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Dallmeier surveillance in Kenya

500 cameras monitored at central security room in Nairobi.

Standard Chartered Bank in Kenya relies on video security by Dallmeier. In addition to the headquarters in Nairobi, numerous bank branches and ATMs have been equipped with the German manufacturer’s technology. Currently, around 500 cameras installed throughout the entire country are monitored at the central security room in Nairobi.

Standard Chartered Bank has been active in the world’s most dynamic markets for more than 150 years and is traded on the stock exchanges in London, Hong Kong and Mumbai. Its core business includes both wholesale and consumer banking. The group earns 90% of its operating revenues and profits from Africa, Asia and the Middle East and has more than 1 700 branches and outlets in more than 70 countries.

The first branches in Kenya were founded in 1911 in Mombasa and Nairobi – in 2011, Standard Chartered Bank Kenya thus celebrated its centennial. As the oldest foreign bank, Standard Chartered Bank today has a market share of just over 30% and numerous branches and ATMs dispersed throughout the entire country. And these needed to be outfitted with a reliable video surveillance system.

After extensive research, the bank chose Dallmeier products, which are installed by the local partner, AUA Industria. Elly Owiti-Mitto, Standard Chartered Bank area head of security for Kenya and East Africa, explains the choice: “The quality of the products is simply convincing. We did not find anything that compares on the market that would have met our expectations so well.”

In addition to the branches, the Kenyan headquarters in Nairobi, for which an entirely new building was recently constructed, was equipped with Dallmeier video technology.

High definition at the headquarters

At the new headquarters alone, more than 140 cameras provide for the necessary surveillance. The German manufacturer’s vast product range proved to be an advantage, as Amar Taylor, director of AUA Industria, explains: “We were able to select the appropriate model for every area. We primarily use fixed dome cameras, as well as box and moving PTZ cameras. In addition, box cameras with integrated infrared lighting are used for the outside areas.”

All of the cameras are HD (high resolution) megapixel cameras with Cam_inPIX image processing technology, which provides detailed and true colour images even in difficult lighting and back light.

The network cameras’ images are recorded on several DMS 240 IPS. The network recorders with up to 24 IP-based video channels support video formats H.264, MPEG-4 and MJPEG as well as SD and HD resolutions (720p, 1080i, 1080p, up to 8 MP). An additional convenient feature is the ‘Easy-Change’ functionality. The hard drives – up to two 3,5” HDDs can fit into a DMS 240 IPS – can be exchanged from the front of the machine, providing for the greatest serviceability possible in case of hard drive errors. In addition to DMS recording devices, a SeMSy backup server is available to Standard Chartered Bank for archiving the images.

Automatic notifications in case of malfunction

Housekeeping was particularly important to Standard Chartered Bank. There are certain threshold values for system conditions such as the inside temperature of the devices, exterior temperature of the devices or fan speed. If these values are exceeded, the device automatically sends off the corresponding notification. This allows maintenance and servicing tasks to be implemented in an automated fashion and significantly more efficiently and thus more cost-effectively, preventing a device from failing without being noticed. “This is extremely convenient,” explains Owiti-Mitto. “The system works very reliably, but if a malfunction should still occur, we can be sure that we will be notified automatically.”

Convenient operation

The system is operated via two workstations on which the PView 7 video management software is installed. PView 7 not only allows you to display and evaluate live and recorded image material, but also to manage and configure the recorders via the network.

To make operating the system even easier, both workstations are equipped with one VMC-1 joystick each. This allows for comfortable steering of the movable cameras and easy navigation of the management software’s on-screen menu.

Mainly analogue cameras are used at the branches: small module cameras that are designed to be installed in ATMs, fixdome cameras, as well as compact Picodome cameras. More than 340 cameras have already been installed at the branches and the plans to expand the system are already in place.

Depending on the size of the branch, the cameras will be recorded locally on DLS 8 Plus or DLS 16 Plus recorders. In addition, every branch officer is provided with a PC with PView 7 software so that he can view the feed from his branch.

The central control of all cameras, however, takes place in the security control room at headquarters in Nairobi. The security staff there can connect with every camera in the system via the network. This calls for sophisticated technology, not only because currently almost 500 cameras are monitored in one control room, but also mainly because in some places Internet infrastructure is very poor, with a data transfer rate of a mere 128 kbit/s in the branches that are widely dispersed.

Image transfer on low bandwidth

“Dallmeier developed a special process for this, PRemote, which also allows high-quality transfer of images at low bandwidth by means of transcoding,” explains Frank Oetjen, responsible sales manager at Dallmeier. PRemote is particularly well suited where images need to be recorded at top quality, but only a narrow-band network is available for viewing.

In comparison to traditional transfer processes such as dual streaming, for which only the quality of live images can be modified, PRemote also allows a bandwidth-friendly transfer of recorded image material. With this technology, live images can be viewed, and in addition, the recordings can also be evaluated across great distances with top resolution – which is a particular advantage in Kenya. “PRemote was one of the main reasons for us to choose Dallmeier,” Owiti-Mitto explains.

Standard Chartered Bank is satisfied with the Dallmeier system – and so much so that there are already plans for expansions at additional branches. “We now have a state-of-the-art, high-performance system,” says Owiti-Mitto, quite proudly.

And Amar Taylor adds: “We enjoy offering Dallmeier systems since we have had excellent experience with them – not only due to the high quality of the products, but also because of the comprehensive after-sale services that Dallmeier offers.” That makes for ideal conditions for the upcoming projects.

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