Pointer - Offices Development - Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University
Date: 02 Jun 2006
Leading IP and integrated hybrid security solutions provider Pointer has completed a £70,000 upgrade of equipment safeguarding the students and properties of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
Pointer undertook a complete and thorough upgrade and enhancement of the security surveillance equipment at the university to facilitate network monitoring of university premises.
Ian Kaye, Ancillary Services Manager at Robert Gordon University, said: "The system that Pointer has installed provides us with the facility to have a university wide monitoring of cameras from a central point. We have a university population of around 10,000 people on our site, accessing over 11 buildings, so it was imperative that we could access images at any building whenever necessary. We are now into the age that premises can be monitored anytime, anywhere and that was precisely the type of surveillance facility required that we needed.
We had a few problems with several of our CCTV cameras being vandalised and the new cameras, with night vision facility, have enabled our detection rate to greatly improve.
"Also, due to ongoing expansion the university needed to have a tool to facilitate future system expansion be scaleable to meet future needs."
Simon Murray, a major projects manager with Pointer Security, was tasked with finding a workable solution that met the university requirements: "We proposed integrating the university's existing analogue CCTV cameras with ten digital Geutebruck Multiscope II Digital Video Recorders over the university campus network, which covered three sites across a five-mile area utilising TCP IP network."
Pointer further extended the platform for usage by the university's own internal IT department, with images available via LAN, web access and via virtual private networks, adding functionality and controllability to the university's security system.
Pointer utilised a team approach to manage the project, and Simon Murray was assisted with the configuration of the IT-based system by Frank Stewart, Pointer's internal systems manager. Frank added: "The system only had limited capability on what machines it could be accessed from. The Citrix system compresses the bandwidth so video data can run down the network easily and can be retrieved from as many or as few machines as required."
Simon Murray summarised: "Pointer found the ideal tailored solution for Robert Gordon University by identifying the exact requirements demanded by an individual site and implemented a Geutebruck system, which will improve the overall running of the system. The networking of the CCTV facility ensures that security can be managed more effectively by the staff both now and in the future.
"This was an excellent solution for Robert Gordon as the Geutebruck DVRs are so easily integrated - simply plug and play. Ian Kaye and I worked closely together to ensure that the university received attention to detail in problem areas of the sites and also in providing the best service available. The remote monitoring facility allows staff who have access to the system to do so simultaneously and from anywhere.
"The University was very pleased with the system and has already added another two digital video recorders (DVRs) to the system to ensure that images are saved for future benefit of students and property alike."
Ian Kaye concluded : "Here at Robert Gordon University as with other universities we have an obligation to ensure staff and students can conduct their studies and work in a safe environment and I truly believe that this security system has further enhanced security."
New Surveillance at Robert Gordon University
Where do I go now?: » View the latest news items » View the news archive » Subscribe to Weekly Construction Newsletter » Submit news
