Myth No.12 ~ 'IT directors won't approve IP-based intallations on their networks'

The days of the sceptical or unhelpful IT director are fast disappearing. With security a board-level concern in most organisations, IT departments these days will support the addition of CCTV onto their networks, and will help make the systems a success. 


Any IT Director or Manager worth his salt would understandably be uneasy about large amounts of CCTV data being added to existing PC networks without a good idea of network usage requirements. He or she would also be reluctant to give unqualified personnel access to any network containing sensitive business information. But although the IT Manager and the Security Manager can both be key in the planning and operation of the security system, in many companies the decision to invest in a surveillance system is taken at board level. This is because business risk management is seen as a board level activity, and CCTV is a tool that can reduce business risk.


Follow the manufacturer’s advice. Manufacturers have a vested interest in making IP systems work well, and good manufacturers offer advice on diverse topics such as managed switching and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).


As soon as you have more than a few cameras, put in a separate camera network. We have mentioned this
previously, but the advice bears repeating because it can help overcome any objections or concerns from IT managers.