Milestone releases XProtect Central version 3.1
for operational status overview and alarm notification on all video surveillance system elements.

Milestone Systems, the market leader for open platform IP video surveillance software, has announced the release of XProtect Central version 3.1. This add-on product to XProtect Enterprise 5.6 servers ensures maximum operation of larger video surveillance installations by providing operational status and alarm notification. Operators can make assessments based on the graphical overviews of system status combined with customizable alarms and visual verification, which makes it easy to initiate proper actions quickly. This newest version of the software is based on client/server architecture for greater flexibility and scalability - ideal for security installations with multiple sites or buildings.

With the increased security demands in today's world, video surveillance can be a mission-critical operation that requires maximum up-time and total overview. Networked video systems include a variety of servers and devices that must be running properly in order to play their part in the overall security implementation, and the video paths from each camera across the infrastructure to the recording server contain numerous ‘points of failure': if any of the devices fail to record or display the video, the outcome for the organization could be devastating.

Milestone XProtect Central provides continuous monitoring of the operational status and event-triggered alarms from Milestone XProtect Enterprise servers, video surveillance cameras and external devices like access control units from vendors. This powerful solution gives security operators instant graphical overview of alarms and notification on technical problems with immediate visual verification to resolve issues fast.

XProtect Central has multi-level maps that make it easy to navigate to and identify an incident location and the system entities involved: alarms are shown at the highest level map first, like a city site, and operators can quickly click down to sub-level maps like building, wing, room or entrance. An alarm list also presents a filtered overview of all problems for clicking directly to an incident. Visual and audible alerting supports busy environments like alarm centrals, while the instant access to servers and camera devices translates to quick response for all locations. To spread the workload and provide backup capacity, alarm management can be assigned to multiple simultaneous operators with individual rights. A broad range of events available for triggering alarms allows customization to fit the requirements of each organization.

"Banks, utilities, military or other large mission-critical security installations can really benefit from the total overview and actionability provided by XProtect Central version 3.1,� states Kim Macallan, Head of Product Management at Milestone Systems. "The ability to see and be notified about any devices or connections having problems instigates fast response to keep the security up and running optimally at all times. It's more than just alarm management; it's trouble-shooting on a big scale that minimizes risk significantly.�

The XProtect Central Server provides connectivity to the XProtect Enterprise servers, plus centralized event and alarm logging. The XProtect Central Client allows configuration of servers and user access, location maps or alarms, the interface for monitoring the system's operational status, the tools for managing alarms, pre-defining event triggers, and viewing live or recorded video for visual verifications. Running on standard computer equipment with Windows XP or 2003, XProtect Central and XProtect Enterprise are sold by Certified Milestone Partners in 60 countries.