Video over switched network

[Julian Griffiths]

We are evaluating the possibility of installing security cameras on the campus which will run over our HP switched IP network.

The digital images will be stored on a server with a large (SAN?) drive array.

The network is used by our students and staff to access the Internet, their home folders etc.

Switches are a mixture of 4108GL 4000M and 224T with a 100Mb fibre backbone and 10Mb or 100MB to the desktop.(Not sales talk, please!)

How do I configure the switches to ensure that the data from the cameras (45+) is properly stored? Will I need to upgrade the backbone to 1Gb and replace any of the switches?

I have looked on HP web site for any articles on the subject, but can't find any; though that's probably because I don't know what to search for! So any helpful URLs would be welcome.

[Les Ligetfalvy]

When I see questions like this posted, I like to parody the old sixties talking mainframe computer, "insufficient data... does not compute!"

You don't really say enough about your infrastructure. You call the fibre the backbone, but how is it the backbone? Is there a core switch in there somewhere cuz if there is, it would in fact be the (collapsed) backbone. There is no mention of subnets or VLANs. Not even node count. What bandwidth do these 45 cameras need?

I know you are just asking for links and none of the above is a prerequisite for us to provide links. Guessing at what the details may be, you probably should put in gig but you really need to baseline the network first. If you had a good baseline, you would not have to ask the question.

[Julian Griffiths]

I'll treat the last reply with the contempt it deserves.

[SCOOTER]

Hello David,

First of all you would need to think over what you exactly want. How many cameras, type, what are the requirements, what bandwith, do you want a dedicated line for all cameras etc.

Second you would need to make draw yourself a picture on the bandwith that is utilized today and if you would need that to expand.

Put 1 and 2 together and you will get a clearer picture on your network needs.

Then check what your budget is and if needed cut here and there of convince manager of "your" campus needs.

The configuration of the switches? I presume you are talking about prioritization (QOS)? For that you can check the manuals on:

http://www.hp.com/rnd/support/manuals/index.htm

The 4100 and 4000 are good switches, but I would think of upgrading the 224t's. What is your budget?

You could ask the Designcenter for help, but I think they only design from scratch and do not take any existing materials in account.

http://www.hp.com/rnd/design_center/index.htm

Video streams do take up a lot of bandwith but then again depending on the quality and how many feeds you want/need you could think of upgrading to gig-speed.

Could you provide more information on your needs/wants and existing network and possible expansion? How many nodes, traffic utilization, campus size etc.


Best Regards,

SCOOTER

[Les Ligetfalvy]

At first I was set back by your "contempt" comment, but after reviewing your other posts,
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/pageList.do?userId=CA775771&listType=question&forumId=1
I now understand. I'll not bother you any more.

Kindest regards,

Les

[Julian Griffiths]

As so often happens in cases like this, the IT people are the last to hear about it. In my case through a conversation with our Finance Manager who just mentioned, in passing, IP cameras.

Not unnaturally I pricked my ears up and asked the obvious question. Having received the reply I was half expecting, I decided it was time to do some homework; hence my question to the forum.

I'm just fishing for guidance from someone who has had experience of handling video over a switched network.

Of course I know that a switch is, in some ways, a collapsed backbone. But what do you call the link between on switch and another? I was just using the term backbone to mean the link between one switch and the next.

As far as the size of the network is concerned, we have 10 servers connected to the 4108GL and about 600 PCs connected to the various switches which connect via a number of fibre "backbones" to the 4108.

All I know about the IP camera proposal is that there will be about 45. What spec I don't know; but they will be color and probably running at 24-5 frames a second.

[Jason Scott]

Do you use tagged VLANs? If so then perhaps the best and simplest solution is to create a campus wide video vlan that you can apply QoS to?