveillance system with advanced event manage- ment, input/output triggers, audio?

>Viewing and recording needs: Determine when

and how often you need to view and record: day, night and/or weekends? Schedule the needs for every scene.

>Calculate storage requirements.

>Calculate bandwidth requirements.

3.Determine your network needs (LAN/WAN, wireless)

>Assess network use of current LAN: what are you or the company using it for?

>Assess network use of current WAN links.

>Determine the pattern of congestion levels over a given period.

>Do you need to add new equipment to the network, e.g. switches, or use existing infrastructure and equipment?

>Do you need to subscribe to additional ISPs for redundancy?

>Do you need to subscribe to additional ISPs for redundancy?