Epoka University is a private University located in Tirana Albania. The school has a 2013 enrollment of 1430 students (1100 undergraduates, 330 graduate students) and offers degree programs in architecture, civil engineering, computer engineering, economics, political science, international relations, and business administration. The school is ranked by Webometrics as the top university in Albania.

Existing Communications Platform
Epoka University was using an outdated analog PBX system that offered only very basic voice features, no video or data support, and required expensive fees just to add new users. The system also was unable to support devices that may need to be installed in new sites going forward as the University expanded to new locations or added remote employees. Epoka was missing many important telephony features that are now essential for colleges and universities, such as IVRs and call queues to route incoming calls and to handle periods of high-call volume, and had no video capability whatsoever. In order to make video calls and add video surveillance under their existing platform, Epoka would have had to install a second and a third network – all with separate service agreements. In order to add important communication features and to add video support, the most sensible option was to create one network that could converge voice, video, data, and video surveillance on one network.

Deployment Goal
Epoka University needed a modern communications platform that offered advanced voice calling features, comprehensive data tools such as CDR and call-recording, easy-to-use phones, and THE integration
of video to support video calling and video surveillance. This new platform had to be flexible, easily expandable,and needed to converge the required voice, video, and data tools onto one common network for easy central management. In addition to adding state-of-the-art voice features, adding video surveillance to the network was essential to Epoka University to allow them to ensure the safety of their students and employees. The school needed to be able to monitor this video surveillance system from multiple locations on campus.

It was clear to Synapse ATS, a System Integrator company in Albania, that Epoka University needed an IP based network. An IP network would allow Epoka to integrate voice and video onto one network that would allow the voice and video endpoints to uniquely interact with each other to add functionality to the solution. An IP based network would also allow the integration of video surveillance with other voice, video calling, and data features. Epoka also needed to be able to manage all features and endpoints on the network from one location, using one piece of software that could be remotely accessed by installers or system integrators if needed.

The New Solution
At Synapse’s suggestion, Epoka University chose an IP-based network delivered by hundreds of Grandstream’s IP phones, including IP Video phones and IP DECT Wireless phones, and hundreds of Grandstream’s IP Video surveillance cameras, being managed by GSurf Pro Video Management software. An Asterisk-based IP PBX anchored the entire network and various switches were deployed throughout campus to deliver connectivity to the devices.

State-of-the-Art IP Phones from Grandstream
109 Grandstream IP phones were installed on employee desks throughout Epoka University. Grandstream IP phones offer state-of-the-art telephony features to allow Epoka University to get the most out of their new voice, video, and data network. Grandstream IP phones can be easily mass deployed through a number of different provisioning options, including TR-069 and Grandstream’s Automatic Provisioning Service (GAPS), and they allow Epoka University to utilize IVRs, call- queues, call-recordings, and advanced voicemail functionality set up on their new network. Features offered by Grandstream IP phones, such as HD audio, PoE support, various amounts of soft keys and BLF keys, broad SIP interoperability, and large contact books allow Epoka University to communicate as efficiently and productively as ever before.

GXP1165
100 GXP1165s were installed on employee desks throughout campus. The GXP1165 is a comprehensive 1-line IP phone with integrated PoE and Electronic Hook Switch (EHS) support for Plantronics headsets to allow employees to use headsets so that they can make hands-free call and answer calls away from their desk. The GXP1165, like all Grandstream IP phones, offers Epoka University state-of-the-art VoIP security through TLS and SRTP encryption to protect calls and account information. The GXP1165 is a great employee desk phone as it has a small, streamlined footprint while offering an LCD screen and all the telephony features needed to be efficient and productive.

GXP2100

4 GXP2100s were deployed on administrator’s desks throughout campus. The GXP2100 is a 4-line IP phone with HD audio support, integrated PoE, 4-way conferencing, and 7 BLF/extension keys. This Enterprise IP phone is a great administrator or receptionist’s phone as it allows users to handle higher call volumes and to easily call or transfer calls to up to 7 other people through the BLF/extension keys. The GXP2100 offers the same encryption security as all other Grandstream IP phones in order to protect calls and accounts.

GXP2200 and GXV3140

These IP Multimedia phones were installed on the desk of department directors. The GXP2200 is one of the most innovative IP phones in the world as it runs an open version of the Android operating system, which allows users to download any of the hundreds of thousands of apps in the Google Play Store, including communication and productivity apps such as Skype. The 6-line GXP2200 is compatible with the GXP2200 Extension Module, which makes the phone great for receptionists or users that handle high call volume or for users who need to monitor the statuses of other extensions on the network to make or transfer calls. The GXP2200 includes integrated Bluetooth for use of headsets and data exchange as well as dual Gigabit ports to ensure the fastest possible connection speeds. The GXV3140 is a Skype-certified 3-line IP phone with a built-in camera and a 4.3” full color LCD.

Both the GXP2200 and GXV3140 can make and receive video calls to and from IP video surveillance cameras. This allows any  IP video surveillance camera on the network to make a video call to these phones whenever an alert is triggered or motion is detected – making them a great addition to any video surveillance solution as well.

DP715/DP710
Synapse deployed the DP715/DP710 DECT Cordless IP Phone in strategic places around the Epoka University campus. The DP715 (base unit) and DP710 are great phones to deploy on the desk of workers who are away from their desk often throughout the day, or for placement in busy working areas to make sure calls are always answered . These DECT Cordless IP phones offer an indoor range of 50 meters from the base station (and outdoor range of 300 meters) to allow Epoka University employees to take a call while they are walking to a meeting, or any similar example. The DP715 and DP710 also feature ring group and hunt group options which allows Epoka to have multiple DECT phones ring when a call is received to ensure every call is answered (ring group) or to set a pre-determined order in which a group of DECT phones will ring to ensure every call is answered.

Integrating Grandstream IP Video Surveillance

One of the most important aspects of Epoka University’s new network was the inclusion of video surveillance. The school needed to ensure the safety and security of all students and faculty across the entire campus at all times, and needed to do so in an easy-to-use fashion that integrates with the rest of the network to allow for central management. Synapse installed over 150 Grandstream IP video surveillance cameras across the Epoka University campus, which are monitored and recorded using Grandstream’s FREE GSurf Pro Video Management Software. Cameras were installed in every classroom on campus, hallways and lobbies, as well as outdoor locations and parking lots.

All Grandstream cameras are SIP devices, which allows them to be installed on the same IP network as voice and video telephony, and allows the cameras to interact with the telephony network to create a complete solution. Synapse setup the Grandstream cameras and registered them to the IP PBX, allowing each camera to function as an extension on the IP PBX. This allows Epoka University to set the cameras to make calls to IP video phones whenever an alarm is triggered or motion is detected in order to ensure that every security threat is noticed and dealt with. Because Grandstream’s cameras are SIP devices, Epoka can also view the live feeds of any camera simply through a web browser. All Grandstream cameras feature easy installation, comprehensive motion detection and alert/alarm settings, built-in PoE, HD video recording/streaming, and much more.

GXV3611 HD

Synapse installed 102 GXV3611_HDs throughout Epoka University’s campus. The GXV3611_HD is an indoor dome IP camera that features a 2.8mm lens – which makes it ideal for monitoring wide-angles (115 degrees) at close proximity (5-20 feet from the camera). This made the GXV3611_HD the ideal camera for Synapse to deploy in all indoor areas on campus, including classrooms, hallways, and building lobbies. The camera features 720p video recording, which is monitored and recorded using GSurf Pro in the school’s central security offce, and can also be tapped into using the GXP2200 and GXV3140.
What makes the GXV3611_HD even more effective for Epoka University is that it has a built-in microphone and speaker – which allows Epoka security offcers, employees, administrators, and faculty to speak through the camera to anyone near the camera using a web browser of by making a call to the camera itself. This allows Epoka University to communicate to those in possibly aected areas quickly and easily simply by calling the GXV3611_HD near the affected area.

GXV3662

28 of this vandal-proof, weather-proof and tamper-proof GXV3662 were installed by Synapse throughout key outdoor areas of Epoka University’s campus. The GXV3662 is an IP-66 certified weatherproof camera allowing it to function in nearly any outdoor condition, and thick casing allows the camera to be vandal-proof and tamper-proof. This makes the GXV3662 ideal for outdoor areas where tampering could be of possible concern. The GXV3662 includes a manually adjusted variable focal lens to allow Epoka University to adjust the lens from 3.3 meters (wide angle monitoring of areas in close proximity to the camera) to 12mm (30 degree monitoring of areas in the distance), and anything in between, which allows the GXV3362 to be used in small outdoor corridors as well as parking lots on campus – both of which require a different lens angle.

GXV3672 FHD

22 units of the GXV3672_FHD were installed by Synapse at Epoka University in locations where cameras needed to be able to monitor areas in the distance. The GXV3672_FHD features an 8mm lens, which it makes it ideal for monitoring areas in the distance, such as parking lots and other large, open outdoor areas. The GXV3672 series, as well as the GXV3662 series, is built with a weatherproof casing allowing it to be used outdoors in nearly any weather condition. What makes the GXV3672_HD even more ideal for outdoor monitoring is that it features infrared sensors to allow Epoka to continue to clearly monitor and record in low-light or dark conditions. Every night when the sun goes down, Epoka University does not have to worry about losing security protection thanks to the GXV3672_FHD.

GXV3651 FHD

This full-HD indoor camera was installed in a key indoor area on campus. The GXV3651_FHD contains a manually adjustable variable focal lens to allow Epoka to adjust the area being monitored by the camera, from 3.3mm to 10mm. By including an integrated IR_CUT and light sensor, the GXV3651_FHD can achieve tremendous recording/monitoring quality in low light and night conditions – making it a great camera for monitoring important indoor areas, such as the schools financial office, in any light condition. The GXV3651_FHD uniquely contains an SD card slot. This allows Synapse to deploy the camera in an area of campus where a network connection may not be available, and have all recordings simply saved to the SD card of the camera.

GSurf Pro Video Management Software

All 153 Grandstream cameras deployed by Synapse at Epoka University are monitored and recorded using Grandstream GSurf Pro Video Management Software – which comes free with all Grandstream’s cameras. GSurf Pro was installed in the central control room. In order to monitor and record all 153 installed cameras on campus, Synapse installed 5 servers in the control room, each running GSurf Pro. A virtualization-based setup allows Synapse to build a system that could monitor 153 cameras using these 5 servers, since each version of GSurf Pro is built to control up to 36 cameras. This virtualization also allows Epoka to run GSurf Pro as a client on any computer on the network. The school is easily able to adjust recording schedules, set alerts, view live feeds, and set motion detection for all cameras using GSurf Pro.

Result

Epoka University now has a state-of-the-art network that integrates voice, video, video surveillance, and data onto the same network for easy and central management. This new IP-based network allows Epoka to create a powerful telephony and data network using Grandstream’s IP phones, which feature a comprehensive set of telephony features and advanced security protection. The Grandstream SIP phones allow Epoka to use their IP PBX to record calls, create IVRs and auto-attendants, to access voicemails through email, to track calling habits (CDR), and more. The network also
allowed Epoka to easily add a video surveillance solution that monitors and records all areas of the campus to ensure student and faculty safety. This converged network resulted in a drastically lower total cost of ownership and much lower maintenance and operational costs for Epoka University. The integrated solution that Synapse installed for Epoka University is easily expandable in terms of adding additional technologies and adding additional users in the future. Simply put, this new advanced communication systems allows University faculty and students to be more productive, to communicate easier, and to keep the campus safe and connected.

Grandstream Epoka University Synapse CASESTUDY

Axis network cameras protect major Devoll Hydropower plant in Albania.

• Organization:
  Devoll Hydropower Sh.A
• Location:
  Devoll River, Albania
• Industry segment:
  Critical infrastructure
• Application:
  Safety and security
• Axis partner:
  Synapse ATS Sh.p.k.,
  AxxonSoft
  

Mission
Devoll Hydropower Sh.A. (DHP) is an Albanian registered company, owned and operated by the Norwegian power company Statkraft AS. In line with a concession agree- ment signed and approved by the Albanian Parliament in 2009, Devoll Hydropower will develop, construct, and operate hydropower plants in cascade along the Devoll River in southeast Albania. Construction of the entire cascade should be completed in 2019. Resources are required to meet the growing demand of electricity consumption in Albania. Devoll Hydropower will increase electricity production in Albania by 17%, all of it through renewable and clean energy. There was a need for a CCTV system that would provide surveillance at four different locations, including two power plants. The primary focus was on quality.

Solution

The CCTV solution was based on Axis network cameras. A total of 62 Axis cameras protect an office building in Banja, an office building in Gramshi, the Banja hydro- power plant, and the Moglice hydropower plant construction site. The cameras are used to ensure the physical security of the perimeter, protect assets, and monitor worker adherence to safety and operational regulations. At the Devoll hydropower plant, they cover all the main facilities: the power house, switch yard, intake, spillway, and emergency outlet.

Result

The customer is very satisfied with the quality provided by Axis network cameras. They are reliable and their PoE (Power over Ethernet) makes them easier to install than old-school  analogue  systems. Moreover,  the  image quality is incomparably better than analogue CCTV, and the customer is already considering using analytics for network cameras to improve their functionality.

“ We liked the Axis IP cameras. You can see the difference from the other brands as soon as you unpack an Axis camera. In terms of reliability, they are incomparable. Our first IP camera was installed in 2014, and we’ve never had an issue with any camera. We’re glad that we went with a network camera solution. Just imagine installing analogue cameras on a complex of this size. Construction and maintenance costs would be astronomical compared to network cameras.”

Mr. Oltion Elezi, ICT Manager in the Devoll Hydropower plant.

Optics required

It can prove quite a challenge to secure a complex of this size. One of the largest challenges was the sheer size of the hydropower plant. Separate buildings and the large perimeter area required construction of an optical network for connectivity. Multiple cameras were needed at the plant’s service points to ensure worker adherence to safety and operational regulations. The most-used network cameras were AXIS P1354-E for their great performance, AXIS P1405-LE with IR lights and very good night vision mode, and PTZ camera AXIS P5635-E. Cameras are positioned both inside and outside all of the facilities and office buildings in Banja and Gramshi and are connected to centralized video rooms by means of a local internet service provider. There are only a few cameras at the Moglice construc- tion site, but since it’s similar to Banja, the company foresees the addition of many more network cameras to the system.

Different levels of access, more applications

As mentioned earlier, there are three different uses for the CCTV network, the first and second of which focus on perimeter security and the protection of assets. These two are managed by security staff and do not currently use analytics. Also, each security staff has access to his or her protected facility only. The company is already considering adding the AXIS Perimeter Defender application. The third use is the protection of workers and monitoring of the hydropower plant. This is done from a control room by a manager and personnel supervisor. It essentially allows supervisors to monitor critical parts and verify there are no workers in critical situations, such as working around vents during emergency water discharge. The system is based entirely on the Axxon Soft Next Proffesional Plattform VMS. Currently, there is no connection to other systems, such as safety, fire, access, and CRM.

Intense competition, reliability is key

Competition on the video surveillance market in Albania is very intense. The market is flooded with less reliable and cheaper cameras, but there are customers that need reliable and trusted network cameras. This is reflected in the words of Mr. Oltion Elezi manager of CCTV in the Devoll Hydropower plant: “We liked the Axis IP cameras. You can see the difference from the other brands as soon as you unpack an Axis camera. In terms of reliability, they are incomparable. Our first IP camera was installed in 2014, and we’ve never had an issue with any camera. We’re glad that we went with a network camera solution. Just imagine installing analogue cameras on a complex of this size. Construction and maintenance costs would be astronomical compared to network cameras. As we have another project progressing on schedule, it will be necessary to extend the CCTV network as well. Fortunately, the IP solution is easily scalable and adding new Axis network cameras is very easy

Devoll Hydropower Sh.A PDF Case study

AlbChrome 

• Locations: Elbasan – metallurgy plant, Burrel – metallurgy plant, Bulqize – chrome mines, Tirana – headquarters
• Industry Segment: Metals, mining and processing
• Application: Access Control and Time and Attendance
• Solution in numbers: 1,200 employees, 4 Sites, 4 full-height turnstiles, 8 biometric + RFID readers, 2 RFID readers Industry Segment: Metals,mining and processing
  

Customer
AlbChrome, part of the Balfin Group, is a regional leader in the metals industry. With several locations across Albania their activities include mining, metals production, processing and enrichment.

Challenge
With many different working environments (mining, processing, manufacturing and administration), it was a challenge to manage their people and working time. In addition, a range of locations & shift patterns meant they needed a flexible solution to automate and improve working time calculations, shift management, and payroll information for all of their employees. Harsh environments in several areas also meant that the time recording terminals and readers needed to be robust and reliable.

Solution
Through Spica’s local integrator, Synapse, Albchrome has initially implemented Spica’s Time&Space across four locations. Within Time&Space, all of Albchrome’s specific rules and arrival/departure event types were easily implemented, even across the different working regimes (office, mine, plant), enabling a seamless transfer to the new system. Managers at each location are now able to access the system for an immediate overview of all their people in real-time. The flexibility of Time&Space is also assisting in shift allocation and exchange.

Result
The system has run flawlessly since it was installed. The automation of the work-time calculation, data transfer to the 3rd-party payroll system, and various tailored reports for employees working time, presence and violations has resulted in immediate savings in time and cost for HR and also other departments.

“We weren’t sure the implementation would be possible in our environment without having to change our current working schemes and practices. The configurability and flexibility of Time&Space has enabled a completely smooth transition. We are already feeling the time and efficiency savings from the system, especially due to diverse kinds of reports and payroll calculations.”

Sokol Kreci, Head of HR, Albchrome

SPICA
Spica has been a pioneer in workforce management for over 30 years, providing comprehensive solutions for time & attendance and access control in over 30 countries and to more than 3,500 companies. Customers cover the full spectrum, from SME’s to governmental organisations.

Synapse
Synapse ATS is an ICT Service and Solution provider, with a wide technology and business knowledge, able to align technology in order to achieve business goals. Their expertise includes networking, IP telephony and collaboration, physical security, data centers and structured cabling.

Synapse Ablchrome Time&Space PDF Case study