Subscriber Discussion

Moving From Analog To IP VMS - What Does One Need?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Jun 29, 2017

I'm wondering about what one needs to care for when first deploying IP based systems.

 

Off the top of my head:

 

Servers need UPS, cooling, ideally filtered air. Redundancy is a good idea, for power and storage (OS disk) and probably for the application if you need high availability. Backup is a good idea (certainly OS, applications and configuration, probably data/video).

Storage needs good throughput and has similar environmental needs to servers. Redundancy reduces the impacts of failure (moving parts fail most often -- spinning drives, fans).

Network throughput and latency are important, as is security. VLANs are a good idea, separating devices from clients, data and system management.

Monitoring for signs of failure is a good idea (Scom, SNMP). Monitor servers, applications, storage, network, power, HVAC.

 

What else?

(1)
JH
Jay Hobdy
Jun 29, 2017
IPVMU Certified

What size system and in what application?

 

JH
John Honovich
Jun 29, 2017
IPVM

#1, what you describe is more typically associated for what is preferred / valued by large scale, higher-end deployments.

By contrast, let's say you are deploying an 8 channel system in a small business. Even with IP, many VMSes run on their own appliances without needing filtered air, redundancy, backups, or worrying about bandwidth, latency, etc.

The things you describe can be very beneficial and warranted but typically these are not a factor of analog vs IP but of how mission critical the system is.

(1)
Avatar
Brandon Knutson
Jun 29, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Always use the proper type of category cable for the type of run and label at the connection port. Adequate physical security of the switches and servers.

There's way more stuff to consider when going IP, but this topic is well covered in the IPVM IP Networking Book and others. 

 

(1)
TB
Tim Ballman
Jul 05, 2017

Wow, well good question but one could write a book on analog to IP conversions so I will start with just the basics. 

IP has a distance limitation threshold depending on the wiring configuration you use. If the device is close to a switch (within 100M or 328Ft) then simple cat6 or cat5e copper wire is needed. I would also recommend patch panels and surge protection for outdoor applications but that is a different chapter. Another side note, you cannot split copper wire like you can coax. 

There are also many devices on the market to extend your copper wire or to covert IP over coax in instances where it is cost prohibitive to install a network backbone within 328ft of the device. 

To make it easier, when planning a project I always start with the communication backbone first circling around my VMS solution. Your VMS solution should have a way for you to calculate the amount of hard drive space needed to achieve your goal retention period. This all fluctuates on your VMS solution and the system its running on. 

U
Undisclosed #2
Jul 06, 2017

You can engineer until you are blue in the face however you have to support that design throughout product lifecycle.

Are you working underneath a budget or a baller? (shot-caller 24" blades on the impala).

Is your product deployment feasible to allow multiple integrators to compete? or is this proprietary VAR only or open trunk slammer season?

The migration from analog to IP has many common denominators amongst legacy products. Distance issues queue products like veracity, megapixel to storage costs along with licensing fees and renewals apply to the migration cost metrics and forecasts between the new and the old.

Work the problems backwards, apply all forces to the simple minute task first so you can lap up the slack forecast at the end of the deployment. Not foreseeing the future using method and calculation results in a try-hard attempt to salvage slip while the nature of the 11th hour remedy concludes your once profitable demise.

BRB...wife just told me to hang up on the internet as I have had too much wine. ignore my rambles...

 

Good Luck!

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