Product guide

Migrating to Video Surveillance
Still not convinced it’s time to make the move?
Here are a few related questions and answers…
Won’t video trac slow
the performance of my
data network?
One of the first questions new
customers ask is the impact Video
Surveillance will have on network
performance. Fortunately, modern
streaming technologies such as H.264
can really compress video data down
to minimise the bandwidth required.
Moreover, most network switches and
routers (such as those from D-Link)
can be configured to segregate and
prioritise different types of traffic
using industry-standard Virtual LAN
(VLAN) and Quality of Service (QoS)
technologies. As a result, a properly
implemented Video Surveillance
system should have minimal impact
on existing network applications or
their performance.
Can my data be intercepted
and used for other purposes?
As with other network applications,
Video Surveillance products are
engineered to comply with industry-
standard network authentication and
security technologies. Using these,
access to recordings can be strictly
controlled and audited. At the physical
level too, it’s a lot harder to intercept
digital than analogue CCTV data,
making Video Surveillance inherently
more secure, especially when using
wireless to connect cameras to the
network.
Aren’t network cameras
complicated to install?
If anything, network cameras are easier
to install than a conventional analogue
CCTV camera, and quicker, especially
if Power over Ethernet (PoE) is used
to eliminate the need for a dedicated
AC supply. What’s more, with D-Link’s
Smart Switches, you can benefit from
the Auto Surveillance VLAN (ASV)
feature, which allows you to add a
reliable video surveillance network to an
existing data network by segmenting
surveillance data from general data.
This results in an optimised hybrid
network that is quick and easy to deploy,
while capable of handling both your
data and surveillance traffic.
How can I safely monitor
my network trac during
busy periods?
It is important that video feeds from
surveillance aren’t negatively affected
during periods of busy traffic congestion.
On networks with already heavy traffic
loads, the approach has often been
to create a separate video network
infrastructure explicitly dedicated to
surveillance traffic. However, ASV changes
all of this by automatically detecting
attached surveillance equipment to
intelligently segment surveillance traffic
to give it high priority following quality
of service (QoS) standards. In this way,
surveillance traffic can continue to stream
video smoothly and reliably, even during
periods of heavy data traffic. When
used in conjunction with PoE, hardware
installation is simplified, and clutter is
reduced since power and data can be
transferred over a single cable.
Will I need to switch to a
dierent company to install and
maintain my Video Surveillance
equipment?
No - most specialist suppliers already offer
support for both analogue and Video
Surveillance systems and are both willing
and able to offer impartial advice on
what’s best for your organisation. D-Link
products are available through a network
of approved resellers well versed in both
analogue and digital solutions.
I’ve used a webcam and wasn’t
impressed with the quality,
won’t Video Surveillance
be the same?
Professional network cameras are a
world apart from cheap webcams.
HD-quality, megapixel cameras are now
commonplace along with low-light and
infrared technologies to capture detailed,
high resolution, images in varying light
conditions. High frame rates further help
together with support for both optical and
digital zoom at the camera.
Auto Surveillance VLAN (ASV)
Typical SOHO and SMB network installation
Typical larger network installation
Office
Video Management Server
ASV
Remote Viewer/
VMS Client
(Web Browser)
D-Link Web Smart III Switch
Network Cameras
Office
Network
IP
IP IP
ASV
ASV
Unmanaged Switch
Dedicated Switch for Network Cameras
Unmanaged
Switch
Office
Network Cameras
Office
Network
IP
IP IP
ASV
ASV
VMS Client
(Web Browser)
D-Link Web Smart III Switch
Network Video Recorder/
Video Management Server
ASV
7