How open platform video took university security to the top of the class

With two large campuses based in Sheffield and other facilities in the city, staff and student security is paramount for SHU. To deliver this, the university security team requires complete visibility over its campus locations, which wasn’t possible with its legacy analog CCTV. They wanted to upgrade to a system that could send and receive data over SHU’s extensive network and high-speed connections, while remaining secure and segregated. SHU also wished to move away from a limiting vendor-driven hardware model to a more open software-driven option. 

• Milestone XProtect Corporate VMS
• Compatible with existing analog and new IP cameras from Axis
• Leveraging the high-speed fiber network already in place
• Flexibility to expand the system or change hardware vendors
• No need for re-architecture

In 2019 there were 300 cameras across the SHU campuses. This number was planned to increase to 400-500 cameras as more buildings were planned by the university.

Milestone’s intuitive interface was easy to master, even by those new to the video software. And the open platform helped SHU to consolidate input from different systems (fire alarms, emergency assistance systems, intercoms, etc.) into one user-friendly central management platform for its security team.

SHU benefitted immediately, with the security team finding the system to be reliable and efficient. A particularly time-saving operation is the use of the XProtect Smart Search and Sequence Search features, which let them review video footage fast.

The system’s integration with a license plate recognition module also automated the entry of vehicles on a service road. This eliminated countless daily interruptions for operators, freeing them to focus on other security tasks.

Further integrations are being explored to streamline more operations. For example, scheduled door locking and building alarm activation - currently a manual task - could be integrated. Overall, the VMS system has greatly increased performance, leading to savings and carbon footprint reductions.

SHU has a development team to try out new integrations and concepts before rolling them out across campus. The open-platform Milestone system allows them to test proofs-of-concept, sometimes in a matter of minutes. This makes it easy to determine if something is possible with a quick reconfiguration, providing speedy service implementations and changes.

Finally, one of the most notable benefits of the Milestone platform is greater flexibility for future planning. For example, facial recognition and heat mapping analytics for the campuses are being explored, made possible because XProtect has an open design and the global Milestone tech community is large. Countless integrations are available with the Milestone system, and the ability to choose top-of-class offerings from different vendors, which make it possible for the university’s security team to achieve its greatest academic potential.

Would you also like to explore a VMS that’s open to future security integrations? Get in touch with us and let’s talk about what type of solution is right for you. 

Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) is a public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is based on two sites: the City Campus is located in the city center near Sheffield railway station, while the Collegiate Crescent Campus is about two miles away in southwest Sheffield. It is the 11th largest university in the UK.

Milestone Systems is a leading provider of open platform video management software; technology that helps the world see how to ensure safety, protect assets and increase business efficiency. Milestone enables an open platform community that drives collaboration and innovation in the development and use of network video technology, with reliable and scalable solutions that are proven in more than 500,000 customer sites worldwide. Founded in 1998, Milestone is a stand-alone company in the Canon Group. For more on information on education solutions visit this page.