Integrated network cameras are taking on all kinds of new responsibilities in schools, including running iPhone-style applications, reading license plates and even talking back to misbehaving students. 

In this age of heightened security, the sheer quantity of video needing to be monitored from cameras observing sensitive locations can be a daunting challenge for security professionals at all levels. Added to this task is the expense and potential fallibility of dedicated personnel hired to scrutinize video displays for extended periods of time.

Achieving effective security over perimeters and outdoor areas often comes down to detection accuracy and solution cost. While there are a number of options available for perimeter security, thermal video analytic cameras have become a strong contender for best-of-breed in this arena.

There are a number of aspects of 'conventional wisdom' in the realm of physical security that just don't add up, that smack of having their origins in "the salesman made me do it," which under close scrutiny turn out to be absolutely backwards or even dangerous.

At most school districts, the word “security” is synonymous with “surveillance.” It has always been and still is the most popular security technology used in schools. In fact, school video security continues to expand faster than the overall security market.

Bigger isn’t always better and less can beat more. Important keys to the video kingdom now include aspect ratio, actual resolution, frame rate and color rendition. Standards are essential except when they are not.

It was electricity, gas, oil and water back then. But when Congress passed and President George Bush signed the USA Patriot Act of 2001, those and a lot other sectors got bundled into critical infrastructures and suddenly inherited a more intense security profile.