Oxford University is, of course, one of the world’s leading academic and research communities, and at its heart is a necessarily complex and powerful IT infrastructure.
Although many of the colleges run their own computing environments, Oxford University Computing Services (OUCS) is tasked with providing many of the key shared facilities, services and core networks reaching out to all departments and colleges.
With the growth of virtualisation technologies, the newest OUCS facility built at its South Parks Road site has been designed to allow IT to become a more fluid resource.
As David Birds (data centre manager for OUCS) explained, from its inception the design needed to be in line with Best Practice in terms of remote management, provisioning and security.
“We had looked at how other modern data centres were constructed,” explained Birds, “and evaluated elements like rack design, cooling, PDUs, monitoring and security. From Day One, we always envisioned the data centre to be effectively ‘lights out’ but with a high level of automation and security to ensure the safety of the site and any lone workers.”
Comprehensive review of CCTV
Working closely with J Brand, an advanced Mobotix Partner and principal contractor for the data centre fit-out, Birds conducted a comprehensive review of potential CCTV solutions.
The system has to integrate alongside a range of security measures such as biometric readers, RFID keycards and anti-tailgating doors.
“It was clear from early on that the Mobotix solution was particularly well suited to our requirements,” explained Birds, “as it offered high quality images, proven reliability and hemispheric technology to allow us to cover the widest areas with the smallest number of cameras.”
Birds continued: “The fact that the systems had scope to add additional features such as integration with access devices and audio also provided a strong case for the longevity of the solution.”
Just 16 cameras (including 14 x Q24 hemispheric models) cover the 12,000 square foot facility.
Mobotix is a software company with in-house hardware development in the area of digital, high resolution and network-based video security solutions. The company focuses on the development of user-friendly complete system solutions from a single source.
The publicly traded company with headquarters in Langmeil, Germany, has become known as a leading pioneer in network camera technology since its foundation in 1999, its decentralised concept having also made high resolution video systems cost-efficient.
Significant operational benefits realised
“The implementation at Oxford University was relatively straightforward and, like the entire facility, the cameras have access to redundant power and battery back-up,” outlined Birds.
OUCS has opened the doors to the first University Department to make use of the facility, and the lights out nature of the centre also provides a significant operational benefit.
“Having staff on site is a waste of resources as 99% of all the provisioning, adds, moves and changes that need to take place are all done remotely,” said Birds.
“Any activity inside the centre now leaves a full video audit trail which has significant advantages over a security officer who, even if we had one, would never be allowed to wander unsupervised around the more critical parts of the facility.”
Customer service underpinning core activities
Originally set up in 1933 by Joseph Brand as an electrical contracting and repair business in Margaret Street W1, J Brand still operates today with the same guiding principle of ‘Customer Service’ underpinning all of its many core activities.
J Brand now directly employs over 120 staff, many of them located regionally, and offers a nationwide/European service.
Diversification has also enabled J Brand to flourish, with pioneering work being conducted in the late 1970s when data communications was in its infancy.
With the addition of a dedicated support desk facility, configuration centres in London and the North West of England and continued investment in personnel, J Brand is able to offer customers a total network solution for projects across technologies and vertical market sectors.
A significant amount of the projects that the company undertakes involve working at multiple sites across the country, with a typical installation involving over 1,000 sites across the UK and into Europe that require data and electrical installations as well as PC/EPOS deployment.
J Brand can deliver this type of project to tight timescales and often out of normal office hours because of the highly skilled and professional nature of its staff.
While the industry trend seems to be towards sub-contracting staff, J Brand doesn’t believe this to be the best way forward.