Using IP Camers with Remote Businesses

Author: Wes Fernley

Business streamlining is an ongoing process with many business owners. As many businesses require offsite work and more employees start to work remotely from home or at offsite locations, it is becoming more difficult to monitor them to ensure efficiency does not drop and that work is on schedule.
Network IP cameras offer the ability for business owners or management to easily monitor and record offsite employees and work being done. While you need to be careful of giving employees a sense of distrust, certain situations can call for some type of monitoring. IP cameras are video devices that allow you to connect locally or remotely using a web browser or recording software.
An offsite monitoring example is construction. Many construction companies use Network IP cameras to monitor work being done and also create time-laps recording. Some companies use these surveillance cameras to watch and monitor 3rd party warehouses or offices. Considering many companies have multiple locations, streamlining all the cameras to the headquarters for monitoring and recording offers many benefits.
One such benefit is security. Recording to a remote location ensures any theft or break-ins are caught on tape and inaccessible from the thief or intruder. Motion detection is another popular feature. This allows recording space to be optimized as only motion is recorded.
Network IP cameras allow for easy installation. They are IP based so they plug directly into your corporate (or home) network. The camera can be configured to view remotely if an Internet connection is available. This is accomplished with configuring your network router to use Port Forwarding. Some IP cameras are wireless so no network cable is required - once the initial wireless setup is complete. PoE (Power over Ethernet) is another common feature that allows you to power the camera via the Ethernet cable. This allows for installation where you cannot run power.
Some Network IP cameras include recording software however some do not. It is best to check with the manufacturer or sales person. Recording software is available for purchase for both Mac and PC based computers and networks. Network Video Recorders are also available that offer a single unit with a built-in hard drive and computer to do all the recording. These can be configured for remotely accessibility. Onboard MicroSD card slots are also becoming common. This allows you to recording directly on the IP camera with a MicroSD memory card slot. Currently 8GB memory seems to be the max however.
Overall, network IP cameras offer many benefits for remotely monitoring any type of business setup. It is best to talk to a specialist of network cameras who can provide suggestions for installation and product recommendations. Searching for an online store is your best bet as most online resources carry full camera product lines.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/using-ip-camers-with-remote-businesses-4137818.html

About the Author
Network Camera Store is a leading online reseller of network IP cameras. Two ideal cameras for home surveillance are the Panasonic BL-C210A or BL-C131A. For more information on IP cameras, contact network camera store at (877) 638-2260 or visit their website at NetworkCameraStore.com.