Changing Direction a Little

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Hi All
I'm a CCTV commissioning engineer in the UK, I don't mean the sort of CCTV you see in corner shops, I’m more in to the large scale big-brother-is-watching-you video networks and city centre type stuff that Red Ken was so keen on.

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The industry's changed pretty rapidly recently and the switch from analogue transmission and recording to IP based equipment has come in (prematurely in many people’s opinion) and I'm finding a lot of my colleagues are getting left behind, thankfully I've had an interest in computers outside of work for some time and I find myself doing the bulk of IP stuff in my department. So I'm looking to put myself in a very safe position by getting a Microsoft qualification on my CV quickly.

The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) on Windows Server 2003 cert looks like the one to go for.
I'm trying to decide between approaching my current employer for funding, but I don’t want to end up tied to them contractly. Or going down the self-study route as I've been given a set of TestOut software by a freind who's given up!

I'm going to start with the testOut software soon and see how it go's. I’ll also email my boss to test the water

I've nothing really to ask at this point, I just wanted to say hi, but if anyone would like to comment on my approach I'd like to hear it

Cheers

 

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Hi & welcome to CF

NB

 

To tell the truth I don't know how much a network that you administer made up of cameras has in common with a network made up of human users, and that is the kind of network an MCSE is geared towards.

Unless you will be administering a network that uses tools like Active Directory to control cameras, which seems to me to be a little far-fetched, the MCSE seems a little out of line for the skills you're most likely wanting to develop through the certification process.

If you're wanting to become a network administrator for the computer network that supports your company's employees that's another story.

 

Agreed. If you're just doing IP stuff, perhaps Network+ would be more relevant... but even that deals somewhat with user-related stuff, not just IP-based stuff.

 

Actually the networking of the actual cameras is easy enough, but the cameras are watched by people sat in front of PC's, access has to be tightly controlled to the PC's and which software is availible to the user is also very important. Active directory is used alot, we are setting up dedicated windows 2000/2003 domained networks with cameras, view stations, encoders, decoders and huge 100+ terabyte raid arrays to store the video.

CCTV used to be a very linear process the video would travel from the camera throgh transmission kit loop through recording kit and get switched by somthing called a Matrix (No Kiano to be seen) to a monitor. transfering a video image between sites involved dedicated analogue trunk lines and was very limited and expensive. With IP systems you can sit anyware on the network and view anyware on the network, its a totally different system arcitechture.

The problem is the skill set to install, commission and maintain analogue and IP systems is completly different and we are very short on people who understand both. I'm sure MSCE is relevant

 

Hmm,

I'd still be tempted to go with what MB suggested and try the N+ (Network+) first.

MCSE is actually designed for people who have been in the IT business for many years and the relevant jobs, with relevant experience, pay a hefty sum.

I just think MCSE is a bit much for the installation of cameras - maybe I'm being arrogant, if I am then sorry.

Dave

 

Not arrogant, but certainly a bit dismissive! I used to work for a police force and I have seen CCTVoIP solutions that would make many MCSEs run screaming for the exits! Some of the technology used (MPLS, QoS, SAN, Firewalls etc etc) is pretty complex stuff - certainly more so than supporting the average office environment.

That said, the MCSE is probably a bit too high to aim for initially. I'd start off with the Network+, then move into whichever network appliance vendor you do the most work with (Cisco, HP, Extreme etc). You might also want to look at entry-level SAN solutions from the major player in your marketplace (NetApp, Equallogic, HP, Hitachi etc), especially if you;re heavily involved in the storage side.

In the two years I was with the old bill, much was made of the move to IP, but only a few forces/areas made the move wholesale - many of them still had legacy systems in place. I'd say there's a bit of life left in the archaic technology yet - probably around three - five years.

 

It may very well be complex... but the MCSE would very likely be irrelevant, having little to do with CCTV solutions.

 

Which force were you with? I think I must have worked with most of them at some point or another.
Your absolutly right about the old stuff there's systems that have been runnung barely touched for 10 years without any problems yet, but now alot of police/council systems are starting to move over gradually to IP and alot of them are are turning into frankenstien afairs with three or four seperate systems all with their own control gear sat on each desk, it's too expensive to replace all the existing gear and too risky too!
Saying that South Yorkshire POlice have gone completly IP now!