Vista and Kronos overhaul CCTV at Sutton Valence Independent School
The Sutton Valence’s existing analogue CCTV system was outdated and was not an appropriate platform for the reviewing of images at the level required. This prompted the need for a new installation. The school chose Kronos Threat Management to install the new system as they were a local company they had previously worked with and offered effective costs.
Kronos’ Craig Vincent used Vista products as they have used the company “for a number of years and have found them to be reliable, durable and feature-rich.” Vista VK2 cameras and the qulu SR2 server were used in conjunction with one another. In doing so, this solution ensured better resolution and clarity and costs were kept within budget. Qulu’s ‘quick search’ function and user-friendly interface were perfect for the school and it was chosen as the Video Management Software.
Vista provided efficient technical support, and meetings with Vista allowed the school to understand the solution’s benefits prior to installation.
The Challenge
The poor quality of Sutton Valence’s existing analogue CCTV system presented a number of challenges to the school. The system in place was outdated and as a result, was not an appropriate platform for the reviewing of images at the level Sutton Valence required.
This prompted the need for a new installation. Another key factor in the decision to replace the previous system was the requirement to comply with the Duty of Care that all schools have towards their students. The board of governors did not simply want a security system but something that would help them with the day to day running of the school.
The school’s previous CCTV supplier had not provided all the support they wanted and they were looking for a local Installation company with the knowledge to be able to guide them through the project, ensuring the most suitable solution was being offered.
Being based close to the school and offering more effective costs against the competition, Kronos Threat Management was then a clear choice. A smaller system had previously been installed by Kronos in Sutton Valence’s Preparatory School so the familiarity meant that they were trusted.
Using Vista products was an easy decision for Craig Vincent of Kronos as the company has used them “for a number of years and have found them to be reliable, durable and feature-rich”, as well as having “fast delivery times” ensuring the smooth running of the project.
The Solution
As a result of the previous work carried out by Kronos for Sutton Valence School, they were seen as a trusted advisor and therefore used as consultant and installer.
IP Cameras
Vista VK2 cameras and the qulu SR2 server were used in conjunction with one another, with two servers installed for redundancy purposes. Roughly 80 new cameras were installed across the site including Arecont IP cameras and some of the old infrastructures was maintained. This solution ensured better resolution and clarity and costs were kept within budget, whilst meeting the school’s requirements.
The IP 3MP cameras installed allowed for better zooming during both live viewing and post-incident made easy using qulu which was chosen after an end-user demonstration.
Craig commented “Both Chris Cooper, our Norbain Account Manager and Alex Stevens, our Vista Business Development Manager were always willing and able to help with any of our needs. The use of Vista meant that we could get help with technical support and demonstrations all from one place”.
Switches and VPN
The school wanted to use their existing infrastructure to keep costs to a minimum, so they supplied the switches and VPN (Virtual Private Network) which meant working closely with the school’s IT department, Craig Worcester (Network Engineer) and Mel Horley (ICT Team Leader). The security requirements at Sutton Valence are looked after by the IT department who have a backup system onsite in a different area.
During installation an issue was encountered as the LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) would not talk with the server. The manufacturers of qulu in the US responded quickly and wrote a patch which overcame the problem. This all happened during the installation process and, as a result of good support from Vista, the final deadline was not affected.
The Outcome
Vista provided efficient technical support and meetings with Alex, Vista’s Business Development Manager, meant that the school understood the benefits of the solution being offered prior to installation, and they took on board all of the guidance offered.
Due to the quality of the product and support structure, the project was completed on budget and in time, and as it was run during the summer holidays. This meant there was no disruption to the installation process or the running of the school.
About the Installer
Kronos Threat Management is a Kent-based security company specialising in CCTV and threat assessments and solutions. They start each project with a threat analysis detailing the needs of their client whose protection is their number one priority. In particular they pride themselves on being at the cutting edge of the CCTV industry but take on board all security concerns to make sure each client’s specific needs are managed effectively. By liaising with the client and understanding their business, Kronos provides a comprehensive service regardless of the threats or budgets.
