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Perimeter surveillance that works

Outdoor surveillance is becoming more important to security professionals.

The outdoor perimeter of a site often provides the first view of visitors or intruders, giving security operators the most time to react.

For many industries, from health care and government, to industry and retail, outdoor surveillance is just as essential to the overall security picture as the indoor system and often, more so. Features such as perimeter protection, facial identification and licence plate recognition are a few of the many deterrents surveillance solutions can bring to perimeter surveillance.

Each outdoor application has special requirements, but successful video surveillance demands suitable image quality and equipment reliability regardless of conditions, as well as cost-effective installation and user-friendly operation.

“It is imperative that outdoor cameras have the highest build quality possible to cope with the full assault of the weather – from freezing snow storms to dusty, hot deserts,” says Roy Alves, country manager of Axis Communications. “Since outdoor cameras are often located in difficult to reach places, reliability is also crucial as maintenance or replacement can be expensive, time-consuming and difficult. It can also require specialist equipment, which is not likely to be easily or cheaply accessible.”

Cameras used in outdoor and/or perimeter security should make provisions for the following:

* Reliability in extreme conditions: Outdoor security systems are required to endure exposure to wind, rain, variations in temperature (from extreme heat to extreme cold), humidity, dust, vibration and corrosive environments.

* Tampering and vandalism: It is important for cameras to be able to fend off attempts to disable them.

* Image quality: Factors such as extremes of light and dark, shadows, and fast-moving objects can also adversely affect the effectiveness of the security camera.

* Ease of installation: The easier the installation and configuration, the bigger the benefits to both customer and maintenance support.

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