System of over 5,000 cameras enhances security for Pakistan bank network

A centralised video surveillance system from Dahua Technology – which involved more than 5,000 cameras – has been installed at over 850 branches of one of the top commercial banks in Pakistan.

The installation project for Bank Alfalah was completed by Vital International.

Images from all cameras are recorded in real time onto Dahua NVRs at each branch, while images from six cameras at each branch are sent to a command and control centre in Karachi which is monitored 24/ – and where images are recorded onto 24-bay embedded video storage systems.

The bank branches were suffering thefts, robbery and vandalism, particularly in relation to their ATMs. The lack of a centralised system meant that bank branches were not performing to their capacity and were unable to effectively monitor the branches in real time.

In addition, the lack of recording capacity meant that there was no video evidence of incidents at branches such as thefts, robbery and vandalism.

The command and control centre features a 3×8 video wall featuring 55-inch modular video wall display units, workstation monitors and other Dahua equipment. Centralised recording on 24-bay embedded video storage systems – utilising Dahua Enterprise 8TB hard disk drives – is stored for 60 days and ensures against data losses at branch level.

A range of 2-series dome and bullet cameras and vandal-resistant pinhole cameras for ATMs are managed via Dahua’s DSS video management software. The number of cameras per branch varies but, on average, each branch is equipped with 16 cameras.

Staff at the command and control centre monitor images during business hours, while outside those hours, the cameras’ built-in motion detection capabilities alert staff about potential incidents.

The command and control centre has two roles: Security monitoring – staffed by six operators at a time – and a service monitoring department which monitors service quality during bank opening hours.

Also installed at some branches are Dahua’s time and attendance and access control units in restricted areas such as cash vaults.