Almost all data centers have security cameras – after all, these facilities are high-security critical infrastructure and must be protected from bad actors. But not all cameras are created equal. In fact, they’re as individual as your data centers are, and today many offer functionality that goes beyond a standard 2-megapixel dome, adding value and even saving money.
With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), a new generation of cameras is available that can solve issues facing data center operators, from temperature monitoring to intrusion detection, and, even more esoterically, identifying vaping in the data hall.
As a global leader in visual solutions, Hanwha Vision is considered a valued partner for data center operators worldwide. Its NDAA-compliant and cybersecurity-hardened cameras deliver multiple layers of protection from the perimeter to the central data center hub, protecting a company’s data, employees, and valuable equipment, (servers, networking equipment, data storage, and processing systems) from threats.
DCD caught up with Allen DiGerolami, business development manager, video surveillance for data centers, to look at the opportunities that an evaluation of your camera stack can bring.
DiGerolami is a camera evangelist, and his passion for his subject is obvious.
“I have always liked what I do, every part of it. Connecting with customers and partners at trade shows. Discussing with our technical team members about the latest camera innovations that we have and what we are building for the future,” he said. “Then bringing that all together to help devise the best solutions that our partners can bring to customers, optimized for data center operations.”
Today, DiGerolami says he’s spending a lot of time helping data center operators understand the full capabilities and value that AI-enabled surveillance systems can deliver.
“Hanwha consistently shows we're ready to be the leading video surveillance camera manufacturer in the space. When you can create that three-legged stool, not just with other Hanwha sales reps, but with other manufacturers, distribution, and integrators, you start looking at solutions and not just parts and pieces, you can learn much from the end users and their needs.”
Obviously, AI is a major topic for any data center operator and security professional. And, Hanwha Vision has focused on making sure its AI play adds real benefits to users. is an example of where AI can help when nature gets in the way, as DiGerolami demonstrates:
“In parts of Northern California and Canada, you are not allowed to trim trees or tear trees down without either incurring a huge penalty fine or getting permits to do so. So a lot of data centers, especially in Silicon Valley have experienced challenges with legacy, non-AI-enabled cameras that cannot distinguish trees swaying as non-threatening motions..
That’s just one example of the many day-to-day situations that can be improved with the right AI-enabled cameras and data analytics.
DiGerolami also notes that cameras with AI-enabled thermal capabilities can capture temperature differentiation to such a fine level that they can be used to solve a burgeoning equipment problem in the data center core – or identify if that technician is finding a quiet row to have a crafty vape!
However, when considering AI thermal camera implementation, it’s important to recognize potential privacy rules. To ensure the AI thermal cameras are deployed correctly, it’s important to work with an expert partner like Hanwha Vision who can ensure that a strict, thought-through, and documented policy accompanies any personally identifiable monitoring. Although most AI smarts are built into the company’s camera, the drivers for facial recognition come solely from the software stack, allowing users to ensure compliance.
Additionally, for colocation facilities, camera placement is critical because customers may not want one client's camera configuration to capture another’s cage and racks. AI can help here by intelligently focusing on its target and blurring the rest.
Nevertheless, data centers generally require monitoring from the boundaries of the development, through reception, and into the beating heart of the operation. This is where choosing the right camera for the job can garner better results and save money. He explains:
“Fish eyes are fantastic for what they're for. That's my general rule of thumb. But with a quad (an array of four cameras at 90-degree intervals), you can set the field of view, and you never have to worry about it again. You don't have to pop tiles and start moving it around. You can utilize them for facial recognition, ingress, egress, and therefore your access control.”
The savings come from the fact that the quad camera gives a wider field of view with a single CAT cable, meaning fewer cameras, less cabling, and less disruption during installation.
Moving outside the building, cameras can be used for automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) in the car park, but in rural locations, where perhaps a fenceline hasn’t been considered necessary – it is still important to protect the borders from intruders, and even animals that want to make their home in your crawl spaces. Sometimes, this means installing many cameras capturing different angles to compensate.
“With the AI on board a Hanwha Vision quad multi- camera, you can tune it down, teach it to ignore the trees, and do object or person detection or vehicle detection,”says DiGerolami.
This will become even more important as data centers lead the charge in sustainable power generation, not just as a matter of security, but in terms of a responsibility to public safety.
Small-scale modular nuclear reactors (SMR) are on the radar of many data center operators, as well as many government initiatives, and as DiGerolami pointedly says, “Make no mistake. They’re coming”, adding, “And now we've got solid oxide fuel cells coming on board, so the relevance for cameras and the intelligence therein is becoming increasingly necessary.”
Whilst these types of power generation may seem like tomorrow’s news, they’re important to consider in terms of equipping for the whole life cycle of your facility.
Back inside the data hall, cameras are increasingly used for equipment monitoring and testing, ranging from thermal cameras for fire protection in the macro, to improving efficiency by watching airflow from a rack, something that would previously have required a separate handheld device. This demonstrates both the versatility of a modern camera array and the advantages of using AI to get more power from fewer devices.
The possibilities offered by an AI-enabled camera array are there to see, but then, why choose Hanwha as your provider? For DiGerolami, it’s about recognizing that every data center is different, and matching the technology with added humanity:
“It’s really about how you differentiate yourself from others. It's you. So for me, it's how we go to market in any of the verticals that we do. It's the combination of having industry-leading camera technologies, robust end-to-end solutions, and expertise delivered in conjunction with our partners. Sometimes it’s little things too, like picking up the phone on a Saturday or Sunday. The cameras get us there. It's the people that keep the cameras there.”
Hanwha has a history of working alongside trusted partners to deliver a full-service offering for security needs and can act as a starting point for discussions on everything from locks to turnstiles to ID cards, with a versatile range of state-of-the-art cameras as the centerpiece. It’s an approach which DiGerolami regards as best practice:
“It's funny some things you learn and glean through partners. But the most exciting thing is talking in a group setting. It's that three or four-legged stool again, and you're not alone. You're coming with a full solution that you can sit around and together we can find what makes the most sense in this build or that one.”
It’s an approach that garners better results for the customer too:
“Working for a company as open and honest as Hanwha is – and as we have government and military contracts, we are extra transparent – it's become much easier to put together packages with complimentary manufacturers because we're not competing against each other. It's all complimentary, and we all work in concert.”
It’s a lesson we can all learn from. Everything becomes stronger with a shared vision.
For more information, please click here