Preparing to deploy your video surveillance system - Security Center 5.12

To ensure easy video surveillance deployment, you need to perform a series of pre-configuration steps.

1. Have a network diagram showing all public and private networks used within your organization, their IP address range, their video transmission capabilities (Multicast, Unicast UDP, and Unicast TCP).
   For public networks, you also need the name and public IP address of their proxy servers. Ask your IT department for this information.
2. Open the ports used by Security Center for communication and video streaming, and make sure they are redirected for firewall and NAT purposes.
3. Install the following Security Center software components:
   1. Security Center Server software on your main server.
      The main server is the computer hosting the Directory role.
   2. (Optional) Security Center Server software on expansion servers.
      An expansion server is any other server on the system that does not host the Directory role. You can add expansion servers at any time.
   3. Security Center Client software on at least one workstation.
4. Have a list of partitions (if any).
   Partitions are used to organize your system into manageable subsystems. This is especially important in a multi-tenant environment. If, for example, you are installing one large system in a shopping center or, office tower, you might want to give local administration privileges to the tenants. By using partitions, you can group the tenants so that they can only see and manage the contents of their store or office, but not the others.
5. Have a list of all known users with their names and responsibilities.
   To save time, identify users who have the same roles and responsibilities, and organize them into user groups.

   NOTE: For large installations, users and user groups can be imported from a Windows Active Directory.
6. Install and connect all video equipment (video units, fixed and PTZ cameras) on your company’s IP network, with the following information:
   • Manufacturer, model, and IP address of each video unit.
   • Login credentials (username and password) if applicable.
   • Communication protocol used (HTTP or HTTPS).

   Tip: A site map or floor plans showing where the cameras are located would be helpful.