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Barclays Premier League side Fulham Football Club has deployed a new physical security system architected on EMC Corporation's (News - Alert) unified storage incorporating VMware virtualization and cloud infrastructure framework to set up a private cloud environment. The company, in collaboration with Genetec (News - Alert), provider of video management software, has included a wireless IP Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) system for its unified storage which can be accessed on iOS mobile devices used by Fulham's security team. Using the solution, the security team can monitor the crowds and enhance security in the stadium.

Key benefits of the solution include, ROI within two years of deployment and operations. Fulham will benefit from saving floor space, a reduction in operational costs and integration of 36 servers into 6 servers. Both the security team and the Metropolitan Police will be provided with access to streaming videos round the clock and from any location on multiple mobile devices. Reduction in storage space as well as power and cooling needs is another advantage as the clubs data center operations were shifted to private cloud. The unified storage additionally made it possible for Fulham to operate file and block servers using single solution bought together by the company's Unisphere storage management offering.

In a release, Nicolas Pendlebury, Head of IT Projects at Fulham F. C., said, "We were incredibly impressed by EMC's proposal, which presented us with an entire security package from storage to cameras. In addition, it was based on an open-architecture model, allowing us to choose best-of-breed products. The cloud environment is key to the success of the new system, which we estimate will pay for itself in two years. It has enabled us to increase the agility, speed and functionality with which the security team can monitor our sites remotely and safely, and new cameras can be connected to the network at any time."

Implementation of the new IP-based CCTV system which was completed within weeks, includes 63 high-definition (HD) cameras fitted across the Craven Cottage stadium and Motspur Park training ground. The cameras which are Wi-Fi enabled, run in virtualized storage environment resulting in savings in cost and space. Supporting the CCTV security network are two cloud environments featuring the EMC unified storage and VMware virtualization and cloud infrastructure technologies. Now even if one of the servers goes down, the system automatically shifts to the next available capacity. The VMware vSphere 4.1 and VMware vCenter Server makes it possible for the security team at Fulham to easily manage the virtualized storage and benefit from optimized infrastructure capacity.