Making The Case For IP Video - Four Tips For Success

By Will Botten, Manager, Engineering and Support, Direct Source, Inc.

Video surveillance has been around since the 1960s when government organizations started to realize the potential safety and security benefits of cameras in public venues. Since then, surveillance systems have come a long way - transitioning from grainy black and white CCTV pictures toward full-color, searchable digital video streams.

In the retail sector, increased security concerns combined with the need to reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies, are driving a migration from existing analog systems to IP-based network video technology. As video systems have evolved, there has been a lot of confusion and misconception around how best to leverage network-based IP video systems in the retail environment.