We delivered this project for an international corporation’s headquarters in the Midlands at their offices and their adjacent engineering training centre. These are large sites on opposite sides of a busy road.

Project Scope

The original scope was to change out all 75 analogue cameras for Axis IP HD cameras and provide a new Milestone VMS system. After some discussion about the issues they were experiencing with onsite security we were able to suggest that they should integrate the other onsite security systems into the VMS and use that as an alerting hub.

How did we Deliver this?

This involved integrating new IP HD cameras and new VMS with a 10-year-old Casi Rusco access control system, Commend intercom system, Geoquip Perimeter Intrusion Detection System and a Honeywell Galaxy intruder system. Using our technical skills backed up by our 2nd line technical professional services arm we were able to overcome the integration issues associated with the older systems and firmware that was not fully supported.

Our Professional Services team were able to review alternative solutions and integrate the older technologies into the new state of the art integrated system using innovative methods. We assembled a team with the relevant experience under the leadership of a very experienced and knowledgeable PRINCE2 certified project manager.

An initial site risk assessment was carried out and RAMS issued and signed off. In order to minimise disruption on site we built the VMS and tested all cameras off site prior to the engineers visiting site.

Issues Encountered

There were interface compatibility issues as the system was 10 years old and wouldn’t work with the IP alerting system. Based on our technical experience we identified and installed a third party IP module that could be connected between the systems and allow them to integrate together. The 2 buildings were linked by fibre optic cable and a corporate network connection. The client cyber security policy meant we had to provide additional network switches and set up a separate fibre optic LAN to cater for the security systems integration. Training the client’ security team was a further issue to be overcome as they had a number of staff rotations across a complex shift pattern. We delivered the training in line with a schedule developed with the client to fit their business operation.

Prior to the project starting, Pointer carried out a systems due diligence audit and discovered that the fire system panel was not connected to the access control system to open doors in the event of an emergency. Using the skills and knowledge from another Pointer division we were able to deploy Fire systems accredited engineers to site to fix the problem.

Engineering access to the office environment was problematic and we agreed a program of works between the project manager and the client facilities manager to ensure no disruption when the client was hosting corporate events etc.