Milestone helps Hampton School achieve 100% perimeter security
XProtect forms heart of new, highly scalable and adaptable IP video system keeping
school children safe across multiple sites. License plate recognition, Milestone Mobile
and biometrics form part of this open platform technology-driven solution.
“Milestone has proved an ideal VMS partner for us to help build a state-of-the-art security
system to underpin our goal of achieving 100% perimeter security across multiple school
sites. Milestone’s open platform enabled us to increase efficiencies and tighten security
by bringing different systems together. We now have a fool-proof, future-proof, highly
scalable system, which is able to keep pace with the ambitions of this great school.” – Ian
Trevena, Head of IT Services, Hampton School.
The Challenge
The private day school for 1,300 13-18 year old students set a goal of securing the
school’s entire perimeter following a series of thefts by intruders. The need for tighter
security became more acute following a major ICT upgrade school-wide which brought
more expensive IT equipment into the school, potentially making it a more lucrative
target for thieves.
The Solution
The analog CCTV system was migrated the to a pure IP video system with Milestone
XProtect Expert 2014 at its heart. A total of 85 Axis, Sony and Mobotix IP cameras
throughout the school were installed across the campus. LPR is used to ensure only
authorized vehicles are allowed at the school premises. The use of the Milestone Mobile
client enables the school management to have instant situational awareness.
The Result
The school now has 100% perimeter protection having deployed a range of IP cameras,
LPR analytics, together with Milestone XProtect and biometric access control on pedestrian
access points. The new system means that all vehicles and pedestrians entering
through both gates and into the school’s buildings themselves will be video recorded.
Staff and students alike also carry identity passes and use finger print readers to gain
access to buildings. The new system is also capable of scaling as the main school grows
and begins to share IT infrastructure and resources with new facilities.
Hampton School engaged Milestone Platinum Partner, Kent CCTV, to migrate the analog
CCTV system to a pure IP video system with Milestone XProtect Expert 2014 at its heart.
A total of 85 Axis, Sony and Mobotix IP cameras throughout the school were installed
across the campus.
Specialist Sony DH180 cameras were deployed on both gates to capture number plates
of cars as they approached the main gate. Kent CCTV integrated these cameras with
Milestone LPR (License Plate Recognition) processing server which analyses images from
the cameras to detect number plates. It works by sending the image of the identified
plate automatically to the Milestone Event server for checking against authorized plates
on a database.
If a match is found then the barrier will be opened through XProtect integration with the
Came Gate Automation System barrier controller. This integration also enables security
and reception staff to view cameras covering the barriers on-screen via Milestone XPro
–
tect Smart Client view, opening the barriers manually via a ‘soft button’ located on-screen
at the top of the relevant camera image once a visitor’s vehicle has been identified.
Milestone Mobile
Milestone Mobile provides remote access to XProtect VMS via the smartphones and
tablets of three senior individuals in the school’s IT team as well as the bursar. Milestone
Mobile enables them to view live and recorded images on mobile devices if moving
between sites. The remote view is also used for checking on a reported incident following
the triggering of an alarm outside normal school opening times. Milestone Mobile is
used to enable security staff to be first responders and resolve smaller incidents.
Milestone Open Platform
Milestone’s open platform architecture in XProtect allows clients to choose from the
widest range of network cameras and select the best ones for any given task. Milestone’s
open Application Programming Interface (API) makes it easy to integrate XProtect with
other edge devices and security, access control and building management systems.
Milestone’s open approach also enables partners to easily customize the look and feel of
XProtect Smart Client to better meet the needs of the customer.
Video management in more detail
All cameras were integrated with market-leading video management software (VMS)
Milestone XProtect Expert 2014 which stores recordings from all cameras across a total of
four virtualized Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit 8GB RAM Recording and Event
servers offering total iSCSI-connected storage capacity of 64TB enabling storage of 30
days of video recording.
Distribution and display of these images is managed by XProtect which is installed
on a Windows Server 2012 R2 64-bit 6GB RAM Management server. Images from both
Milestone XProtect Management servers and Event server databases are automatically
backed up to the school’s enterprise SQL server for added system resilience.
Hampton School Background
Hampton School, based in south-west London, is one of the oldest and most famous
independent boys school in the UK. The facilities it offers its 1,300 day boys are second to
none. For example, they have access to three dedicated IT suites, two Design & Technology workshops and three science labs. Hampton School also owns and runs the Hampton
Preparatory School for 130, eight to 13-year old boys and a Pre-Preparatory school for
four to eight-year olds, both within 300-meters of the main school.