System health monitoring can mean many things. At GoView we define this as the ability to see the status of all devices at all times, unified under a single dashboard. Also you need to have the ability to create alarms and be alerted when any of these devices experiences trouble.
We recently spoke to a security guard company that owned 80 plus surveillance trailers from 3 different manufacturers. He did not have any way to see the status of each unit remotely other than checking to see if they could connect to the video streams. As such he had one employ whose responsibility it was to check every system on a daily basis. He also had a storage shed full of backup generators that he would take around during stormy weather to provide backup power to his systems. This is why system health and status monitoring is critical to being able to scale your mobile surveillance operations. GoView provides our platform to both end users and companies that have an existing fleet of trailers.
Here are the major systems on a mobile surveillance trailer that should be monitored to ensure the overall system is healthy and stable:
POWER CORE (SOLAR CHARGING AND BATTERIES)
The core of any mobile surveillance system is the ability to generate power from sunlight and store this energy in batteries. This power is sent through a solar charge controller which regulates this power and efficiently charges the batteries while providing stable power to all the other devices known as "electrical loads" Modern systems should use an MPPT (maximum power point tracking) solar charge controller sized properly for the wattage of the solar array and anticipated loads. The solar charge controller tracks, stores, and displays data in real time such as the battery voltage, state of charge for batteries, battery temperature, current and power generated by the solar array, charging status, and the current flowing to the loads on the system. This fluctuates widely from day to day and without the batteries the system would not be reliable. The batteries smooth out the energy flow and allow the system to function continuously. Probably the most important variable to read from this system is the battery voltage. If voltage drops below a preset point, the system will power down the devices. By monitoring solar data trends providers can have an early warning if systems are getting low and can take preventative or corrective measures before there is a lapse in protection.
NETWORK
The network is the next most vital part of the system. This is your remote link to the trailer. If the network signal is weak or you have exceeded your monthly data allotment then you may lose your connection to your cameras. While the system could still continue to function, the ability for a live human to respond to the system would be compromised. Network health monitoring helps to diagnose and resolve potential issues. GoView will be notified in the event of a network outage and can take immediate corrective actions such as rebooting the LTE modem or switching service providers.
GPS
All GoView system have integrated GPS tracking. This is helpful in visualizing the location of your fleet and also has a more practical security purpose. When a system is deployed, you can create alerts to warn you of unauthorized movement. When a deployed system is moved it will also need to be re programmed for proper intrusion zones and analytics so being alerted to when units are moved is an important function provided by GoView Status.
NETWORK CLIENTS (CAMERAS, SERVER, RELAYS)
Last but not least is the surveillance equipment such as cameras, relays, lights, loudspeaker, and server. Any network attached device can and should be monitored. If a device goes offline, GoView is immediately notified and we can begin to take steps to restore service. We utilize self healing PoE switches which power cycle individual ports automatically when a device loses connection. This resolves most common errors with cameras. We can also remotely reboot video recording systems and test audio/visual device.
All devices are summarized and displayed at our network operations center. Don't allow yourself or your organization to be part of a horror story where you have a security breach while your systems were down. Contact GoView to learn more about system health monitoring and get a live demo today.