Not All IT is for IP Video

Corporate networks in today's business world are expanding to include more users and applications and to meet accelerating demands. As businesses use information technology (IT) to collect data from every corner of their business -- and to enable information to reach every corner -- the term “LAN sprawl” has been suggested to describe the multi-dimensional growth that is putting new stresses on the corporate network. The unbridled expansion of local area networks (LANs) comes with issues including how to control the network infrastructure, especially related to allowing users access to data.

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Making the Fiber to IP Video Connection

As video surveillance technology continues the transition from analog to digital, a constant is the critical need for reliable transmission of the video signal. In the analog age, coaxial cable carried the signal from the camera dependably to the recording device or monitoring station. It is still widely used, although it has limitations, including limited transmission distance and signal degradation over long cable runs. The transition to digital video brings with it a change from widespread use of coax to the use of Cat-5/UTP cable and high-speed Ethernet connections using Internet protocol (IP) to send digitized video images. Wireless transmission methods have also found utility at various points on the analog-to-digital timeline, whether it was radio frequency or microwave transmission of analog signals or the so-called WiFi networks and vast third-generation wireless networks used today.

PoE and Access Control Systems

Is PoE technology a viable solution for your access control system?

Power Over Ethernet is being widely advertised as a panacea for access control system users. Certainly we have all looked forward to the day when a single network drop at the door will satisfy all of the system wiring requirements between the controller and the doors. One simple cable that will replace the multitude of cables currently needed for reader communications, request to exit, door position, and lock power.

As is commonly the case, along with technology that is new to our industry comes advertising claims and counter claims by various vendors each vying for a prominent spot at the top of the tech-tree. This paper will address this emerging technology, the standards that guide it's implementation, and the claims that warrant further scrutiny. Its focus is to help you sort out what is viable in real world applications and what is advertising hype.