Q&A with Jack Fernandes, AFI's President and CEO of American Fibertek

What is V’nes?

American Fibertek Inc.’s (AFI) V’nes stands for Video Network Enterprise Systems. It is the first and only integrated and standardized network transmission solution designed specifically for professional security applications with a unique open path to truly integrate IP and analog systems operation. V’nes offers a unique approach to IP security systems addressing major concerns such as the environmental monitoring and protection of critical system components, bandwidth optimization and comprehensive management of video surveillance on a single hardware and software platform. It provides security professionals with a cost-efficient and highly effective networking solution to achieve enterprise level systems integration with unsurpassed versatility relative to both networking capabilities and the means by which it can be configured and implemented.

Additionally, V’nes addresses the different set-up and operational needs of both Security and IT Directors to provide easy system integration and balance between personnel responsible for security applications and the IP transmission backbone. V’nes also delivers extensive networking features and functionality with an open path allowing integration of IP products from other manufacturers’ products (servers, video devices, access control, software, etc.) with any combination of V’nes components and software.

What makes V’nes different?

There are several features that differentiate V’nes. First is the inclusion of our Scout Environmental Protection System which monitors both components within a rack and the rack itself for temperature, airflow, humidity and power. Operations and set up can be conducted without the need for any client software or Active X component making Scout compatible with most major operating systems and web browsers, eliminating the need for any special interface in order to operate with any security product that uses web browsers. Environmental sensing is combined with alarm inputs and auxiliary outputs with the comprehensive logging, polling and email alerts available

V’nes combines Scout’s capabilities in AFI’s Commander Series – an IP communications center wrapped around a 10-port network switch. Commander features a layer 2 switch featuring (8) 10/100 base T ports and (2) Ge ports allowing for drop and insert and cascading configurations. Unlike other network switches, Commander contains a unique feature call PortFlow™ which monitors network traffic to specific resolution and refresh rates as set by the operator.

V’nes Pilot Series Management Software monitors Scout and Commander Series products while providing video management for hundreds of IP cameras, streamers and DVRs. Pilot provides many features such as data acquisition and parsing, report generation, client to client communications, and alarm profiling not found in other programs or only available as extra cost features. The most unique feature of V’nes is our adherence to the principle of Open Path. Any component of the V’nes system can be used individually and incorporated into another manufacturers’ system. This includes the ability to adapt individual modules within our Pilot software.

How does V’nes address existing analog systems?

Even with the rapid growth of IP video there still are many analog systems that will be operating for years to come. V’nes allows you to integrate these systems with IP video. To accomplish this, V’nes includes the MaxiView Series of video streamers which convert analog video to IP video streamers. Here again we have addressed the issues of limited bandwidth by designing a streamer that can reconfigure itself to address changes in available bandwidth. Several different settings such as resolution, images per second, group of pictures (GOP), bandwidth, selection of variable and constant bit rate and even digital filtering to match bit rate settings can be changed on the fly without breaking the video stream or having to stop and restart it. When combined with Pilot, settings can be scheduled to match system available bandwidth and maximizes hard drive recording space.

The MaxiView Series also conforms to our Open Path design to allow interfacing with hundreds of other devices allowing customers to expand their existing analog systems without restriction to any specific manufacturers’ IP equipment.

What about Integration into existing IT structures.

In conducting market surveys prior to V’nes development we learned there was concern on the part of both IT and Security Directors; each of whom has specific individual needs. We addressed this issue in both the V’nes Scout and Commander Series by providing different set-ups and operations for security and IT functions. Each group can set-up and operate Scout and Commander without affecting the other. Within each IT and Security Director Structure there are several different individual security levels.

What else can you tell us about V’nes?

V’nes is all about providing customers with choices. As previously stated, V’nes is designed to deliver an Open Path that allows customers to interface with a complete system or to specific components within a system. The versatility of how V’nes is configured is not only limited to hardware but to software also. In addition to offering, Enterprise, Lite, Mobile and special versions for enhanced client operations and interfacing only to Commander and Scout, all Pilot software is available as software only or embedded on our Director Series. Director is a unique hardware solution that combines all the features of servers and RAID configurable storage. In addition Director provides three separate network connections. When configured with Pilot the result is a system we call VAN for Video Area Network. This configuration segregates client viewing, acquisition and storage into three separate network paths avoiding network bandwidth issues and system reliance on a single network connection.

We all know IP systems are in a continual state of growth. How does V’nes deal with this?

Products such as V’nes Scout, Commander and Pilot Series are based on firmware and software. As new features are developed, both firmware and software can be easily downloaded from our web site and applied to these products. AFI is committed to the development of products that will provide an upgrade path to our customers.