Axis network video products chosen for US federal prison

SCS Distribution, the sole distributor in southern Africa for Axis Communications, today announced that network cameras and video servers from Axis Communications are now operating in an advanced monitoring and security system for a maximum-security federal penitentiary in California.

Networked video equipment from Axis was combined with existing closed-circuit television (CCTV) equipment, estimated to have saved the prison more than $1 million in design and installation costs.

The system, which includes approximately 150 Axis network cameras and video servers, was installed to monitor inmates and provide evidence in criminal prosecution of inmate crimes. The network cameras and video servers allow high-quality digital images to be recorded throughout the prison on a 24-hour basis, enabling the prison to maintain a greater level of security and surveillance within prison grounds.

This innovative design merged existing equipment with new, cutting-edge networked technology. The new security system was designed to provide significant cost savings and enhanced safety and security for the prison. The system has also emerged as a prototype flexible enough to maintain its effectiveness in the future of ever-changing technology.

Network cameras and video servers allow facilities such as prisons to make better use of security and surveillance equipment by optimising existing infrastructure and lowering the total cost of ownership. Unlike cameras used in analogue CCTV systems that operate with dedicated cabling, infrastructure and monitoring stations, network cameras plug directly into the existing computer network, enabling cost-effective and efficient management of video.

For further information, please contact Roy Alves, Managing Director, SCS Distribution: telephone (011) 886 8080, fax (011) 789 8166, e-mail roy@scsd.co.za