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The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates was established in 1968, at the request of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. The National Archives is a collection of valuable, historical material of public and scientific relevance, housed in a purpose-built site in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is imperative that a building and archive of such national and regional significance is well-protected. Many of the items stored are irreplaceable, including maps, photographs, documents and books.
Telectron, a well-respected and experienced security integrator, with offices in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, was chosen to design and install a new, networked security and CCTV system to protect the building, its contents and staff. Telectron, established in 1974, just three years after the UAE itself was formed, has a long-standing reputation in UAE security.
The brief was to install an intelligent CCTV security system that provided alarm notifications of significant events, from a change in scene to active intrusion; provided 24/7 visual surveillance; and recorded and stored all video data. The system also had to be viewed from a number of remote locations, as well as be monitored centrally from a dedicated facility.
Telectron installed 140 Grundig IP cameras; 95x GCI-K1523D, 2 megapixel (2MP) indoor dome cameras positioned within the building; 20x GCI-K1585V, 2MP, vandal-resistant, external dome cameras around the building exterior and site perimeter; a 5x GCI-K1812W cameras in the elevator and an additional 20x 3MP, GCI-F0505B box cameras for high resolution images and recording. The cameras were positioned around the entire site, including the museum areas, entrances, public areas and server room. All the cameras offer exceptional image quality and reliability. A Milestone Corporate Level VMS system, using CISCO network switches, managed and controlled the system.
Mr Mazen Minawi of Telectron commented, “We have used Grundig cameras in a number of applications and have always been impressed by their exceptional image quality and reliability. In a high–end application like this one, it is essential that no cameras fail, compromising site security and putting priceless, irreplaceable artefacts at risk.”
Grundig offers a full support service to customers in the Middle East region, headed up by Yalcin Demirak. Services include project and sales support, technical certification for Grundig Security installers and post-sales support.
The National Archives are so important to the UAE, that their existence and practices became law in 2008. UAE president, HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, officially designated the centre the ‘National Archives of the UAE’ under the name ‘National Centre for Documentation and Research’ (NCDR). The name was changed in 2014 to National Archives.
The National Archive is responsible for collecting, preserving, researching and documenting the history and heritage of the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region in general. It also has an educational role, promoting cultural and historical awareness. In the light of current events in the region, its importance is hugely significant and its effective protection is mission-critical.
The state-of-the-art building includes a museum-style exhibition that can be viewed by the public; a 600 seat auditorium for lectures and educational purposes; a 3-D Reality Hall; and vast archive storage areas. Many of the items in the collections are rescued, then restored and preserved in highly controlled environments and atmospheres to ensure they remain intact.
The new security system is a success. Mr Fadi El Khoury, Head of Technical Support at the National Archives commented, ”We monitor all key areas of the site from our central control room. The facility has eight work stations with dual monitors for tracking anything of concern in real time. The VMS is installed onto three management servers, plus a failover server for additional backup. We also have a remote viewing facility for the Vice President and General Manager, if required. The National Archive is exceptionally well-protected and any incident or potential risk can be addressed appropriately and immediately.”
Grundig is proud to be protecting the National Archives of the United Arab Emirates, a site of such historical and global significance.
